Jacoby Ellsbury Contract Overview
Jacoby Ellsbury signed a seven-year, $153 million contract with the New York Yankees before the 2014 season. The deal included a full no-trade clause and was one of the largest free-agent contracts for a center fielder at the time.
Contract Structure and Terms
The agreement carried an average annual value of roughly $21.9 million. It featured guaranteed money with deferred payments in later years, a common structure for large free-agent deals in Major League Baseball.
Performance and Contract Context
Ellsbury joined the Yankees from the Boston Red Sox, where he had been an All-Star and Gold Glove-caliber player. Injuries limited his production in New York, and he was later placed on the injured list with a chronic foot condition.
Career and Financial Legacy
The contract is often cited as a cautionary example of a high-risk free-agent deal. Ellsbury was eventually placed on waivers and bought out by the Yankees, ending his time with the team. For more details on the contract and career timeline, see the Baseball Reference page for Jacoby Ellsbury at Baseball Reference.
