BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : Mondesi Signs Two-Year Contract

The Dodgers, recognizing that right fielder Raul Mondesi may be the most exciting player in the National League, made sure that he also was one of the league’s highest-paid.

Mondesi signed a two-year, $3.65-million contract. He will earn $950,000 this season and $2.7 million in 1997.

“We were willing to step forward and make it happen,” said Fred Claire, executive vice president. “He just has got so much ability in every department. He definitely is one of the most exciting players in this league, and his future is bright.”

Mondesi, elated with the deal, said he will buy his mother a new home in the Dominican Republic.

Mondesi batted .285 with a career-high 26 homers and 88 runs batted in and 27 stolen bases last season.

The Dodgers also signed starting pitcher Ismael Valdes to a one-year, $425,000 contract, leaving center fielder Roger Cedeno the only unsigned player.

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Shortstop Greg Gagne knows they will be waiting for him when the Dodgers open the exhibition season today against the Kansas City Royals, Gagne’s old team, at Haines City, Fla.

The shortstop for Kansas City will be Jose Offerman, whom the Dodgers traded in January for reliever Billy Brewer.

“It’s going to feel strange because those guys were great to me,” said Gagne, who signed a one-year, $2.6-million free-agent contract.

“In Kansas City, I felt like one of the guys. They made me feel wanted, but they just couldn’t afford to give me a contract. If they had, I would have been back.”

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Don Fehr, executive director of the Major League Players Assn., handed out licensing checks and addressed the Dodgers and the coaching staff. Fehr invited all players to attend, including the Dodgers’ four replacement players.

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Third baseman Mike Blowers has a strained hamstring and will sit out today’s game.