Evan Longoria, Rays agree to $100-million contract extension

Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria has agreed to a new contract that adds six seasons and $100 million to his deal with the Rays.

“We drafted Evan in 2006 with the belief that he and the organization would grow with each other and together accomplish great things,” Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Monday in a statement. “That is why the Rays and Evan signed a long-term contract in 2008, and it is why we are extending our commitments. Evan has clearly become a cornerstone player and a fixture in our organization. We are proud of what we have accomplished these past seven years, and I expect the best is yet to come.”

The Rays drafted Longoria out of Long Beach State in the first round of the 2006 draft.

Longoria’s old deal would have paid him $36.6 million over the next four seasons. The new deal lasts through 2022.

“Evan has all of the attributes we seek in a player,” Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “His determination and work ethic inspire others around him. He is devoted to his craft and strives to improve himself every year, and he defines success in terms of team performance and achievement. It’s exciting to know that Evan will be manning third base for the Rays for many years to come.”

Longoria played in only 74 games in 2012 because of a torn left hamstring.

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