Outfielder Dylan Carlson, who is returning from an injury that limited him throughout this past season, and the Cardinals agreed on a one-year deal Thursday to avoid arbitration, a source told the Post-Dispatch.
Carlson, 25, was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career.
The Cardinals' switch-hitting outfielder and the Cardinals agreed upon a deal worth $2.35 million, which almost triples his salary as he moves into the arbitration process.
Carlson is the first of six arbitration-eligible players to agree on a deal Thursday. The Cardinals continued to negotiate with newcomer Andrew Kittredge, closer Ryan Helsley, center fielder Tommy Edman and the two others as the deadline neared. Also eligible for arbitration are lefty relievers JoJo Romero and John King.
Carlson played in only 76 games last season and had a .219 average with five homers and a .651 OPS. He spent time on the injury list with a high ankle sprain, and throughout the season played with restrictive and painful spurs within that same foot. The injury limited the foot's range of motion, and it prompted a surgery toward the end of the season to alleviate the restriction.
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The Cardinals have said that Edman is their starting center fielder to start the season, but Carlson will come to spring training with the chance to compete for that everyday role and playing time at other spots in the outfield.
The deadline is noon Thursday for agreements before teams and players must exchange salary figures for the potential arbitration hearing. An arbiter will choose between the two figures at a hearing closer to spring training.
The Cardinals have adopted a "file and trial" approach, meaning that if they do not come to an agreement ahead of the noon deadline they will take the player to arbitration. The one exception is if the two sides can finalize a multi-year deal.
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