Source: Royals, 2B Whit Merrifield agree to 4-year, $16.25M extension

Second baseman Whit Merrifield and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $16.25 million, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Merrifield led the American League last season in both hits (192) and stolen bases (45), while batting .304 with 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.

The deal for Merrifield, who turned 30 last week, buys out his last pre-arbitration year as well as three years of arbitration and includes a fifth-year team option for $10.5 million.

He has a career batting average of .293 in parts of three seasons, and also led the American League with 34 stolen bases in 2017.

Merrifield made just six errors last season at second base, his primary position, while also seeing time at first and the outfield.