PHOENIX (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers have signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy to a five-year contract with a club option for 2017.
The team announced the deal Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Lucroy batted .265 with 12 home runs in 136 games last year, his first full season in the major leagues. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin says Lucroy has “grasped the challenges” of playing catcher at the majors and the team projects him “to improve and become one of the better catchers in the league.”
The Brewers posted a 3.63 ERA when Lucroy caught and went 68-46 when he started.
Milwaukee now has five homegrown core players under multiyear contracts. NL MVP Ryan Braun is signed through 2020, pitcher Yovani Gallardo and second baseman Rickie Weeks through 2014 and outfielder Corey Hart through 2013.
