Brian McCann signs five-year deal with Yankees

Brian McCann and the New York Yankees have signed a long-term contract, according to reports. The deal with the New York Yankees was originally reported close by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. According to Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter), the Yankees have locked up McCann to a five-year, $85 million contract. The contract could be worth as high as $100 million with a sixth year option. The deal includes a full no-trade clause, according to Jon Heyman of CBS (via Twitter)The catcher has finally been able to be locked up for a long time. 

The original deal was expected to be a five-year deal worth over $80 million, according to Ken Rosenthal. The Rangers or Red Sox were the early favorites to be the winners in McCann's sweepstakes. He ruled out heading to Texas, and decided to sign with the Yankees tonight. It was also known that the Rockies made a large offer to McCann, making a run at him for over $60 million. The Rockies, having been in the running for numerous catchers, have been unable to sign their two biggest targets, Carlos Ruiz and Brian McCann. 

McCann, arguably the top catcher on the free agent market, has definitely proven his worth. In 2013, McCann ranked 8th among catchers (min. 300 PA) with an OPS of .796 and hit the fourth most home runs (20). McCann is one of the best catchers in the major leagues on a yearly basis, and his new contract definitely reflected upon his performance. 

McCann, 30 in February, has been selected to seven all star appearances, and has a career .277/.350/.473 slash line. In 2013, McCann hit .256/.336/.461 with 20 home runs and 57 RBI. Pitchers have had a 3.76 ERA when McCann catches, which is far above the MLB average mark of 4.20. His combination off offense and defense is a great addition to any team.