New A’s Stadium On Strip Catalyst For Athletics’ Young Player Contract Extensions
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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher-Writer
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — A’s GM David Forst readily admits the Athletics have not been able to retain talented players throughout his 27 years with the Major League Baseball club.
But the Athletics’ construction of a $2 billion domed stadium on the Strip has changed that. The state of Nevada and Clark County are providing $380 million in government assistance for the 33,000-fan venue slated to open for the 2028 MLB season.
The economic model for the A’s has pivoted and the franchise held its first bonafide baseball event in Las Vegas Tuesday when the Athletics used their new welcome center at the UnCommons business district to announce the signing of left fielder Tyler Soderstrom to a seven-year, $86 million extension.
The 24-year-old Soderstrom, who enjoyed a breakthrough season with 25 home runs and 93 runs batted in over 158 games, checked out the stadium construction scene at the former Tropicana hotel-casino site at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. The Gold Glove finalist stood where left field will be at the stadium and at the future home plate under a cloud sky.
Soderstrom joined Forst and manager Mark Kotsay at the A’s welcome center, where fans are coming to check out season ticket deals and suites costs.
In response to an LVSportsBiz.com question during the presser, Forst said the team’s future in Las Vegas and at the new stadium is coming up in contract talks.
The Athletics’ business strategy is clear: sign talented young players to lucrative extensions to create a core of players that create a buzz and a potential winning record when the franchise moves to Las Vegas in 2028. They already signed slugger Brent Rooker to a five-year, $60 million deal and outfielder Lawrence Butler to a seven-year, $65.5 million agreement in anticipation of the new A’s stadium in Las Vegas.
For a franchise known for trading away talented players, the Soderstrom signing is historic because it’s the team’s most lucrative guaranteed contract.
The A’s picked Soderstrom with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft. He was a catcher, then a first baseman by 2025 when he shifted to left field to make room for Nick Kurtz, who would bash 36 home runs and win the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2025.
The A’s have two more seasons in West Sacramento, where they are playing at the Triple-A ballpark of the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants affiliate, until the stadium in Las Vegas opens. The A’s already have their Triple-A team, the Aviators, playing in a stadium in Summerlin.
Who’s next for the A’s to sign to a big contract extension? Well, shortstop Jacob Wilson and Kurtz are the likely suspects. Wilson finished right behind teammate Kurtz in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting.
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