"I couldn't be happier" - Will Smith ponders on the thought of being a Dodger for life after $140 million extension

The LA Dodgers and their talented catcher, Will Smith, have agreed on a 10-year, $140 million contract extension that will run until the 2033 season.

Smith had previously signed an $8.55 million one-year deal to avoid arbitration this year, but that has been replaced by the contract extension that he signed on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old was stipulated to hit free agency after the 2024 MLB season, but all of that has been taken care of by the organization as he signed the multi-year contract extension.

Will Smith was ecstatic at his contract extension while conversing with Dodgers Insider Cary Osborne. He said:

"There’s no better organization that’s more committed to winning the World Series, and that’s the most important thing to me when it comes to baseball.

Will Smith's latest contract extension places his deal as the third-highest for any catcher in the big league. It trails behind Joe Mauer's deal with the Minnesota Twins in 2010 and Buster Posey's with the San Francisco Giants in 2013.

Smith's deal involves a $30 million signing bonus and $50 million in deferred salary, which he will earn from 2034 to 2043. Will had previously expressed his intention of retiring as a Dodger and reiterated the same after his latest contract extension, as he owes all his success in the big leagues to the organization.

"I love being a Dodger. I don’t think I’m the player I would be without being here," Will Smith added. "For me, to probably finish my career a Dodger, I couldn’t be happier, more excited moving forward."

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Dodgers organization excited for Will Smith's future

Will Smith has impressed the league with his talents, not just behind the home plate but even in front of it while wielding his bat for the Dodgers ballclub.

Over the previous five seasons with LA, he has posted a statline of .263/.358/.484 as a hitter, and the Statcast has projected him to be one of the best catchers in the MLB.

After his latest extension, Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations, said:

"It’s a really special organizational moment. From the selection and amateur process, through the player development system to the Major League level and that continued development and maturation.

"Will has been integral and a significant part of a lot of success we’ve achieved to this point. And we’re excited about him being a huge part of what we do into the future."

Will Smith will hope to win his second World Series title with the LA Dodgers after a successful offseason that saw the ballclub strengthen their roster beyond imagination for the 2024 MLB season.