The San Diego Padres announced Jan. 17 they have signed infielder Wil Myers to a contract through the 2022 season with a club option for the 2023 season. Executive vice president/general manager A.J. Preller made the announcement. “We’re excited to secure a player with talent like Wil’s for the next six years,” said Preller. “Wil has shown that he wants to be in San Diego and wants to be a Padre, and he is going to be an integral part of our team and the community as we continue to build a championship club.” “I want to thank the Padres organization for giving me this opportunity, and Padres fans for their support,” said Myers. “I’ve loved my time in San Diego and I’m excited to be a part of what we’re building for the future.” Myers, 26, set career highs in nearly every offensive category in 2016, hitting .259 (155-for-599) with 29 doubles, four triples, 28 home runs, 94 RBI and 99 runs scored to go along with 68 walks and 28 stolen bases. He became the first Padre in team history to post 25-or-more doubles, home runs and stolen bases in a season, joining Mookie Betts and Mike Trout as the only three players in the Majors to reach those marks in 2016. The 6-foot-3-inch tall, 206-pound first baseman was named to his first career All-Star Team in 2016 and started the game for the National League squad, batting cleanup as the designated hitter and going 1-for-3 with a double. The Thomasville, N.C., native was named National League Player of the Month in June. He also was voted the Padres’ 2016 Most Valuable Player by the San Diego Chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) following a season in which he set Petco Park single-season records in several categories: hits (93), home runs (18), RBI (58) and runs scored (60). His .306 home average in 2016 ranked tops among all players with at least 250 at-bats in a single season in Downtown San Diego. Originally signed by the Kansas City Royals as a third-round selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, the Padres acquired Myers from the Tampa Bay Rays on Dec. 18, 2014 as part of an 11-player, three-team trade. The 2013 American League Rookie of the Year has hit .257 (382-for-1484) with 79 doubles, five triples, 55 home runs, 211 RBI and 226 runs scored in 392 games played over parts of four Major League seasons with Tampa Bay (2013-14) and San Diego (2015-16). A press conference at Petco Park is set for Monday, Jan. 23.
