Diamondbacks sign 3B Reynolds to 3-year deal

Mar 18, 2010 - 11:23 PM TUCSON, Ariz.(AP) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks signed third baseman Mark Reynolds to a three-year contract Thursday.

The deal runs through 2012 and includes a club option for 2013.

Last year, Reynolds hit 44 home runs and had 102 RBIs, both career highs. His one-year home run total is the second highest in Diamondbacks history behind Luis Gonzalez (57 in 2001), and he will be counted on to continue to power Arizona's lineup.

"He is one of the premier power hitters in the game," general manager Josh Byrnes said in a statement.

Reynolds stole 24 bases last year to become just the fourth major league player in the decade to hit 40 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season. Alex Rodriguez (2005, '07), Alfonso Soriano (2006) and Shawn Green (2001) were the others.

Reynolds, 26, improved his batting average from .239 in 2008 to .260 in 2009. He also struck out 223 times last season, breaking the major league record of 204 he set the previous year.

Since he was called up from Double-A Mobile in May 2007, Reynolds leads all NL third basemen with 89 home runs and ranks second in RBIs (261) and stolen bases (35).

He has hit the third-most home runs in major league history by a third baseman in his first three years, behind Eddie Mathews (112) and Bob Horner (91).

Reynolds has been a work in progress on defense. He led the majors with 35 errors in 2008 but improved to 24 last year.