While the Chicago Cubs sit near the bottom of the MLB standings, All-Star catcher Willson Contreras is enjoying a phenomenal season that is boosting his trade value and his asking price in free agency next winter.

Contreras, age, 30, is one of the lone bright spots in the Cubs lineup. Entering play on Friday, he boasted a career-high .403 OBP and is well on pace to shatter his personal bests in home runs and runs scored with a phenomenal 2022 season.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Contreras will likely want a five-year contract this offseason worth at least $100 million. At an annual value of $20-plus million per season, Contreras would become one of the highest paid catchers in MLB.

MLB

Cubs, Willson Contreras Avoid Arbitration With $9.625-Million Deal

Willson Contreras stats (2022): .277/.403/.530. 10 home runs, 23 RBI, 2.2 fWAR, 162 wRC+

In a contract year, the right-handed catcher is taking his game to another level. He lowered his strikeout rate from a career-worst 28.5% in 2021 to a career-best 19.9% this season, all while increasing his walk rate to 11.9%.