Giancarlo Stanton is reportedly in talks about the Miami Marlins about a contract extension, team president of basketball operations Mike Hill confirmed.
Hill told ESPN that they have already sat down with Stanton's agent, Joel Wolfe, but he declined to give a timetable on when a deal would be finalized.
"Negotiations are ongoing," Hill said. "We're hopeful we'll be able to make him a Marlin for many years to come."
Both sides are not in a rush to reach an agreement because Stanton won't become a free agent until after the 2016 MLB season. The 24-year-old was previously mentioned in numerous trade rumors, but he is expected to start next season with the Marlins.
Stanton, who spent the past three seasons with the Marlins, was outstanding for Miami last season before his season ended when he sustained facial and dental fracture after he was hit by a pitch on Sept. 11.
Stanton batted .288 with 37 homeruns and 105 RBIs last season, which were enough for him to win the National League Hank Aaron award and NL outstanding player of the year award and was also a strong candidate for the NL Most Valuable Player of the Year award.
"He's the MVP in my eyes," Hill said. "There are probably some things that will impact our negotiations that still need to be determined. But we reached out and let his representative know we're ready to engage."
Hill, whose team finished fourth in the NL East standings with 77-85 record, said that locking Stanton up is their top priority as he admitted that they were a different team when the right fielder was not in their roster.
"We have a different team when he's not in the lineup," Hill admitted. "He's a big part of our offense. That's why we're trying to keep him long-term in the middle of that order and surround him with pieces that give us an opportunity to win on a daily basis."
