Report: Cervelli open to extension with Pirates, wants $39 million

Jul 29, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli (29) walks back to the dugout in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

If Francisco Cervelli has his wish, the Pittsburgh Pirates will pay him a handsome sum to remain their catcher.

According to a report from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Cervelli is open to the idea of remaining in Pittsburgh, and he reportedly has targeted his demands.

The Tribune-Review reports that Cervelli, who will turn 30 before the beginning of the 2016 season, wants to be offered a three-year extension by the Pirates worth $13 million annually.

Cervelli is currently in the final year of his contract. He and the Pirates recently agreed to a one-year deal worth $3.5 million to avoid arbitration.

Signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees in 2003, Cervelli played the first seven years of his career for the Yankees. He joined the Pirates last offseason via a trade in exchange for reliever Justin Wilson.

In his first season playing more than 100 games, Cervelli hit .295/.370/.401 with seven home runs and 43 RBI with the Pirates in 2015, boosting his career split to .284/.357/.389 and his 162-game average to seven home runs and 58 RBI.

Although extending Cervelli would be a popular move in Pittsburgh, the Pirates have plenty of back-up options should extension talks fail.

Not only did they recently sign veteran catcher Chris Stewart to a two-year deal with a team option for 2018, but the Pirates also have two of the top 10 catching prospects in MLB, per MLB.com, in Reese McGuire (No. 4) and Elias Diaz (No. 6), a safety net of which general manager Neal Huntington is well aware.

"We do not discuss negotiations -- potential or active -- publicly," Huntington told the Tribune-Review. "We like Cervelli a lot and would welcome the chance to have him remain a Pirate in the event we are able to find a contract that makes sense for both the player and club.

"We are also fortunate to have two quality catching prospects that are near major-league ready in case we are not able to reach common financial ground."

Nonetheless, Cervelli is considered one of the best defensive catchers in the game, mainly for his pitch-framing, and his value to the Pirates might be counterbalance his expectations for an extension.