Will Yoenis Cespedes find the six-year deal he seeks in free agency?

The phrase “contract year” in a popular one in professional sports. We often hear talk about the impact being in a contract year has on players looking to improve their stock and land a big money deal the following offseason.

Is it a distraction? Added motivation? A non-factor? 

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Honestly, it’s probably different for everybody, but we know with certainty it’s not a hindrance to Yoenis Cespedes. He entered 2015 in a contract year, and right now he’s enjoying the contract year that all players and agents dream about.

Things really took off for Cespedes when he joined the Mets at the trade deadline. In the seven weeks since, his stock has been on a meteoric rise. Cespedes is hitting .295/.345/.681 with 17 home runs and 42 RBIs in just 44 games. Essentially, Cespedes has helped elevate New York from fading pretenders to potential World Series contenders. In the process, he’s become one of the game’s most attractive impending free agents, which puts him in a position of power when negotiations begin.

And make no mistake, Cespedes fully intends to flex his muscles. That much was confirmed in a recent interview with Marly Rivera of ESPN Deportes. In the interview, Cespedes revealed plans to seek at least a six-year deal. 

“My only hope is to stay healthy,” Cespedes told ESPN. “I’m not thinking about a contract, but I do know that I will be looking for a contract that is six years or more, has to be six years or more. We’ll see what happens.”

Take note, teams seeking a slugging corner outfielder. Though no financial numbers were thrown around, Cespedes is obviously aiming high.

Cespedes will turn 30 on Oct. 18, so he’s essentially seeking the final big money deal of his career. Given how’s he performed this season, especially down the stretch, he seems like a player who will hold good value for another three or four years. Interested teams would probably be comfortable going to a sixth guaranteed season if they’re also confident the first half of the deal will be productive.

With that in mind, Cespedes won’t be the only outfielder on the market. He might have the best numbers to point to this season, but younger options like Jason Heyward and Justin Upton will also be there, and will arguably have more complete track records to present. All three will definitely be paid well, but it will be interesting to see which one sets the market.

There’s arguments to be made for all three, but Cespedes might have one big advantage moving forward. He’ll have the platform of playing postseason games in New York. If he stays red hot through October and even leads them to some hardware, the ante will have been raised significantly.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813