The San Diego Padres are likely to have a busy offseason. General manager A.J. Preller is no stranger to bold moves, and figures to check in on free-agent starter Stephen Strasburg's ask before continuing his pursuit of a frontline starter on the trade market -- the latter seems more likely to prove fertile, given the Padres' ability to consolidate their prospect depth.

In addition to attempting to land a new star, Preller will reportedly seek to lock up one already on the roster. The Padres "intend to open discussions" with shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. regarding a long-term extension, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Tatis, 21 come January, had an abbreviated rookie season due to injury. When he played, he performed like he was already one of the best players in the league. He hit .317/.379/.590 (152 OPS+) with 22 home runs and 16 steals on 22 tries. Per Baseball-Reference, he accumulated more than four Wins Above Replacement (though public defensive metrics are untrustworthy). Earlier this week, Tatis finished third in NL Rookie of the Year Award voting.

Attempting to lock down Tatis beyond his team-control years makes all the sense in the world for the Padres. So, what might it cost them?

The logical comparison point is to the deal signed by Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. back in April. Acuna inked an eight-year deal worth $100 million with a pair of club options. That deal stands as both, the largest ever handed out to player with less than a year of service time, and one of the team-friendliest contracts in the game, given Acuna's established production and immense upside.

No other pact signed by a player this early in their big-league career would seem within the ballpark. In fact, the next-largest deal signed since 2010 by a player with fewer than two years of service belongs to Andrelton Simmons, who agreed to an extension with the Braves in 2014 worth $58 million, per MLB Trade Rumors. Beyond those deals, everyone else received less than $50 million.

It would stand to reason that Tatis would try to exceed Acuna's deal, thereby setting a new high watermark. Whether the Padres would go for that is anyone's guess. Heck, whether Tatis would go for that is unknown -- after all, he probably doesn't need to rush into an agreement, as his father earned nearly $18 million during his own big-league career, per Baseball-Reference. As a result, Tatis is positioned to maximize his earning potential without having to worry about the financial standing of his family.

If no extension can be agreed upon, Tatis will be arbitration-eligible after the 2021 season. He'll qualify for free agency after 2024.