Ben Compton has signed a one-year contract with Nottinghamshire, his first professional first-class deal.
The left-hander, who made his first-class debut at Trent Bridge against Warwickshire in September, becomes the latest prospect to commit his future to the Club.
Compton joins Joey Evison – the all-rounder who made his bow in the same fixture – and Sol Budinger in putting pen to paper on a new deal ahead of the 2020 season.
The top-order batsman also follows Uncapped Player of the Year Liam Patterson-White in earning a full-time berth in the Nottinghamshire squad – and the spinner’s breakthrough into the professional ranks is one Compton wishes to emulate.
“I’m delighted to sign for Notts – it’s a great opportunity at a great club,” he said.
“My ambition has always been to be a successful professional cricketer, and this deal is a great chance for me to try and do that.
“I’m under no illusions that I’ll need to work my socks off over the next year, but I’ll contribute as much as I can in every facet of the game and try to establish myself.
“Like Liam, my deal has come off the back of doing well in second team cricket, and it’s encouraging that if you’re doing well at that level, your performances can result in a place in the first team.
“Pete and the team have been very warm and welcoming, and that’s allowed me to settle in and get on with what I need to do without any distractions.”
Compton, who is part of the same cricketing family which produced England openers Denis and Nick, secured his first-team debut last season after a series of industrious innings in Second XI cricket.
The 25-year-old hit four centuries for Kent’s Second XI in the early months of the 2019 campaign, and followed this with a further hundred for Nottinghamshire’s seconds in August.
“Ben acquitted himself well during the latter stages of last season and we saw enough to think he can be successful as a professional cricketer,” said Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s Director of Cricket.
“His style is well-suited to longer form cricket and we hope his approach will dovetail with the strokemakers we have in the side.
“He’s earned his opportunity in the professional game the hard way, by performing on the second team circuit for a number of years.
“He knows his own game very well and what his strengths are as a batsman. He’s shown that he has the patience to bat for long periods of time, which is something we’re certainly valuing heading in the next season.”
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Nottinghamshire Membership for the 2020 season is on sale, with those who join for next season bestowed access to all scheduled Notts home matches, international tickets in Members' areas and a range of exclusive benefits.