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2015 Amateur Draft Signings

Rays’ Second-Round Pick Betts Requires Tommy John

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JULY 18: Betts will require Tommy John surgery, reports MLB.com’s Bill Chastain (via Twitter). As Law notes (also on Twitter), there were some rumors circulating prior to the draft that Betts had an issue in his throwing elbow, which would explain the reason that he slipped to the mid-second round despite being regarded as one of the best catching prospects in this year’s draft.

Betts becomes the second top pick in the past 24 hours to require Tommy John surgery, as Dodgers first-rounder Walker Buehler, who signed yesterday shortly before the deadline, also reportedly needs the operation. Of course, the two will have different paths to recovery; Betts is a catcher while Buehler is a pitcher.

JULY 16: The Rays have agreed to terms with second-round selection Chris Betts, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). ESPN’s Keith Law reports (on Twitter) that Betts will receive a $1.485MM signing bonus, which comes in above his No. 52 slot’s value of $1,160,500. Betts, a high school catcher out of California, is being advised by MVP Sports Group.

Yesterday, MLB.com’s Jim Callis wrote that Betts had first-round aspirations entering the draft and, as such, may have had a higher price tag than his slot, which now looks to indeed be the case. Even by going over slot for Betts, however, the Rays will avoid forfeiting a future first-round pick as well as incurring any luxury taxes on the deal. As Callis noted, the team had saved $448K on other picks, so Betts’ additional $324,500 will keep the Rays in the confines of their allotted pool.

Heading into the draft, Betts rated 16th on the respective rankings of ESPN’s Keith Law and Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel. Callis and MLB.com colleague Jonathan Mayo ranked Betts 25th, and the staff at Baseball America ranked him 28th on their Top 500.

In his writeup, Law noted that fellow prep catcher Tyler Stephenson had more impressive all-around tools, but Betts is presently a more advanced hitter/receiver. Both Law and McDaniel note similarities between Betts and Brian McCann — a bat-first catcher — though clearly there’s a long way to go before Betts realizes that type of ceiling. Callis and Mayo note that he makes consistently hard contact with a left-handed swing that can eventually produce above-average power, and he’s slimmed down this year. BA writes that his receiving improved this offseason after working out with Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki (coincidentally, a teammate of Aaron Hicks — another first-rounder to come out of Betts’ Woodrow Wilson High School).

Now that Betts has come to terms with the Rays, seven players selected in the top two rounds remain unsigned. Most notable of course, is No. 1 overall selection Dansby Swanson, although there’s been little to indicate that the D-Backs are in serious jeopardy of not signing the Vanderbilt shortstop. Others that have yet to sign include Dodgers’ top picks Walker Buehler (No. 24) and Kyle Funkhouser (No. 35); Brewers Competitive Balance (A) pick Nathan Kirby (No. 40); Blue Jays second-rounder Brady Singer (No. 56); Orioles second-rounder Jonathan Hughes (No. 68); and Twins Competitive Balance (B) pick Kyle Cody (No. 73).

Dodgers’ First-Round Signing Buehler Requires Tommy John

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4:58pm: Buehler will require Tommy John surgery, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. While it’s impossible to guess exactly how much the injury cost Buehler, the slot value for the No. 24 pick was $2,094,400. He signed for $314,400 under-slot.

4:24pm: Buehler will receive a $1.78MM bonus, tweets Jim Callis of MLB.com. As previously noted, his physical revealed some concerns about his arm health which affected his bonus.

3:03pm: Buehler is said to have an issue in his elbow, according to Heyman (Twitter link), which may explain both the delay in his signing and the under-slot bonus.

2:29pm: The Dodgers and first-round pick Walker Buehler have agreed to terms on a contract that is below the Vanderbilt right-hander’s No. 24 slot value of $2,094,400, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter). Buehler was advised by Excel Sports Management.

The Dodgers learned earlier today that No. 35 overall pick Kyle Funkhouser will return to Louisville for his senior season, making it all the more important for the club to secure Buehler’s services. Buehler was mentioned as a potential Top 10 pick in various mock drafts leading up to the actual draft but slipped to the Dodgers at 24th overall due to concerns surrounding his durability, according to Baseball America’s Teddy Cahill.

Buehler entered the draft ranked 11th, 12th, 17th and 22nd on the respective lists of MLB.com (Jonathan Mayo/Jim Callis), the Baseball America staff, ESPN (Keith Law) and Fangraphs (Kiley McDaniel). Callis and Mayo praise his 90-96 mph heater but note that he has some inconsistencies in terms of his curve, slider and changeup, though all three can be above-average at times. Buehler’s 6’2″, 170-pound frame has some question his ability to remain a starter, but the MLB.com duo likes his chances. So, too, does Baseball America, who cite his athleticism, clean delivery and deep arsenal as reasons that he can remain in the rotation. Law likes the manner in which he attacks hitters, while McDaniel puts future grades of 60, 55+ and 50 (on the 20-80 scale) on Buehler’s fastball, curveball and changeup, respectively.

Diamondbacks Sign Dansby Swanson

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The Diamondbacks and No. 1 overall draft pick Dansby Swanson have agreed to terms on a contract with about two minutes to go until the signing deadline, reports MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert (via Twitter). Swanson, who was advised by and is now a client of Excel Sports Management, was said by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports to have an offer of $6.5MM+ on the table, and Baseball America’s John Manuel now reports (via Twitter) that Swanson signed for $6.5MM on the dot. The Diamondbacks have now officially announced the signing (Twitter link).

Dansby Swanson

Swanson, a shortstop out of Vanderbilt, ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the draft in the eyes of Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel, while both Baseball America and MLB.com ranked him second, and ESPN’s Keith Law ranked him third. The right-handed hitter batted .335/.423/.623 with 15 home runs, 24 doubles, six triples and 16 steals (in 18 tries) during his junior season with the Commodores.

McDaniel feels that Swanson has plus speed and a plus arm to go along with what will eventually be an above-average glove, an above-average hit tool and average power. BA notes that he smoothly transitioned from playing second base as a sophomore to shortstop as a junior. Their report also praises his all-fields approach at the plate as well as his patience, two-strike approach, work ethic and makeup. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com feel that he can stick at shortstop and use his strong on-base skills and plus speed to profile as a leadoff hitter with some home run pop and plenty of gap power. Law projects him as an above-average regular at shortstop who can hit for some power while posting above-average marks in terms of both batting average and on-base percentage.

The expectation had been that Swanson would sign, although negotiations between the D-Backs and Swanson’s now-agents at Excel Sports Management appear to have gone down to the wire. Despite the fact that Swanson hadn’t signed at the time Law published his midseason Top 50 prospects list, Law was confident enough in a deal getting done that he ranked Swanson as the No. 22 prospect in all of Major League Baseball.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Brewers To Sign Comp Pick Nathan Kirby

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The Brewers have signed left-hander Nathan Kirby, reports ESPN’s Keith Law (via Twitter). Kirby, who was selected with the 40th pick in this year’s draft, will receive a signing bonus of $1.25MM, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (also on Twitter). That figure comes in a ways below his slot value of $1.548MM. According to a second tweet from Heyman, Kirby at one point had an above-slot offer from Milwaukee, but a new medical concern caused the team to drop its offer.

Kirby was once looked as a potential top five pick but slipped down draft rankings rapidly due to a lat strain. The final edition of draft rankings from Law, Baseball America, MLB.com and Fangraphs placed Kirby 20th, 26th, 26th and 29th, respectively.

Law felt that Kirby represented a value pick in the late first round or Competitive Balance round, which is where Milwaukee selected him. Per Law, he has the upside of a mid-rotation starter if everything comes together, and Baseball America agrees. BA has his fastball in the low 90s, noting that he touched 94 frequently and made significant strides with a changeup this season. BA notes that he battled command in 2015, but some scouts think his issues are correctable, and he could move quickly to the Majors. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com note that his command may have suffered in 2015 from throwing too many sliders, though they also call the slider is a plus pitch for Kirby.

Yankees Sign First-Rounder James Kaprielian

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2:32pm: New York has announced the signing.

12:52pm: The Yankees have agreed to an above-slot bonus with first-round pick James Kaprielian, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports on Twitter. The 16th overall selection will earn a $2.65MM payday to forego his final season at UCLA if and when he passes his physical.

Heading into the draft, ESPN.com’s Keith Law had the highest grade on the power right-hander, ranking him 13th among draft-eligible players. Law profiles Kaprielian as a mid-rotation starter in future outlook, saying he has a chance to deliver four solid offerings that will play up if he can harness his command to his full potential.

Other draft observers ranked Kaprielian slightly further down their lists, but all saw him as a clear first-round pick. MLB.com placed him 22nd, praising his “pitchability,” while Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs put him in the 21st slot and Baseball America ranked him 19th.

Callis had calculated that the Yankees had up to $2,676,450 to use on Kaprielian, but the team was able to get things done for slightly less. That won’t leave much left over to use on other picks, of course. The slot value for his selection was $2,543,300.

Draft Signings: Josh Rogers

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Here are the day’s notable draft signings:

  • The Yankees have signed 11th rounder Josh Rogers to a $485K deal, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter links). Devan Fink was first on the precise dollar value. Rogers, a lefty out of Louisville, placed inside Baseball America’s top 500 list at #342. To sign the draft-eligible sophomore, New York was forced to commit $385K against its overall pool. (For players taken in the 11th round or later, the amount of any bonus over $100K counts against a team’s draft allocation.) Per another Callis tweet, that leaves the club capable of paying first-round pick James Kaprielian up to a $2,676,450 bonus before it would be forced to sacrifice a future selection.

Draft Signings: Tyler Watson, Josh Rogers

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Here are today’s notable draft signings, with all slot information courtesy of Baseball America…

  • The Nationals have signed 34th-rounder Tyler Watson to a contract with a $400K bonus, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports (Twitter link).  As with any draft pick past the 10th round who signs for more than $100K, the excess (in this case $300K) will count against the club’s draft pool.  Washington had room to spare in its approximately $4.120MM draft pool after signing its prospects from the first 10 rounds to just under $3.350MM.  Watson is a left-handed high schooler described by Callis as possessing a 91mph fastball and a curveball that “shows promise.”
  • The Yankees went roughly $400K above slot to sign 11th-rounder Josh Rogers, a left-handed sophomore from Louisville.  Callis reports Rogers signed for “early fourth-round money,” which would indicate a bonus in the $500K-$538K range.  Rogers has a fastball can touch the 92mph mark and he can throw three pitches for strikes, according to Callis.  As noted in a follow-up tweet from Callis, this leaves New York with around $2.7MM in remaining pool money to sign first-rounder James Kaprielian, who carries a $2.543MM slot value as the 16th overall pick.

Draft Signings: Rhett Wiseman, Miles Gordon

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Here are the day’s notable draft signings, with slot values via Baseball America:

  • The Nationals have signed third-rounder Rhett Wiseman with an at-slot bonus of $554.1K, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports on Twitter. An outfielder from Vanderbilt, Wiseman profiles as a quality all-around ballplayer rather than bringing any superior tools to the table. Baseball America rated Wiseman as the 88th overall draft-eligible player, his only top-100 ranking.
  • Reds fourth-rounder Miles Gordon has signed with the club, Callis recently tweeted. The outfielder will receive a $475K bonus that lands $18,300 shy of the slot value for the 115th pick, Devan Fink tweets. The speedy Canadian product rated within BA’s top 200, based upon his athleticism and reasonably high ceiling. He had been slated to attend the University of San Francisco.

Braves To Sign Top Draft Pick Kolby Allard

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6:04pm: Law tweets that Allard will receive a bonus of $3,042,000, about $200K above the recommended pool value for the No. 14 pick. Such a bonus would not cause the Braves to lose a pick next year.

5:40pm: A tweet from California high school lefty and Braves top pick Kolby Allard strongly implies that he and the team have agreed to terms. “Headin’ out to Braves Country in a couple days, let the journey begin!” Allard writes.

Earlier this week, it appeared that Allard might spurn the Braves and instead head to UCLA. Allard was the No. 14 overall pick in the draft, and that pick comes with a pool value of $2,842,400. He would likely have been selected earlier and potentially gotten a bigger bonus, however, were it not for a stress reaction in his back. The Braves have signed all their other picks in the first ten rounds, mostly tracking fairly closely with MLB’s pool values for each pick, so they didn’t save a significant amount against their pool on those picks. MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted earlier this week, however, that since the Braves don’t lose a pick next year unless they go more than 5% beyond their pool, they could give Allard a bonus of up to about $3.47MM.

MLB.com ranked Allard the No. 16 prospect in the draft, praising his fastball (which sits at 92-94 MPH), curveball and low-effort delivery. Baseball America (subscription only) ranked Allard No. 18, while ESPN’s Keith Law rated Allard quite highly at No. 6, writing that, pre-injury, Allard ranked as the best high school pitcher in a weak draft for that player category.

Dodgers To Sign Josh Sborz, Philip Pfeifer

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TODAY: Sborz will take home $722,500 and Pfeifer will receive $222,500, MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets. In total, then, Los Angeles saved $446,700 on the two signings.

By my count, with some help from the MLB.com draft signings tracker, the Dodgers have $175,200 in savings from their current signings to play with. Of course, if the team goes less than 5% over its final pool allotment (which will depend on which players are signed from the first ten rounds), it won’t incur any lost future picks, providing some additional wiggle room.

YESTERDAY: The Dodgers have reached deals with two of their higher draft choices, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports on Twitter. Virginia righty Josh Sborz (74th overall, $827K slot) and Vanderbilt lefty Philip Pfeifer (101st, $564.7K), whose teams recently squared off in the College World Series, have agreed to undisclosed bonuses. (Slot values via Baseball America.)

Sborz rated as high as 114th on pre-draft boards, with MLB.com giving him that ranking and praising his arm speed and solid slider while noting that he’s expected to end up in the pen. Meanwhile, Baseball America tabbed Pfeifer as the 195th-best draft prospect, explaining that he lacks a big fastball but has three solid pitches and good deception.

The Dodgers still have some work left with their selections from the first ten rounds. First-round Vandy right-hander Walker Buehler and sandwich selection Kyle Funkhouser of Louisville remain unsigned, as does sixth-rounder Edwin Rios, a first baseman from Florida International.

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