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2015 Amateur Draft Signings

Royals Agree To Terms With Nolan Watson

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The Royals have agreed to an at-slot, $1,825,200 bonus with 33rd overall selection Nolan Watson, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. That pick came to the club for losing James Shields in free agency after he declined a qualifying offer.

Kansas City has also put its other two highest selections in the books, with Ashe Russell’s signing announced yesterday and second-round pick Josh Staumont also reportedly agreeing to terms. All said, K.C. is just $6K over its draft pool from those three signings, and it has locked in significant savings from several choices further down the line.

Watson earned the 36th spot on the board of Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs, the top slot awarded by a draft pundit. Something of a late-bloomer who played high school ball in Indiana, Watson impressed with a mid-90s fastball. MLB.com, which ranked him 61st among draft-eligible players, also noted that Watson owns three promising offspeed offerings.

ESPN.com’s Keith Law had Watson in the 50th overall spot, while Baseball America rated him 56th. Law likes Watson’s ceiling due to his quick arm, but notes that the youngster could ultimately end up as a pen piece if he can’t clean up his mechanics somewhat.

Marlins Sign Second-Rounder Brett Lilek

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The Marlins have announced the signing of second-round pick Brett Lilek, a lefty out of Arizona State. Lilek will receive a $1MM bonus, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter).

The 50th overall selection, with which Miami took Lilek, came with a $1,196,800 slot value. That means that the club saved $196.8K with the signing. The Marlins had already gone over slight by about half a million dollars to sign catcher Justin Cohen and righty Chris Paddack, so those savings were obviously needed to help the team manage its board.

Miami has now announced the signings of eight of its top ten picks. Surprise first-round pick Josh Naylor has yet to agree to terms, and the same holds true for ninth-rounder Reilly Hovis.

MLB.com was the only outlet that rated Lilek as a top-100 prospect, putting him in the 84th position on its draft board. His fastball reaches the mid-90s at times, but it is mostly an average pitch. But the MLB.com team likes his curve and change to become average-grade MLB offerings.

Lilek has had control issues at times, which Baseball America cited before the draft as the reason he had slid down some draft boards. But he still managed to rate just inside the top fifty on draft day.

Mets Sign Desmond Lindsay, Max Wotell

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The Mets have announced the signings of the team’s top two selections in this year’s draft. New York sacrificed its top selection to sign outfielder Michael Cuddyer, who had declined a qualifying offer from the Rockies.

Second-rounder Desmond Lindsay inked for a full-slot value of $1,142,700, MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets. And third-round selection Max Wotell has agreed to a payday of $775K, also per Callis (Twitter link). The 88th slot with which he was taken came with a $666,500 value, meaning that the Mets went over $100K above slot to draw him from the University of Arizona.

Lindsay, a high school outfielder out of Florida, was limited by injury this year but shows a nice overall blend of tools, per Baseball America. He rated 102nd on BA’s board, which credited his hands and bat speed at the plate, plus running ability, and potential to play center field as a pro. ESPN.com’s Keith Law had the highest grade on Lindsay, ranking him 72nd among draft-eligible prospects. Law does note that the youngster’s “plate discipline is still an open question.”

Wotell placed as high as 140 on pundits’ lists, with that slot awarded by Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs. The high school southpaw “has exceptional projection,” per Baseball America, which notes his “wiry frame and loose arm.” Per that report, Wotell will need to develop his change to throw along with his low-to-mid-90s fastball and solid breaking ball.

Braves To Sign Austin Riley

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The Braves have agreed to a $1.6MM bonus with supplemental first round pick Austin Riley, a client of MVP Sports, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. Riley’s payout is a shade under $100K north of the $1,506,400 slot allocation for the 41st pick.

Riley offers two-way potential out of high school, profiling as a third baseman on the position side. It appears that Atlanta will utilize him at the hot corner, though it’s always nice to have some down-the-line pitching potential if things don’t work out.

The Braves obviously viewed Riley more favorably than did most draft observers. The highest grade placed on Riley came from MLB.com, which rated him the 106th-best player available while noting that his ability to hit pro-level fastballs is a question mark. Baseball America had Riley in the 164th slot, crediting his power upside (and bat speed) while noting that he’ll have work to do to boost his standing in the field.

Riley becomes Atlanta’s earliest  selection to sign. The club has yet to agree to terms with first-rounder Kolby Allard and comp pick Mike Soroka.

Draft Signings: Nash Walters, Cody Poteet

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Here are today’s notable mid-round signings (slot values courtesy of Baseball America)…

  • Brewers third-round pick Nash Walters received an over-slot $800K signing bonus, tweets MLB.com’s Jim Callis. The prep righty out of Texas has an 88-93 mph sinker and a projectable 6’5″ frame, per Callis. Walters rated as the 332nd-best prospect in the 2015 draft on Baseball America’s Top 500, and their scouting report notes that he didn’t begin pitching until 2014, making him quite raw but full of athleticism and potential on the mound. BA felt that Walters might’ve been best-served to honor his commitment to Texas A&M but added that a team might pay for his upside, which the Brewers have done, going $136K over-slot on him.
  • Right-hander Cody Poteet signed for the full slot value of $488.7K of the No. 116 slot at which the Marlins selected him, Callis tweets. BA ranked Poteet 190th in the draft, labeling him as an enigmatic prospect due to being used in a variety of roles. The scouting report from BA says Poteet has starter stuff, with two usable breaking balls when he’s pitching well. He doesn’t always control them well though, and his 90-92 mph fastball played up in a relief role, hitting 94.

Royals Sign First-Rounder Ashe Russell

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The Royals announced that they have signed first-round pick Ashe Russell (Twitter link). Russell, a high school right-hander out of Indiana, agreed to terms on a bonus of $2,190,200, which is $6K over the slot value for the No. 21 overall selection, reports MLB.com’s Jim Callis (on Twitter).

Callis and MLB.com colleague Jonathan Mayo ranked Russell as the top high school arm in the draft and the 14th-best prospect overall. Baseball America ranked him 17th, while ESPN’s Keith Law had him at No. 30, and Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel rated Russell 37th.

Russell works at 92-95 mph with a slider that can be a swing-and-miss offering in the 78-82 mph range, per MLB.com’s free scouting report. Late life on his fastball helps Russell to generate a large number of ground balls, BA writes, though he’s struggled to repeat the release point on his three-quarter arm slot at times. McDaniel rates him a bit lower due to only showing two plus pitches and command that’s “just alright,” and ESPN feels that his tendency to throw across his body and lack of a plus changeup will leave him vulnerable to lefties.

Twins To Sign Tyler Jay

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The Twins and No. 6 overall pick Tyler Jay are in agreement on a full-slot bonus of $3,889,500, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com (Twitter link). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN first tweeted that Jay was at Target Field in Minneapolis and was scheduled to meet with the media shortly. Jay, a left-handed pitcher out of the University of Illinois, is represented by Scott Leventhal of All Bases Covered Sports Management.

Jay spent his college career as a relief pitcher, but he ranked near the top of the draft class because most scouts believe that he has the mix of pitches necessary to become a starting pitcher in the Majors. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs rated Jay as the sixth-best prospect in the draft, while Jay rated ninth on the lists of MLB.com (Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo) and ESPN (Keith Law). Baseball America ranked Jay as the No. 13 prospect in the draft.

McDaniel ranked Jay second among all pitchers in this year’s class, writing that he flashes three plus pitches and held his velocity well in multi-inning relief stints. McDaniel feels that Jay could feature three 60-grade (or better) pitches in the future. Law notes that Jay could end up in the middle of a big league rotation and has four pitches, though he figures to be a three-pitch guy in pro ball. MLB.com has Jay’s velocity in the 93-95 mph range and topping out at 98. Callis and Mayo prefer Jay’s slider to his curve. BA clocks Jay’s slider in the low 80s and notes that some scouts have given it “wipeout” designation.

Jay will pitch as a reliever in 2015, according to GM Terry Ryan (via MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger on Twitter), though the expectation is, of course, that he will eventually move to the rotation. In response to that, Callis tweets that Jay could very well follow in the footsteps of Chris Sale and Brandon Finnegan, emerging as a late-season relief option for his club in the same season that he’s drafted. Jay will begin his career at Fort Myers in the Class-A Advanced Florida State League, per Ryan.

Draft Signings: Thompson, Jones, Cabbage

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We’ll track some of the day’s notable draft bonus agreements here. (Slot values via Baseball America; signing links to Twitter.)

  • Another player whose signing was reported yesterday, Dylan Thompson of the Mariners, agreed to an above-slot deal, per Callis. A high school righty, Thompson will receive a $585K bonus after being taken 125th overall ($448K slot value).

Earlier Updates

  • 70th overall pick Jahmai Jones receives a $1.1MM bonus from the Angels, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports. We covered his agreement to an above-slot bonus last night, and it turns out that Los Angeles had to add $220K to the pick’s allocated value to keep Jones from attending UNC.
  • The Twins have likewise agreed to an above-slot bonus with fourth-round (110th overall) selection Trey Cabbage, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. It remains unreported just how far over the $517,900 pick allocation Minnesota went to lure Cabbage away from his commitment to the University of Tennessee. The third baseman rated as high as the 72nd-best player in the draft, per MLB.com, which noted his plus hit tool and promise at the hot corner.

Braves Agree To Terms With Second-Rounder Lucas Herbert

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The Braves have agreed to an at-slot, $1,125,200 bonus with second-round selection Lucas Herbert, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports on Twitter. Callis calls the would-be UCLA commit the best defensive catcher in the draft.

Herbert, who was chosen 54th overall, was the fourth player taken by the pick-flush Braves. He becomes Atlanta’s highest draft choice reportedly to sign.

Among draft observers, ESPN.com’s Keith Law rated Herbert highest on his board, placing him 45th among eligible prospects. Law notes that the backstop was discovered by scouts who were looking at teammate Kolby Allard, who the Braves took with their first-round choice. Law cites Herbert’s plus defensive potential as his primary calling card, noting that the youngster holds much less promise on offense, where he features “below-average hit and power ceilings.”

Baseball America placed Herbert at 52nd on its pre-draft ranking, with MLB.com putting him in the 69th slot and noting that he does possess “extremely strong hands and wrists” and shows reasonable promise as a hitter. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs, meanwhile, took a somewhat dimmer view of Herbert’s future, rating him just inside the top 100.

Draft Signings: Staumont, Finley, Jones, Kramer, Perkins

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Here are the day’s significant draft signings of less than $1MM, with slot values via Baseball America. All signing links to Twitter.

  • Royals second-rounder Josh Staumont will receive the 64th selection’s full $964,600 slot value, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. The MLB.com prospect team was highest among evaluators on Staumont, listing the collegiate righty as the 65th-best player available and crediting his top-of-class arm strength. Though he has issues with hitting the zone, Staumont has flashed enough easy velocity and promise with his secondary offerings to have a lofty ceiling.
  • The Yankees will pay third-round choice Drew Finley an above-slot $950K bonus, Mayo reports. That’s $323,400 above the 92nd pick’s alloted pool space. ESPN.com’s Keith Law likes Finley quite a bit, explaining that the prep righty combines the projection and control to profile as a future starter. New York also agreed to an at-slot $456,800 payday for fourth-round choice Jeff Hendrix, also via Mayo.
  • The Angels have agreed to an above-slot bonus for second-rounder Jahmai Jones, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports. The precise bonus value remains unreported, but Jones was taken with the 70th pick in the draft, which had a $880K allocation. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs listed the high schooler as the 50th player on his board, crediting his advanced bat and solid power. The question is whether Jones can play an up-the-middle position defensively, but McDaniel says there is enough of a track record to suggest he can. Los Angeles has also agreed to a slot-value, $548,600 bonus for third-rounder Grayson Long, according to Mike DiGiovanna of MLB.com.
  • Pirates second-rounder Kevin Kramer will take home a $850K bonus, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com. The team will save $144,800 against the pool space afforded by the 62nd overall selection. Law had the highest rating on the UCLA shorstop among pundits, calling him the 71st-best prospect and praising his overall skillset (while noting long-term questions about Kramer’s ability to stick at short and general lack of impact tools).
  • The Nationals have reached agreement with high school outfielder Blake Perkins, who May says took home a $800K bonus, $93,100 under his slot value at 69th overall. Bryan Webb tweeted this morning that a deal was done. Only Law placed Perkins within his top-100 draft prospects, with Baseball America explaining that he has five-tool potential but has plenty of development ahead of him. Fourth-rounder Mariano Rivera Jr. has agreed to a slot-value ($410,700) bonus, also per Mayo. (You might remember his father, who had a lengthy MLB career for some good clubs.)
  • The Diamondbacks announced a host of signings, including third-rounder Taylor Clarke, fourth-round pick Breckin Williams, and fifth-rounder Ryan Burr. The 76th choice was valued at $801,900, while the 106th pick came with a $538,200 allotment, though bonuses remain unreported. Per BA, Clarke’s future may depend upon his ability to harness his change-up, as the collegiate senior has a useful fastball and well-commanded slider. bArizona will pay Burr the slot value of $403K, Mayo adds.
  • Likewise, the Mariners say they’ve formally signed a number of players to undisclosed bonuses, among them third-rounder Braden Bishop ($607,700 slot value) and fourth-round choice Dylan Thompson ($448K slot value). Bishop, a University of Washington outfielder, drew the 81st position on the MLB.com pre-draft list, which cited his big speed.
  • The Marlins went well above slot to nab eight-round choice Chris Paddack, with Callis reporting that he’ll get an even $400K. The 236th slot in the draft was worth just $173,100.
  • Athletics fourth-round pick Skye Bolt lands a $650K bonus, per Callis. That’s a nice bump up over the 128th choice’s $453,300 allotted value. MLB.com had the highest grade on the UNC outfielder, rating him 67th overall based upon Bolt’s four plus tools. The question is with the bat, which the switch-hitter has failed to show over the last two seasons.
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