The Pirates have officially signed first-round draft choice Will Craig, as Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweeted. He’ll receive an at-slot bonus of $2,253,700, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter).
Craig, a junior out of Wake Forest, went 22nd overall to Pittsburgh. He is a two-way player, which led to some confusion on draft night when he was mistakenly announced as a pitcher, but the Bucs have targeted him for his bat.
The MLB.com prospect team of Callis and Jonathan Mayo were highest on Craig, placing him 31st on their draft board. He’s a high-quality overall hitter who is credited for his advanced approach, bat speed, and pop.
It remains to be seen, though, whether Craig will be able to stick at third base. There’s concern that he’ll be forced to first due to a lack of athleticism, and that’s a big reason that Baseball America and ESPN.com ranked him as the 45th-best prospect.
