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2017 Amateur Draft Signings

Orioles Sign First-Rounder DL Hall

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The Orioles have announced the signing of first-round pick DL Hall. He’ll receive a $3MM bonus, per Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com (via Twitter).

That payday lands just over the $2,892,400 slot value for the 21st overall pick with which Hall was selected. He and second-rounder Adam Hall both commanded more than was allocated for their picks, but the O’s have cleared added funds by signing later-round choices to below-slot deals.

Hall (the first-rounder) is a high-school southpaw out of Georgia. Coming into the draft, he was ranked well above his ultimate draft position by prospect observers.

Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs and Keith Law of ESPN.com both viewed Hall as one of the draft’s top ten prospects. He drew praise for having three promising pitches (with his change running behind a quality fastball/curve combination) and good athleticism.

While he doesn’t carry a large frame and could stand to further develop his command, per Longenhagen, that’s an intriguing package for a left-handed pitching prospect. MLB.com (#14) and Baseball America (#16) concurred that Hall is one of the most promising players in this year’s crop of talent.

Draft Signings: 6/29/17

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Let’s round up the latest significant draft signings:

  • Both of the Blue Jays’ top picks are under contract, per a team announcement. Both Logan Warmoth and Nate Pearson will receive above-slot bonuses, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter), though neither went much over. MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets that Warmoth will receive $2,820,200 ($25K over slot), while Pearson gets $2,452,900 (that’s $150K over the value of the 28th pick). Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith has the story on the deal from the team’s perspective. Warmoth, taken 22nd overall, received top-20 billing from Baseball America and Fangraphs. ESPN.com’s Keith Law was even higher on the UNC shortstop, crediting him with a top-level hit tool, good speed, and a strong chance to stick at short in the long run. Similarly, Pearson drew a consensus as being a top-30-ish prospect, but earned a higher grade from one outlet. BA ranked him 13th, noting that the JuCo righty has made huge strides in developing his arsenal and controlling it.
  • The Astros announced the signing of second-rounder Corbin Martin, a right-hander from Texas A&M. He’ll receive a $1MM bonus, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter), which lands a bit shy of the $1,178,600 allotment for the 56th overall selection. MLB.com was highest on Martin, ranking him 32nd, noting that some inconsistencies have clouded the status of a pitcher who has a promising array of pitches.
  • Indians supplemental second-round pick Tyler Freeman, a high-school shortstop from California, will get the slot value of $816,500, Callis tweets. He cracked the top 100 on BA’s list. While he’s said not to possess loud tools, Freeman is credited as a well-rounded player with a sense for the game and quality makeup.

Rays To Sign Brendan McKay

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The Rays have agreed to a $7,007,500 signing bonus with No. 4 overall pick Brendan McKay, reports ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). The bonus is the largest ever given to a player under the current set of draft rules, narrowly topping the flat $7MM signing bonus that Kyle Wright received from the Braves earlier this year. McKay is represented by Sosnick, Cobbe and Karon. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times was the first to report that McKay was expected to sign with the Rays tonight.

McKay was one of the most famed prospects headed into the draft and was reportedly a strong consideration of the Twins with the No. 1 overall pick. A two-way star at the University of Louisville, McKay was touted as a top five talent for both his abilities on the mound as a left-handed pitcher and for his hitting ability as a first baseman. MLB.com’s Jim Callis calls McKay the best two-way draft prospect since Hall of Famer Dave Winfield (Twitter link).

Entering the draft, McKay was a consensus top four talent, ranking second among draft prospects per Callis and colleague Jonathan Mayo. McKay ranked third on Baseball America’s Top 500 and ESPN’s Keith Law, and fourth in the estimation of Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen. There’s a bit of a split camp when it comes to McKay’s future, as some believe his upside to be greater on the mound while others prefer his bat.

On the mound, McKay is said to have a low-90s fastball that reaches 94 mph and excellent command of the pitch, allowing it to play up late in games as his velocity dips. He also features a plus curveball and is working to improve a changeup that could give him a third above-average offering. This season with Louisville, he posted a 2.56 ERA with 12.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 109 innings.

At the plate, McKay has plus power from the left side, which he used to destroy NCAA pitching this season. McKay belted 18 homers and slashed .341/.457/.659 as a hitter, though he does lack speed and is limited to first base on the defensive side of the coin.

Topkin notes in the above-linked story that the Rays will permit McKay to hit and pitch initially, though it’s unclear if Tampa Bay feels that’s a feasible long-term path for McKay. Most likely, he’ll eventually settle into one role or the other, but the notion of a legitimate two-way star is a fun one on upon which to speculate.

Draft Signings: 6/27/17

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Here are the latest draft signings of note:

  • The Astros have landed second-round pick Joe Perez, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (via Twitter). He’ll take home a $1.6MM bonus that exceeds the 53rd overall pick’s slot value of $1.265MM. Perez is coming off of Tommy John surgery, but he has a big arm that led to top-100 grades from MLB.com and Baseball America. The righty looks like a possible future bullpen piece, but the Astros say they’ll give him a shot at developing first as a hitter. Per BA’s scouting report, he’s a question mark to stay at third but shows promising all-fields power. Perez, who forewent a scholarship at Miami to join the ’Stros, becomes the first of Houston’s top four picks to agree to terms.
  • We previously covered the Brewers’ signing of second-rounder Caden Lemons, but his bonus information wasn’t available at that time. Per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link), the prep righty will receive $1.45MM — just shy of the $1,493,500 slot value of the 46th pick. While top selection Keston Hiura is already in agreement, the remainder of Milwaukee’s slate of draftees were held up a bit by the NCAA tournament.

Draft Signings: Pirates, Twins, Blue Jays, Cubs, Orioles, Marlins, Angels

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Here are the latest notable signings from the 2017 amateur draft.  You can check out scouting reports and analysis of all these players via the draft prospect rankings from MLB.com, Fangraphs, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law (the latter two links are subscription-only).

  • Pirates second-round pick Steven Jennings will receive a $1.9MM bonus, according to MLB.coms Jim Callis (via Twitter). The high-school hurler was taken 42nd overall, which comes with a $1,635,500 allocation.
  • The Twins will save a bit of cash on 37th overall pick Landon Leach, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter). He’ll take home just under $1.5MM, per the report, below the $1,846,100 assigned slot price.
  • Some of the Twins’ savings will be directed toward third-rounder Blayne Enlow, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link).  Reports after the draft suggested that Enlow would receive a bonus in the $2MM range to entice him away from a commitment to LSU.  Callis reports that Enlow will receive $2MM on the dot, a major increase from the slot price ($755.5K) for the 76th overall selection.
  • Blue Jays second-rounder Hagen Danner is in agreement on a bonus that will land right around $1.5MM, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.  The deal is pending a physical.  Danner’s bonus represents a healthy bump over the $1,043,200 slot value for the 61st overall pick.  Davidi notes that once Danner’s deal is finalized, Toronto will have signed all of its picks from the first ten rounds except for first-round selections Logan Warmoth and Nate Pearson.
  • Cubs second-rounder Cory Abbott lands a slot-value, $901.9K bonus, according to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (via Twitter).  The Loyola right-hander was drafted 67th overall.
  • The Orioles will pay a $1.3MM bonus to Adam Hall, according to Mayo (on Twitter).  It’s an above-slot deal for Hall, who had a slot value of $1,068,700 as the 60th overall pick.
  • The Orioles will also add supplemental second-round selection Zac Lowther for the $779.5K slot value of the 74th overall pick, Callis tweets.
  • Marlins second-rounder Joe Dunand will take home a $1.2MM bonus, Callis tweets.  The N.C. State shortstop was taken 51st overall, so Dunand’s bonus lands a bit blow the $1,326,800 assigned price.
  • The Angels have agreed to a $1MM bonus with third-rounder Jacob Pearson, Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America reports on Twitter.  Pearson, another LSU commit, will instead begin his pro career after receiving a bonus well beyond the $656.3K assigned to the 85th overall pick.

Yankees Sign First-Rounder Clarke Schmidt

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The Yankees have announced the signing of first-round pick Clarke Schmidt. He’ll receive a $2,184,300 bonus, per Jack Curry of YES Network (via Twitter), falling well below the $3,458,600 slot value of the 16th overall selection.

Much of the savings from that selection will go toward second-round choice Matt Sauer, whose signing was also announced. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently reported, Sauer will receive a well-over-slot $2.5MM bonus. Likewise, the Bronx Bombers paid extra for third-round pick Trevor Stephan, fourth-rounder Canaan Smith, and seventh-round choice Dalton Higgins, per the MLB.com signings tracker.

In Schmidt, the Yanks have added a quality righty out of the University of South Carolina. Though his stock fell when he required Tommy John surgery earlier this year, that has not proven a major barrier to other young draftees and perhaps gave the Yankees a chance to achieve some added value with their overall draft pool.

Schmidt mostly drew top-50 grades in pre-draft rankings, including those of MLB.com and Fangraphs, while ESPN.com’s Keith Law was less bullish (ranking him 74th) due to questions about mechanics (and the potentially related UCL tear). The Baseball America team was highest on Schmidt, rating him the 32nd-best prospect available, crediting him with two useful fastballs, a quality slider, and a promising change that made him a rising prospect before the injury.

Padres Agree To Terms With MacKenzie Gore

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The Padres are set to announce the signing of third-overall pick MacKenzie Gore tomorrow, per Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). Once the signing is official, Gore will receive a $6.7MM bonus, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link).

That payday lands just over the $6,668,100 slot value that came with the Friars’ top selection. Gore’s signing represents the last unfinished business from the first ten rounds of the draft for San Diego.

In Gore, the Padres landed a much-hyped left-handed prep pitcher. He drew consensus top-five pre-draft billing, with Fangraphs’Eric Longenhagen ranking him highest at third on the board.

 

Draft Signings: Yankees, Mariners, Rockies, Tigers, Mets, Padres, ChiSox

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The Yankees’ agreement with second-rounder Matt Sauer, which we reported here yesterday, is for an over-slot bonus of $2.5MM, MLBTR has learned (Twitter link). That’s a bit more than double the slot value for the prep righty out of California, although many rankings listed Sauer as a potential first-round talent. The Yankees drafted injured righty Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) with their first-round selection, so presumably much of the savings from that selection will go toward signing Sauer.

Some other notable draft signings to close out the night (note that you can read up on all of the players listed here by checking out the free rankings from MLB.com and Fangraphs as well as the subscription-based but excellent work of Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law)…

  • The Mariners announced that they’ve signed second-rounder Sam Carlson today — a high school righty of Minnesota that was widely ranked as a first-round talent but fell to the M’s at No. 55. He’ll take home $2MM, tweets MLB.com’s Jim Callis, which is about $800K over slot. Carlson was a Florida commit with a fastball that’s reached 97 mph and the makings of an above-average changeup and slider.
  • The Rockies announced the signing of second-rounder Ryan Vilade, and Callis tweets that he’ll sign for the No. 48 pick’s slot value of $1,425,400. A high school shortstop out of Oklahoma, Vilade was committed to Oklahoma State but will instead embark on his pro career. He draws the most praise for his raw power and big arm strength, though a move to third base may be in order.
  • The Tigers went way over slot to sign fifth-rounder Sam McMillan, Callis tweets. McMillan’s No. 155 slot came with a bonus of about $313K, but the prep catcher out of Florida will instead take home a bonus of an even $1MM. McMillan’s glove gets more praise than his bat right now, but he’s regarded as one of the better receiving catchers in the 2017 draft.
  • Mets second-rounder Mark Vientos is taking home an over-slot bonus of $1.5MM — about $405K higher than the No. 59 slot’s value, tweets MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. The high school shortstop’s bat is strong enough to play at third base if he has to move to the hot corner down the line, as many scouting reports believe will be the case. He’s projected to hit for power and had been committed to Miami before signing.
  • Mayo also reports a pair of Padres signings — both of which are high school catchers (Twitter links). San Diego saved a little more than $400K on No. 39 overall pick Luis Campusano-Bracero, inking him for $1.3MM. Those savings (and then some) will go to No. 69 overall pick Blake Hunt, who receives a $1.6MM bonus that’s nearly double the $859K slot value of his selection. Campusano actually ranked higher on many draft boards despite his lower bonus thanks to his power potential. Hunt gets praise for his glove, but his bat isn’t as advanced.
  • The White Sox landed second-rounder Gavin Sheets, a first baseman out of Wake Forest and the son of former Orioles outfielder Larry Sheets, for an even $2MM bonus, Baseball America’s Hudson Belinsky reports (on Twitter). That’s a bit more than $600K over slot for Sheets, who is limited to first base but draws praise for his power and improvements to his hitting approach that he made this season.

Brewers Sign Keston Hiura

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The Brewers announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed their first-round pick, UC Irvine second baseman/outfielder Keston Hiura. According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (on Twitter), he’ll receive a bonus of $4MM, which comes in a bit south of the $4.57MM slot value of the No. 9 overall selection. Tom Hadricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that Hiura will likely head to the team’s Spring Training facility in Arizona before eventually joining Milwaukee’s Class-A affiliate in the Midwest League.

Hiura, who will turn 21 in August, was considered one of the best college bats in the draft and has drawn immense praise for his plus bat speed, hit tool and power. He ranked 14th on Baseball America’s top 500 list, 15th on the top 100 of Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, 19th per ESPN’s Keith Law and 22nd in the draft per Callis and colleague Jonathan Mayo.

Hiura might’ve gone higher in the draft, but an elbow injury prevented him from throwing all season long, limiting him to DH. He’s already seen Dr. Neal ElAttrache for the issue, per Longenhagen. Callis and Mayo write that some scouts believe he’ll  eventually require Tommy John surgery, and BA’s report concludes by stating that many believe he’s headed for some form of elbow procedure as soon as he signs. (An assignment to the team’s Class-A affiliate, of course, would run counter to that belief.)

Because of the elbow issue, there’s no clear consensus on where Hiura will profile defensively in the long run. MLB.com’s report on him notes that Hiura’s footwork in the infield is questionable and needs some work, while the injury to his throwing arm obviously casts some level of uncertainty when it comes to whether he’ll be able to handle center field. He’s also played left field in college, and he could potentially profile at any of the three positions if things break right for him and the Brewers. While all of the linked scouting reports express some degree of concern about his defense, the common consensus is that Hiura has a very good chance to hit wherever he plays.

Cubs Agree To Terms With Brendon Little

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The Cubs have agreed to a $2.2MM signing bonus with first-rounder Brendon Little, reports MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). That comes in just below the $2,373,300 slot value of Little’s No. 27 overall selection.

Little, a junior college lefty out of Florida, is listed at 6’2″ and 195 pounds, and he’ll turn 21 this August. He entered the draft ranked 18th among draft prospects in the estimation of ESPN’s Keith Law. Other outlets weren’t quite so bullish, as Little rated 36th on the lists of both MLB.com and Baseball America in addition to a No. 46 ranking from Fangraphs.

Law opines that Little has the draft’s best curveball and notes that his fastball has been up to 97 mph. Law also notes that he feels there’s at least a chance that Little pans out as a starter, while each of the other reports on the southpaw suggest that inconsistencies in his delivery and command have many scouts believing that Little will be a reliever in the long run. His curveball and fastball get above-average to plus ratings across the board, though his third offering, a changeup, is said to need more refinement.

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