FRIDAY: Pittsburgh has announced the signing. Baz gets $4.1MM, just over the slot value, per Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter).
WEDNESDAY: The Pirates and No. 12 overall pick Shane Baz have agreed to terms, reports Mark Berman of Houston’s FOX 26 (Twitter links). Baz, a Houston-area native, tells Berman that the Pirates made an offer that he “can’t pass up,” calling it a “tough decision” to forgo his commitment to Texas Christian University.
Terms of the deal have yet to be reported, though Baz’s No. 12 slot comes with an assigned value of $4,032,000. The Pirates have a bonus pool of $10,135,900 and can go over that assigned slot value to sign Baz if they save money on other picks further down the draft board.
Baz ranked No. 11 on the pre-draft rankings of ESPN’s Keith Law, Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and Baseball America. Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com pegged him as the draft’s No. 12 prospect. Considered the top prospect in the state of Texas, Baz draws praise for his mid-90s fastball that has already reached 98 mph. He also draws potential plus grades on a cutter, slider and curveball, with each of the listed scouting reports offering varying levels of praise. Baseball America, in particular, suggests that his secondary offerings create a lofty ceiling, writing that Baz “has the ingredients to surpass [Hunter] Greene going forward due to his more potent breaking pitches.”
The 6’3″, 190-pound Baz would’ve played both third base and pitched had he attended TCU — both BA and MLB.com reference his plus raw power — but he’ll focus on pitching now that he’s embarking on his pro career. He’s one of the younger prospects in the top echelon of the draft class, as he has yet to turn 18 years of age. Most of the above-linked reports agree that Baz still needs to refine his command and doesn’t yet feature enough deception in his delivery, though there’s potential for him to develop into a front-line starter down the road. He becomes the first of this year’s first-round draftees to agree to terms.
I think Baz turns out as a top 25 prospect after his first season. Loads of potential.
Top 25 in all of baseball? No, probably wont happen. If he has a stellar season he will land in the 30-80 range most likely. For him to be top 25 hes gonna have to blow through the competition and be ready for triple a or double a next year. Reports from the article say hes got no deception and needs work on command. Id peg him in the 50 40 range.
Won’t even get there
Maybe top 100 if you’re lucky
Think of all that talent in all the systems for those that are not promoting to the majors this year.
There is no way
I would not discard him that fast, clearly you have not seen that Luis Robert is listed in the spot 25 ,who just signed a few weeks ago , and Kevin Maitan listed in the spot 26 and neither one of them have taken a single at bat as pro.
Both Robert and Maitan are much higher grade prospects than Baz. Seeing as Robert was said to be the equivalent of a no.1 overall pick I don’t see how you can compare Baz to him let alone Maitan.
Fyi, Robert has been playing in the DSL
Easy there Johnny Superscout.
The #3 draft pick last year is #75. If Baz pitches well maybe he is that high at this point next season. With guys that went ahead of him in the draft also being added to the to prospect list, I doubt he is much higher.
Oh, does he learn a new pitch and command of all his other ones?
I absolutely love this pick.
He profiles almost exactly like Taillon did in his draft year.
All in all, it seems like the Pirates had a nice draft.
I’m pretty sure he only fell because teams were scared he wouldn’t sign so they made out very well with this pick
That’s how they got Bell, too.
They lost the same bet with Appel, but got Meadows as a “consolation” prize so…all in all, well worth taking the chance that money talks.
Appel not signing might be the best thing that has happened to the pirates in the last…5 years? 10?
Yeah but guess what, he won’t be in the bigs until 2020–something. Would of liked a college arm that we would see sooner.
Should be seeing Mitch Keller and Nick Kingham in the next couple years, Baz will come up a few years later with Braeden Ogle, Max Kranick and Travis McGregor from last years draft.
People really need to stop expecting pitching prospects to have a normal ascension to MLB. TINSTAAPP is a thing for a reason. Hope he(they) makes it in a few years, sure. Expecting it, set up for disappointment.
15 years from now, Shane may be the best pitcher taken in the 2017 draft
Hunter Greene may be the next Nolan Ryan, too. No way to know right now.
Lol
Let’s hope he is not really a Stetson Allie clone…..
Good call
Too bad his last name wasn’t Taz. Like the ECW dude, not the lame cartoon.
Any fake wrestling is far more lame than the Tasmanian Devil, Bugs, et al.
It’s great to continue to see that the Pirates will spend big on the amateur draft to stock their farm system. It just baffles me that they don’t do the same at the MLB level.
Another loser