JULY 12, 3:58pm: Misner has a buzzer-beating, $2.115MM deal, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter links). Mokma will forego his commitment to Michigan State by inking a $557K agreement.
3:18pm: Misner is undergoing a physical, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets, though it’s not clear yet that the sides are otherwise fully squared away on a deal. Heyman adds that 12th-rounder Chris Mokma will agree to terms with the Fish if they can get Misner under contract.
9:20am: Bleday’s bonus will check in at $6,670,000, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. That checks in over his slot value by a narrow margin of $6,000.
JULY 10, 8:25pm: In addition to their deal with Bleday, the Marlins are close to an agreement with No. 35 pick Kameron Misner, tweets Craig Mish of SiriusXM. Before reaching a deal with Misner, Miami first needed to finish negotiations with Bleday so they could know how much it had left to offer Misner. While no deal is quite in place yet, Mish adds that Misner has already decided he will not return to Missouri.
In his junior season at Mizzou, Misner hit .286/.440/.481 with 10 homers, 10 doubles and 20 stolen bases (in 21 tries). Misner rated as the draft’s No. 26 prospect at BA, No. 30 at MLB.com, No. 31 at Fangraphs and No. 34 at ESPN. He’s regarded as a plus runner who can handle any outfield spot, and he draws praise for a potentially average hit tool and above-average pop. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com call him a potential 20-20 threat if his development progresses.
7:22pm: The Marlins have agreed to terms with No. 4 overall draft selection J.J. Bleday, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The star Vanderbilt outfielder was widely considered a top-five talent and one of the best power bats in the draft. His slot comes with a $6.66MM value.
Bleday, 21, will add a high-end offensive prospect to an improving Marlins system that is currently deeper in pitching than in bats. In his final season at Vanderbilt, Bleday posted a ridiculous .350/.464/.717 slash with 26 home runs, 13 doubles and a triple in 320 plate appearances — all while walking more often (54) than he struck out (53).
Prior to draft day, Bleday checked in as this year’s No. 3 prospect, per Fangraphs, where Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen praised the Division-I home run leader’s power and improved approach at the plate. MLB.com tabbed Bleday as the No. 5 prospect in the draft and gave him plus grades on his arm strength and raw power, in addition to an above-average hit tool. Baseball America ranked him sixth and, like other reports noted that he profiles best as a prototypical right fielder (albeit one who can handle center “in a pinch). ESPN’s Keith Law ranked him seventh, noting an unorthodox swing but a classic power-hitting right fielder’s profile with a history of performance.