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2019 MLB Draft Signings

Marlins To Sign J.J. Bleday, Kameron Misner

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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.

Dodgers Sign Second-Rounder Jimmy Lewis

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The Dodgers have signed supplemental second-rounder Jimmy Lewis to an above-slot deal, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com. Lewis, the 78th selection, will earn $1.1MM. The right-hander’s pick called for a $793K value.

The draft-related heavy lifting is now complete for the Dodgers, who have reached agreements with all of their top picks. They chose three times in the first 100, landing Lewis, third baseman Kody Hoese (No. 25) and second baseman Michael Busch (31st). The club received the pick it used on Lewis as compensation for losing qualifying offer recipient Yasmani Grandal in free agency over the winter.

While the Dodgers mostly chose college players this year, they switched gears in tabbing Lewis – a high schooler from Texas. The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder had committed to LSU, but he’ll turn pro instead. Entering the draft, ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 31), Baseball America (56), and MLB.com (64) all ranked Lewis higher than where he ultimately came off the board. Lewis’ offerings include a 95 mph fastball, a potentially “plus” curveball and a changeup, per Callis and Jonathan Mayo.

Yankees, Second-Rounder Josh Smith Agree To Terms

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The Yankees have agreed to a deal with No. 67 overall draft pick Josh Smith, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). The now-former Louisiana State shortstop will sign for his full slot value of $967,700.

Smith, 21, hit .346/.433/.533 with nine home runs, 17 doubles, a pair of triples and 20 stolen bases in his junior season at LSU. Entering the draft, he was ranked by Fangraphs as the No. 53 prospect available, while Baseball America tabbed him 68th and MLB.com listed him at No. 76. Smith doesn’t draw plus grades for any single tool but has average or above-average rankings across the board. He’s listed at 5’10” and 175 pounds, and most reports give him a chance to stick at shortstop even though some believe a move to second base is ultimately in his future. Smith had been the only unsigned pick among the Yankees’ selections in the draft’s first 10 rounds.

Dodgers Sign First-Rounder Michael Busch

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JULY 5: The Dodgers have signed Busch for full slot value, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets.

JULY 3: The Dodgers are closing in on an agreement with first-round pick Michael Busch, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. The two sides will ultimately reach a deal, according to Heyman. As the 31st overall choice, Busch’s selection calls for a $2.31MM slot value.

Busch, a former University of North Carolina first baseman, is one of two first-rounders the Dodgers reeled in during this year’s draft. They nabbed third baseman Kody Hoese, who’s already signed, at No. 25 overall. The club received the pick it used on Busch as compensation for not signing 30th overall choice J.T. Ginn in 2018.

Entering the draft, ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 16), Baseball America (24), FanGraphs (24), MLB.com (26) ranked Busch in the vicinity of where the Dodgers picked him. Law (subscription required) credits Busch as disciplined hitter who showed “quick hands” and an ability to make impactful contact at UNC. While Heyman notes Busch could become the Dodgers’ second baseman, Law suggests he’ll be limited to first and questions whether he’ll even perform well there in the majors.

MLB Draft Signings: 7/4/19

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We’ll use this post to track the latest noteworthy draft signings.  Click here for the full list of slot values and draft pool bonuses, and you can find prospect rankings and scouting reports from Baseball America’s Top 500,  Fangraphs’ Top 200, MLB.com’s Top 200, and the Top 50 of ESPN.com’s Keith Law …

  • The Rangers signed sixth-rounder Cody Bradford to a significantly over-slot deal, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports (via Twitter).  Bradford, a fourth-year junior out of Baylor, signed for a $700K bonus that far surpasses the $284.2K recommended price for the 175th overall pick.  Bradford’s stock dropped after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, as Callis noted that the left-hander (the Big 12’s Pitcher Of The Year in 2018) was seen as a second-round pick prior to his injury.  Even after the TOS surgery, Bradford was still ranked as the 165th-best draft prospect on MLB.com’s list.

Rangers Agree To Terms With Top Two Draft Picks

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TODAY: Jung will earn $4.4MM and Wendzel $1.6MM, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter links). That leaves the team a fair bit of added padding to work with as it tries to wrap up the remainder of its draft class.

YESTERDAY: The Rangers have agreed to terms with their top two selections in the 2019 draft, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. They’ll announce deals with Texas Tech third baseman Josh Jung and Baylor third baseman Davis Wendzel, per Grant. That duo’s No. 8 and No. 41 slots come with respective values of $5.18MM and $1.81MM. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman first tweeted that Wendzel had agreed to a deal, pegging his bonus in the $1.5-$1.7MM range.

Jung, 21, was selected a bit higher than most pre-draft rankings pegged him. Fangraphs tabbed him as the No. 12 prospect in the draft, while Jung ranked 16th at MLB.com, 17th at Baseball America and 18th at ESPN. All of the scouting reports on Jung praise his hit tool and all-fields approach, though there are questions as to whether develop above-average power as a professional. Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen note in their report at Fangraphs that Jung’s glovework has improved in 2019 — so much so that he even played some shortstop this season (though he’s unlikely to do so in the pros). Jung hit .342/.476/.636 with 14 homers, 22 doubles and a triple this season while drawing 52 walks against 39 strikeouts in 286 plate appearances.

Wendzel, 22, hit .367/.484/.610 with eight homers, 19 doubles and 11 steals in 223 PAs at Baylor this season. Like Jung, he’s viewed as a hit-over-power third baseman in most scouting reports. He draws strong reviews for his plate discipline and his solid defensive skills. MLB.com’s report notes that Wendzel has played all over the diamond in college and suggests that he “might even be able to handle catching, giving him some intriguing versatility.” He ranked 47th on MLB.com’s rankings, 55th at BA, 65th at ESPN and 82nd at Fangraphs.

MLB Draft Signings: 7/3/19

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We’ll use this post to track the latest noteworthy draft signings.  Click here for the full list of slot values and draft pool bonuses, and you can find prospect rankings and scouting reports from Baseball America’s Top 500,  Fangraphs’ Top 200, MLB.com’s Top 200, and the Top 50 of ESPN.com’s Keith Law …

  • The Diamondbacks have a $750K deal with southpaw Tommy Henry, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link). The 74th overall selection came with a $844K slot value, so there are some savings here for the team to work with. Henry recently capped a strong season with an excellent showing in the College World Series. Now, he’ll launch his pro career with the Arizona organization. Henry ranked just inside the top 50 among all draft prospects on the BA board, with MLB.com (#59) and Fangraphs (#64) generally concurring with that range of placement. While there were some ups and downs in Henry’s arsenal over the course of the 2019 campaign, he’s said to command a strong, three-pitch mix at his best.

MLB Draft Signings: 7/2/19

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Here’s a look at the latest noteworthy draft signings, with the newest moves at the top of the post.  Click here for the full list of slot values and draft pool bonuses, and you can find prospect rankings and scouting reports from Baseball America’s Top 500,  Fangraphs’ Top 200, MLB.com’s Top 200, and the Top 50 of ESPN.com’s Keith Law….

  • The Rockies have agreed to sign sign second-round right-hander Karl Kauffmann, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. Kauffmann’s pick (No. 77) came with an assigned slot value of $805,600, and that’s just what he’ll receive, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). Callis and colleague Jonathan Mayo ranked the 21-year-old Kauffmann as the 110th-best player available entering the draft, crediting the ex-Michigan standout with “one of the livelier fastballs in the college ranks.” His fastball sits between 91 and 94 mph, though it’s capable of hitting 96, and he showed an ability to maintain his velocity deep in games with the Wolverines. Kauffmann complements his heater with a good changeup and an inconsistent slider, per Callis and Mayo, who write he possesses “a relatively high floor.”

MLB Draft Signings: 6/29/19

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We’ll use this post to track some of the day’s draft signings…

  • The Cubs signed their 3rd rounder to below-slot value today, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). Michael McAvene signs for $500K, just a little below his potential value as the 103rd overall pick in the draft – slot value of $565,600. He appeared in 23 games out of the Cardinals bullpen this season, going 2-0 with a 2.73 ERA across 33 innings. He struck out 50 versus only 11 walks, good marks for the righty, who chucked a mid-90s heater as a reliever. There’s at least a chance the Cubs will try to convert him to a starter moving forward.
  • The Mariners signed their supplemental 2nd rounder Isaiah Campbell for $850K, tweets Callis. Slot value for the 76th pick in the draft is $818,200, but Seattle felt Campbell was worth splurging for. Campbell rocks a mid-90s heater that touches 98 mph, and he has a couple of interesting secondary pitches as well. Campbell helmed the staff for the Arkansas Razorbacks this season, goin 12-1 with a 2.13 ERA in 18 starts. He struck out 125 batters versus only 22 walks, promising numbers for Seattle’s new righty. Fun fact from Callis, Campbell would be the first major leaguer from Portugal since the illustrious Frank Thompson in 1875.

Mets, Matthew Allan Agree To Terms

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June 28: Allan will sign his contract today, Heyman tweets. He’s expected to receive a $2.5MM signing bonus.

June 26: The Mets are in agreement on a deal with third-round selection Matthew Allan, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). Allan had been considered a first-round talent who came with some signability issues, so the Mets have likely promised the high school righty a bonus that is considerably higher than his $668K slot value in order to forgo his commitment to Florida. Notably, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweets that Allan has yet to take his physical.

Heading into the draft, Allan ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the draft, per ESPN’s Keith Law. MLB.com’s top 200 listed Allan at No. 13, while he was 16th on the top 500 over at Baseball America and 20th at Fangraphs. Law called Allan the best high school pitcher in this year’s draft, praising him for a 92-95 mph fastball and a curveball that is already regarded as a plus pitch. MLB.com’s report notes that Allen’s changeup took a step forward this season as well, giving the 6’3″, 210-pound righty the potential for a third above-average offering.

The Mets saved about $470K on top pick Brett Baty but also went considerably over slot in giving second-round pick Josh Wolf a $2.15MM bonus when his slot value was roughly $1.37MM. However, the Mets selected college seniors in each of the fourth through tenth rounds of the draft, leaving them a considerable bit of cash to allocate to Allan. Each received bonuses of $20K or less, and while that leaves New York with a topheavy draft class, they’ll come away with a pair of players who were widely considered to be among the 20 best talents available. Obviously, there’s plenty of variance in all MLB draftees — high schoolers in particular — so the Mets are taking a fairly high-risk approach in so aggressively frontloading their draft resources to secure this trio of prep stars.

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