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2019 MLB Draft Signings

MLB Draft Signings: 6/18/19

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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 Rangers announced the signing of second-round right-hander Ryan Garcia, the 50th pick in this year’s draft. The club gave him full slot value ($1,469,900), per TR Sullivan of MLB.com. Garcia came in at No. 98 in MLB.com’s pre-draft rankings. The former UCLA Bruin could develop into a No. 4 starter in the bigs, Jim Callis and colleague Jonathan Mayo write.
  • The Diamondbacks have signed second-round pick Ryne Nelson to an above-slot deal, Callis tweets. Nelson’s pick, No. 56, came with a slot value of $1,276,400, but the Diamondbacks awarded him $1.1MM. Nelson’s a former two-way player from the University of Oregon who could end up as a major league reliever, according to Callis and Mayo.
  • The Cubs have signed second-rounder Chase Strumpf (No. 64) for full slot value – $1,050,300 – Callis reports. Callis and Mayo ranked Strumpf as the 41st-best player entering the draft, noting the former UCLA second baseman’s a high-potential offensive player who should be able to handle the keystone going forward.

Padres Sign Third-Rounder To Record Bonus

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The Padres have signed third-round pick Hudson Head, the 84th selection in this year’s draft, to a $3MM bonus, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports. That’s a colossal payday relative to Head’s slot, which came with a value of $721,900, and represents a record bonus for a third-rounder.

Head’s a high school outfielder from Texas who fell short of where the Padres picked him, according to prominent draft pundits. FanGraphs (No. 90), MLB.com (No. 122) and Baseball America (No. 128) all placed the ex-Oklahoma commit below 85th. But Head, 18, has an “advanced feel for hitting” and “could wind up with solid or better tools across the board,” Callis and Jonathan Mayo write.

The Padres entered this year’s draft with the league’s eighth-highest bonus pool, $10,758,900, which gave them room to splurge on Head. The club previously used a large portion of that money on sixth overall pick C.J. Abrams, whom it inked to a below-slot deal worth $5.2MM.

Rockies Sign First-Rounder Michael Toglia

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The Rockies have signed first-round pick Michael Toglia, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports. Toglia’s pick (No. 23) came with a $2.93MM slot value, but the team gave him $2.725MM, per Jim Callis of MLB.com and Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter links).

The 20-year-old Toglia’s a first baseman from UCLA whom Callis and Jonathan Mayo ranked as the 40th-best prospect available entering the draft. They note the 6-foot-5, switch-hitting Toglia showed “huge raw power from both sides of the plate” during his tenure with the Bruins. However, it’s in question whether the 20-year-old will make enough contact to capitalize on his power going forward.

With Toglia under contract, the Rockies have now inked their top two picks of this year’s draft. They signed second-rounder Aaron Schunk for $1.1MM last week. The club entered the draft with just over $7MM to spend on its choices.

MLB Draft Signings: 6/17/19

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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 Athletics have agreed to a deal with second-round pick Tyler Baum, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com was among those to report. Baum’s pick (No. 66) features a $1,003,300 slot value, but the team gave him just $900K, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. His agreement means the A’s have now secured their top 11 selections. A right-hander from the University of North Carolina, Baum placed 100th in MLB.com’s pre-draft rankings. Callis and Jonathan Mayo note the 21-year-old Baum didn’t have a great final season at UNC. However, they add that all four of Baum’s pitches can be “solid or better,” potentially setting him up for a career as a No. 4 starter/late-game reliever.

Twins Sign Supplemental First-Rounder Matt Wallner

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The Twins have signed supplemental first-round pick Matt Wallner, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets, adding the outfielder will receive $1.8MM. That checks in below slot, as Wallner’s selection (No. 39) came with a $1,906,800 value.

The Twins finally got their man in Wallner, a Minnesota native whom they first selected in the 32nd round of the 2016 draft. Wallner, then the state’s Mr. Baseball, chose not to sign. He instead elected to attend Southern Mississippi, where he wound up significantly boosting his stock.

This time, Minnesota grabbed Wallner higher than where most draft pundits ranked him. The 21-year-old didn’t make the top 50 of ESPN’s Keith Law entering the draft, while FanGraphs placed Wallner at No. 44, Baseball America had him 49th and MLB.com put him 60th. Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs note Wallner has “huge power” and suggest he profiles as a right fielder. Callis, meanwhile, points out Wallner also “intrigues” as a right-handed pitcher who can throw up to 97 mph.

With Wallner under wraps, the Twins have now locked up their first three draft choices. They previously signed 13th overall pick Keoni Cavaco for $4.05MM and 54th selection Matt Canterino for $1.10MM. The club went into this year’s draft with just under $9.91MM to spend on its picks.

Nationals To Sign First-Rounder Jackson Rutledge

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The Nationals announced an agreement with first-round pick Jackson Rutledge on Monday. Rutledge’s pick (No. 17) comes with a $3.61MM slot value, but he’ll receive $3.45MM, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.

The 6-foot-8 Rutledge, a right-handed pitcher from San Jacinto College in Houston, entered the draft as a top 15 prospect in the eyes of MLB.com (No. 12), Baseball America (No. 14) and ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 15). In their free scouting report, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com write that Rutledge is one of the premier junior college draft prospects in recent memory and may have “the best all-around stuff” in this year’s class. The 20-year-old Rutledge’s fastball sits between 94 and 97 mph, and can hit 99 on occasion. He complements that offering with an impressive slider and a potentially “plus” curveball.

FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen are a bit less bullish on Rutledge than the rest, as they ranked him 21st going into the draft. They note there are concerns regarding Rutledge’s “build, athleticism, and injured hips,” though they still regard him as a “physical beast” with an imposing fastball and promising breaking pitches.

MLB Draft Signings: 6/16/19

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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 Mets have agreed to a deal with second-round pick Josh Wolf, Yahoo Sports’ Matt Ehalt (Twitter links) reports, that will be finalized when Wolf passes a physical.  Wolf will land a $2.15MM bonus, well above the 53rd overall pick’s slot price of $1,370,400.  The Mets drafted mostly college seniors among their top ten picks and have agreed to far below-slot contracts with several of them, creating bonus pool space for tougher signs like third-rounder Matthew Allan and his fellow high school right-hander in Wolf.  The 18-year-old throws a plus curveball, and also saw a big velocity jump in his senior year that put his fastball consistently in the mid-90’s.  MLB.com ranked Wolf 36th on its prospect list, with Law (46th), BA (54th) and Fangraphs (60th) also showing strong regard for former Texas A&M commit.

Diamondbacks To Sign First-Rounder Drey Jameson

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The Diamondbacks have agreed to a deal with 34th overall pick Drey Jameson, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports (Twitter link).  Jameson was one of two compensatory first-rounders awarded to the D’Backs after Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock rejected qualifying offers and left in free agency.  High schooler Brennan Malone was taken with the other compensation pick (33rd overall) and agreed to his own contract with Arizona earlier this week.

Jameson, a right-hander out of Ball State, inked a deal with a $1.4MM bonus.  This is significantly below the $2,148,100 assigned slot price for the 34th overall pick, though Callis notes that “issues had to be ironed out after [Jameson’s] physical.”  These savings will help the Diamondbacks navigate their enormous draft class, as while Arizona’s $16,093,700 bonus pool was the largest of any team, the Snakes also had five extra picks beyond their allotted ten choices in the draft’s first 10 rounds.

Jameson is relatively undersized at 6’0″ and 165 pounds, and he also has what Fangraphs’ scouting report describes as “high-maintenance delivery” that “may make it hard for him to start.”  Some scouts believe Jameson could ultimately end up in the bullpen, though his overall stuff certainly merits a look as a starter.  MLB.com and Baseball America rank Jameson 49th in the draft class and Fangraphs has him 50th, all citing his plus fastball that can hit 97-98mph and regularly sits in the 93-96mph range.

MLB Draft Signings: 6/15/19

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Here’s a look at the game’s 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….

Latest Signings

  • The Red Sox inked second-rounder Cameron Cannon, as per a team press release.  MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo first reported the Cannon signing earlier this week, and MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets that Cannon will receive a $1.3MM bonus, which is lower than the $1,729,800 slot price attached to the 43rd overall pick.  It should be noted that Cannon was Boston’s first pick of the 2019 draft, as their initial draft spot was dropped ten places as punishment for exceeding the luxury tax threshold by more than $40MM.  Fangraphs had the highest projection on Cannon, ranking him 48th on their list of draft’s top prospects and describing the high schooler as an “infielder with approach and strong bat-to-ball skills,” with a potential for more power if he changes his swing.
  • The Royals have a deal with second-round pick Brady McConnell, as per MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo (Twitter link).  The 44th overall pick has a slot price of $1,689,500, though Kansas City went well over that figure in signing McConnell to a $2,222,450 bonus.  Ranked as the 39th-best prospect in the draft by MLB.com, their scouting report on McConnell citing his speed, contact ability, and “the chance for future average power.”  While McConnell was drafted as a shortstop, his future could be at second base or potentially even in center field.
  • Two teams made significant signings beyond the 10th round that will have hefty impacts on their draft bonus pools, as every post-10th round draft pick who signs for more than $125K will have the extra money counted against the pool.  The Braves signed 13th-round pick Tyler Owens to a $547.5K bonus, as per MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo, while MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports that the Cardinals have signed 14th-rounder Tyler Statler to a $300K bonus.  Both Owens and Statler are right-handed pitchers out of high school, who had respectively committed to attend Florida and Southeast Missouri State.

Earlier Today

  • Pirates supplemental first-round pick Sammy Siani has signed an above-slot deal worth $2.15MM, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports. The recommended slot value for Siani’s pick (No. 37) was $1.99MM. Siani’s a Pennsylvania-based high school outfielder who may have “a little Andrew Benintendi in him,” per Callis and MLB.com colleague Jonathan Mayo, who give rave reviews to his left-handed swing.
  • Braves second-rounder Beau Philip (No. 60) has signed a below-slot deal for $700K, Mayo tweets. He’d have earned $1,157,400 at full value. Philip barely cracked MLB.com’s Top 200 entering the draft, coming in at No. 195. The Oregon State shortstop should be able to stay at the position, write Callis and Mayo, who laud his athleticism and bat speed.
  • The Indians have signed second-round choice Yordys Valdes for $1MM, according to Callis. The slot value for his pick, No. 63, was $1,076,300. Valdes is a switch-hitting, contact-making high school shortstop from Florida. Third-rounder Joe Naranjo – the 101st pick – also signed, but he landed an above-slot deal worth $770K ($577K slot). The California-based high school first baseman boasts “one of the best prep bats” in his draft class, Callis relays.
  • The Astros announced the signing of second-rounder Grae Kessinger, a shortstop from Ole Miss. The 68th overall pick, Kessinger received $750K – down from a $953K slot value. Kessinger may move into a second base/utility role in the pros, Callis and Mayo write. Houston also signed fourth-rounder Colin Barber to a deal worth well above slot, Callis relays. Barber, the 136th pick ($410K slot value), received $1MM. The California high schooler and former Oregon commit profiles as a hard-hitting right fielder, Callis writes.
  • Rangers fourth-rounder Cody Freeman (No. 115) has signed for $900K – significantly more than his $502K slot value – Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. Freeman, yet another California high schooler, had committed to Baylor. Baseball America notes Freeman has “premium instincts” and offers a “well-rounded” package.

Mets To Sign First-Round Pick Brett Baty

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JUNE 14: The deal will be announced tomorrow, Healey tweets. Baty receives $3.9MM, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (Twitter link), thus leaving the Mets some added room to work with.

JUNE 11: Mets first-round pick Brett Baty will take a physical and sign a deal with the club this weekend, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Financial details aren’t known yet, but as the 12th overall selection, Baty’s pick comes with a recommended slot value of $4,366,400.

The 19-year-old Baty is a high school third baseman from Texas who entered the draft as a consensus top 20 prospect. FanGraphs was highest on the now-former University of Texas commit going into the draft, ranking him eighth. Baseball America had Baty at No. 15, while ESPN’s Keith Law and MLB.com placed him 17th.

Although there are concerns about Baty’s age and whether he’ll stick at third base, all of those outlets think a great deal of his power potential and general offensive upside. FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen compare Baty to Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman, a first-round pick in 2018 who’s one of the majors’ best prospects.

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