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Cubs Sign First-Rounder Ryan Jensen To Below-Slot Deal

By Ty Bradley | June 8, 2019 at 1:24pm CDT

Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Cubs and first-round selection (27th overall) Ryan Jensen have agreed on a $2MM signing bonus, a deal over $500K south of the $2.57MM slot value for the pick (Andersen Pickard was first with the agreement).

Jensen, a right-hander from Fresno State, was projected by many outlets as a second-to-third round pick in the weeks leading up the draft, a fact reflected in his comparatively modest bonus. The six-foot righty dominated in late-season action, though, often flashing upper-nineties heat in the latter stages of his college starts. Jensen’s second-tier pre-draft status can be explained by his inconsistent array of secondary pitches, which often lagged behind his hard-to-ignore heat.

The pick is a departure from recent-year philosophy in Chicago’s high-level picks, as senior VP of player development and amateur scouting Jason McLeod explained Wednesday. After a mid-decade eruption of star-level talent graduating from the system, the Cubs farm has sputtered in recent seasons: by some accounts, the team doesn’t have a single top-100 prospect on its current ledger, though last year’s first-rounder Nico Hoerner has impressed in his first professional taste.

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2019 MLB Draft Signings Chicago Cubs

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Padres Agree To Terms With First-Rounder C.J. Abrams On Below-Slot Deal
View Comments (15)
Post a Comment

15 Comments

  1. bobtillman

    6 years ago

    So that explains how they signed Ethan Herne, the prep ranks best catcher, to an over slot in the 6th round. Good move.

    Reply
  2. PickleRiccck

    6 years ago

    I reported this about 10 am today on the draft signings post. Find it out faster than MLBTR. Maybe I should make my own website.

    Reply
    • wintwins11

      6 years ago

      Maybe you shouldn’t though

      1
      Reply
  3. Pickle_Britches

    6 years ago

    Yep there’s been about 10 1st round signings so far.

    mlbdailydish.com has all the updated signings

    Reply
  4. Dogbone

    6 years ago

    Yes, they really do need Nico Hoerner to get healthy and back on the field. I do believe they would have liked him to progressed – into a Sept call-up, this year. But now it looks like he’s going to be about half season behind schedule.

    Reply
    • Pickle_Britches

      6 years ago

      Yea i agree. Nico looks like a beast. Was reading a thing online that a scout had his bat speed in the top 5 of all minor leaguers.

      Reply
  5. toastyroasty

    6 years ago

    Why are these high draft pick players signing for below slot value money? Poor representation?

    Reply
    • tim815

      6 years ago

      In almost all cases like this, the numbers are agreed to before the selection. If he wasn’t willing to sign for that, the team goes another way.

      Reply
    • petrie000

      6 years ago

      Usually it’s lack of leverage. if a player has no college eligibility left, his choices are to take below slot value or go play indie ball. A player drafted well above expectations also isn’t likely to be drafted any higher if he goes back to college, so even if he’s not getting full slot value, he’s still getting more than he expected so it’s not a bad deal.

      There’s a lot of guys in no real position to play hardball when they get drafted.

      Reply
      • twentyforty

        6 years ago

        He was contacted by the Cubs, asked if he would sign for below slot. If h3 says yes, they tell him he will be selected. If he says no, they move on to the next. That’s how it really works.

        Reply
        • petrie000

          6 years ago

          The Cubs wouldn’t have contacted him about it if one of the aforementioned reasons hadn’t deprived him of leverage.

          The original poster asked why some players sign for under slot. it isn’t simply because somebody asked them to.

          In Jensen’s case it’s probably example no. 2. He was expecting second round money, Cubs were offering more, so no reason to turn it down.

          Reply
  6. toastyroasty

    6 years ago

    That makes more sense. I didn’t know that teams were allowed to shop their signing bonuses around. That seems a bit shady. I would think the players Association would have issues with that sort of behavior

    Reply
    • petrie000

      6 years ago

      Not really so long as nobody’s promising illegal benefits. The players and their representatives still have every right to say no.

      Basically nobody loses, so why fight it?

      Reply
  7. NickGarren

    6 years ago

    People act like the Cub have no top prospects…there are at least 4 or 5 playing in South bend, IN.

    Reply
    • petrie000

      6 years ago

      That’s the problem, their best prospects are mostly below AA level…

      Reply

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