The first overall pick signed for a record bonus with the Pirates this afternoon. Meanwhile, Arizona signed their first-round selection for a $4.4MM figure. The other $2MM+ signees from Tuesday (scouting reports from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, ESPN and The Athletic):
- The Phillies announced a deal with 27th overall pick Aidan Miller. The club didn’t specify the signing figure, but Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports it at $3.1MM (Twitter link). That’s a little north of the $2.97MM slot value. A high school infielder out of Florida, Miller appeared on the top 25 players on each of the referenced pre-draft rankings. The 6’2″ third baseman is credited with some of the highest offensive upside in the high school class, though he had a relatively down draft year after injuring the hamate bone in his hand. He’s already 19 — older than the typical high schooler — but has significant power potential and a chance to stick at the hot corner. Miller bypasses a commitment to Arkansas to enter the pro ranks.
- The Padres agreed to terms with 25th selection Dillon Head, Callis reports (on Twitter). The Illinois high schooler gets a $2.8MM bonus, a little below the pick’s $3.17MM slot value. Head ranked 27th on MLB Pipeline’s pre-draft list but as low as 50th on Keith Law’s ranking at The Athletic. The lefty-hitting outfielder is an elite runner and a potential quality defensive center fielder. Evaluators are split on how much offensive upside he possesses in a 5’11” or 6’0″ frame. Head was a Clemson commit.
- The Royals went well overslot to sign second-round draftee Blake Wolters, according to Callis (Twitter link). A high school right-hander from Illinois, he lands a $2.8MM bonus that beats the $1.95MM value of the 44th pick. The 6’4″ hurler had a velocity bump into the mid-90s during his draft year. He’s credited with a quality slider and intriguing athleticism but faces questions about his third pitch. It’s a fairly common refrain for an upside flier on a high school pitcher. Kansas City liked Wolters enough to sign him away from the University of Arizona.
I’m sure he’ll try, but it’s really complex.
Well, he is ahead of the rest+
Padres agree to sign up for high schooler Head.
Evaluators split on how much upside Head will give.
More to come.
I can assure you, there is a LOT of upside to Head.
Bench clearing brawl with Giants, Head involved.
Phillies show outgoing support for teammate Head.
I know that’s a fact!
If the Phillies wanna win, they gotta learn how to play Head games.
What percent of an evaluation should be based on college numbers, and what percentage should be based on scouting grades? The Angels, for instance, got the college version of Barry Bonds, with a 71 to 14 K/BB rate, for underslot. His OPS was higher than that of Crews and Langford, but in a weekend league.
deGrom,
If you trust your scouts, any scouting grades that you have are all based on the same mindset. The scout scored the player on the same objectives.
Statistics from whatever league the player played in are subjective and based on his competition. Those results may vary drastically based on the level of competition.
Your player in question had 71 walks. Was he pitched around a lot or did he earn those walks? Higher level pitching is going to come right at him so his ability to walk a lot may not be a sustainable skill.
All a scout can do is go by what he sees and a very reliable stopwatch to form an opinion on pitchers. The player might turn out great or he might not make it past the rookie league. Of course it’s objective but it’s been done that way for years. Leo Durocher wanted to sign Herman Munster after hitting 600-foot homers, but he had other deficiencies. Sometimes you just don’t make it.
If you trust your scouts, any scouting grades that you have are all based on the same mindset. The scout scored the player on the same objectives.
Statistics from whatever league the player played in are subjective and based on his competition. Those results may vary drastically based on the level of competition.
Your player in question had 71 walks. Was he pitched around a lot or did he earn those walks? Higher level pitching is going to come right at him so his ability to walk a lot may not be a sustainable skill.