The Rays reached a deal with first-round pick Daniel Pierce, reports Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. He receives a $4.3131MM signing bonus that is exactly $1MM below the slot value of the 14th overall selection.
Pierce is a slick-fielding prep infielder from Georgia. Pre-draft scouting reports from Baseball America, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, Keith Law of The Athletic and MLB Pipeline all pegged the University of Georgia commit as a mid-first round talent. That’s right where Pierce was selected, although his bonus is closer to the slot value of the 20th selection.
Scouts consider Pierce to be a no-doubt shortstop with a chance to be an excellent defender. BA credited him with plus marks for his speed, arm strength and glove. Law puts an even louder plus-plus grade on both Pierce’s speed and arm strength. There’s more debate about how much he’ll produce offensively. Pierce had an improved senior season and has a solid batting eye, but scouting reports project him with fringe-average grades for both his hitting ability and power.
Cutting a slight underslot deal should allow the Rays to go above the slot values for a few later high school draftees. Tampa Bay went to the prep ranks with both of their second-round selections (Cooper Flemming and Dean Moss) and their third-round pick, Taitn Gray.
Taitn? Book his parents for child abuse. You know that kid has been called Taint all his life.
Gray taint is the worst.
Anyone know how bonuses are paid to drafted players? In full, yearly, ect.?
50% within 30 days/50% within 365 days
momentprivatewealth.com/post/everything-you-need-t…:
So he sounds like Taylor Walls 2.0. They sure love their light hitting shortstops.
Yes, they do. Middle infielders that caint hit is their MO.
He’s so young, he could end up being a power-hitting 3B’man by the time he arrives in the majors.
A shortstop is the best defender on the team. Escobar hung around for a decade because of his glove. Ozzie Smith made the hall of fame because of his glove, ability to steal bases and low strikeout rates. He placed second in the MVP in 1987 while hitting 0 homeruns amassing 40 doubles walking 89 times and striking out 36 times in 600 at bats. Good for a triple slash of .303/.392/.383
The Rays are always capable of finding ss with a glove and I get it’s importance defensively, but it would be nice to have a shortstop that could hit .250 on this team. The article’s description of fringe average grades for hitting and power doesn’t sound promising at this stage. Of course, he’s young, so who knows. The departure of Wander left a serious void at this position, so the door is wide open for him.