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Rockies Sign Jonathan Gray

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The Rockies signed first-round pick Jonathan Gray to a $4.8MM deal, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America.  The right-hander's deal is about $826K less than the suggested slot value for the No. 3 overall pick, according to BA's list of the assigned pick values for the first ten rounds.   GrayHe is advised by BBI Sports Group.

Gray, who comes out of Oklahoma University's program was the top-ranked talent in the draft according to Baseball America, second according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and third according to ESPN's Keith Law.  Gray was widely projected as either the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the draft but fell to third when the Cubs threw everyone a minor curveball and drafted Kris Bryant. 

The 6'4", 245-pounder spent the season as the Sooners' Friday starter, flashing a fastball that hit triple digits and showing the ability to maintain that velocity deep into his outings.  His slider is considered by BA, Mayo and Law to be a plus pitch as well.

Gray was the source of some minor controversy just days before the draft when it was reported that he tested positive for Adderall.  There was some speculation at the time that the failed test could cause his bonus demands to drop, though it's not clear if that test is the reason he signed an under-slot deal. Cubs scouting director Jason McLeod said after the draft that the test didn't play a role in their decision to select Bryant over Gray.  With this agreement, Gray becomes the 10th first-round selection from this year's draft class to sign.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter links) reported earlier today that Gray was nearing agreement on a deal with Colorado.

Steve Adams contributed to this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockies Designate Eric Young Jr. For Assignment

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The Rockies have designated Eric Young Jr. for assignment, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).  The move will allow the Rockies to activate right-hander Chris Volstad.

The outfielder posted a .316/.377/.448 slash line in 196 plate appearances last year but hasn't found the same success in 2013.  In 180 PAs this year, the 28-year-old has hit .242/.290/.352 with one homer. Young has experience at all three outfield positions as well as 49 games at second base.

Draft Notes: Judge, Yankees, Bryant, Dodgers

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Here’s a look at today’s draft news..

  • Yankees first-round pick Aaron Judge says that he’s “real confident” that he’ll be signing soon with the Bombers, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.  The Fresno State outfielder is known for jaw-dropping batting practice displays according to Baseball America and got to show off a bit as he took BP with the club today.  Judge was one of three late first-round picks for the Yankees along with Eric Jagielo and Ian Clarkin.
  • Jim Callis of Baseball America only sees two draftees this year becoming the top prospect in their respective organizations.  Third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant had the best power in this year’s draft and even though it’s an extremely close call, Callis ranks him ahead of shortstop Javier Baez and outfielders Albert Almora and Jorge Soler in the Cubs system.  He also puts righthander Jonathan Gray over outfielder David Dahl in the Rockies system.
  • The Dodgers’ prospects are making an impact in the big leagues and there are even more on the way, writes MLB.com’s Austin Laymance.

How Much Could Roy Oswalt Earn?

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The Rockies opened the season as surprise contenders, and they remain just two games out of first place in the NL West. That's thanks largely to an offense that has hit a combined .273/.334/.449 and scored the third most runs (317) in MLB this season, however.

Colorado's rotation pitched to a reasonable 4.24 ERA in the season's first month, but they've posted a 4.75 mark over the past 30 days and a 5.35 mark in the past two weeks. The team recently released Jon Garland and has very little to show for its investment in Jeff Francis. Jhoulys Chacin has spent time on the disabled list already this season, and it's fair to wonder how many innings Jorge De La Rosa will be able to throw after totaling just 31 in 2012.

Troy Renck of the Denver Post writes that help could be on the way, as Roy Oswalt is pitching well at Double-A Tulsa and could make a return to the Major Leagues as soon as next week. Oswalt is scheduled for what could be his final minor league start on Friday.

The 35-year-old right-hander, who signed a minor league deal with the Rockies in May, has a 2.88 ERA with 18 strikeouts and six walks in 25 innings for the Drillers thus far. Renck notes that he threw 95 pitches (62 strikes) in his most recent outing. His fastball sat at 92 mph and his topped out at 95.

Oswalt's contract contains an out clause that can be triggered on June 18. If he's not added to the Major League roster within three days of exercising that clause, he must be granted his release. Because he's currently slated to pitch on June 14, a June 19 promotion seems like a logical target. So how much could he earn, if that's when he's promoted?

Oswalt is set to earn the pro-rated version of a $2.3MM base salary when on the big league roster. If called up on June 19, that would mean the veteran would earn roughly $1.3MM for the remainder of the season (assuming he stays on the roster). On top of that, Oswalt is slated to receive a $400K roster bonus, and he has incentives for number of starts and innings pitched. Those incentives max out at 18 starts and 110 innings pitched, and they can earn Oswalt an additional $1.35MM and $1.25MM, respectively.

It's possible for Oswalt to reach both of those caps, though he would likely need to make all of his starts and average just over six innings per turn to do so. For comparison, Justin Verlander made 19 starts from June 19 through season's end last year, and he totaled 136 2/3 innings in that time. All told, if Oswalt is promoted next week, sticks in the rotation and pitches well, he could earn roughly $4.3MM from the Rockies in 2013.

Rockies, Gray Expected To Complete Deal Today

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Jonathan Gray, the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, is in Denver and expected to complete a deal with the Rockies today, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter links). The assigned pick value of the No. 3 overall slot is $5,626,400, according to Baseball America.

Gray, a right-hander out of Oklahoma University, is advised by BBI Sports Group. The 6'4", 245-pounder was the top-ranked talent in the draft according to Baseball America, second according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and third according to ESPN's Keith Law. Nearly every mock draft from experts around the Internet had Gray coming off the board with one of the first two picks.

Gray spent the season as the Sooners' Friday starter, flashing a fastball that hit triple digits and showing the ability to maintain that velocity deep into his outings. His slider is considered by BA, Mayo and Law to be a plus pitch as well.

Draft Signings: Covey, Astin, Guillorme, Aper, Wade

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Over the next several weeks, signings from this year's MLB draft will be pouring in. Here's Monday's rundown of significant signings (all slot info courtesy of Baseball America's list of assigned pick values)…

  • The Athletics signed fourth-round pick Dylan Covey to a $370K deal, tweets Jim Callis of Baseball America.  The San Diego right-hander was taken by the Brewers with the No. 14 overall pick in 2010 but ultimately didn't sign after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
  • BA's Jim Callis reports that the Brewers have signed third-round pick (No. 90 overall) Barrett Astin for a bonus of $584,300 (Twitter link), which is the exact amount of the assigned slot value. The Arkansas right-hander "was a force" as a reliever in 2012 but more average as a starter in 2013, Callis adds.
  • Mets tenth-round pick Luis Guillorme tweeted that he has signed with the team earlier today (hat tip: Adam Rubin of ESPN on Twitter). Callis adds that Guillorme signed for $200K, noting that the slick-fielding high school shortstop has drawn comparisons to Omar Vizquel (Twitter link). Guillorme's bonus is over slot, as the recommendation for that pick was $136,400.
  • Callis also tweets that the Marlins have signed sixth-round pick Ryan Aper for $225K. A junior college player from Illinois, Aper possesses a quick bat and has a plus arm and speed in center field. Aper signed about $30K under the slot recommendation of $257,400.
  • The Rockies have signed right-hander Konner Wade for a $198,500 bonus, tweetsCallis. Wade was a seventh-round pick out of Arizona and features a solid fastball/changeup combo when he's at his best, Callis notes. Wade signed for exactly slot value.
  • Callis also reports that the Cardinals have signed 16th-round pick Blake Higgins for a $100K bonus (Twitter link). Higgins attended Jackson Community College in Michigan and is forgoing a Michigan State commitment to sign. He's already had Tommy John surgery but was clocked at 95 mph prior to his injury.
  • One more from Callis, who adds (also via Twitter) that the Brewers have signed Fresno State left-handerTyler Linehan for $125K. Milwaukee selected the 6'4", 240-pound hurler in the ninth round, and Callis reports that he sits 88-93 mph with his fastball. Linehan came at a slight discount, asthe slot value of his pick was $144,100.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Rockies Release Jon Garland

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The Rockies announced (via Twitter) that they have released right-hander Jon Garland. The 33-year-old had been designated for assignment on Saturday.

Garland struggled in his brief stint with the Rockies, pitching to a 5.82 ERA with 4.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 68 innings of work (12 starts). He did manage a solid 49.1 percent ground-ball rate — markedly better than the league average of 44.5 percent. That positive trend is one of the reasons stats like FIP (4.95) suggest he's been the recipient of some poor luck.

In parts of 13 Major League seasons, Garland has pitched to a 4.37 ERA with 4.8 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and a 45.2 percent ground-ball rate.

Rockies Designate Jon Garland For Assignment

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The Rockies designated righty Jon Garland for assignment to make room for lefty Jeff Francis, announced the team on Twitter.  Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post was first to report the impending move.  Francis, who had been on the DL for a groin strain, will start tonight against the Padres.  Francis could be replaced soon as well, with Tyler Chatwood on the mend and Roy Oswalt tuning up in Double-A, reported Renck's colleague Patrick Saunders yesterday.

Garland, 33, has a 5.82 ERA, 4.2 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 1.19 HR/9, and 49.1% groundball rate in 68 innings across 12 starts this year.  His first three starts went well, but he posted a 6.80 ERA over the next nine.  Garland had shoulder surgery in July 2011, and didn't pitch again in the Majors until his Rockies debut on April 6th this year.  He inked a minor league deal with the Mariners in February, but exercised an out clause in March when they chose not to commit a roster spot out of Spring Training.  He then signed a Major League contract with the Rockies with a $500K base salary and an additional $2.6MM in incentives for innings pitched and games started.

Garland was drafted 10th overall by the Cubs in 1997, one spot after soon-to-be former teammate Michael Cuddyer.  The White Sox pilfered him from the Cubs for reliever Matt Karchner in a cross-town swap the following year.  From 2002-07, Garland averaged 207 regular season innings per year, making the All-Star team and picking up a World Series ring in '05.  A California native, he later had stops with the Angels, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Padres.

Quick Hits: Alburquerque, Wada, Francis

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Tigers pitcher Al Alburquerque has changed agencies from ACES to Beverly Hills Sports Council, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman tweets. Major League Baseball investigates ACES' possible ties to the Biogenesis scandal. Alburquerque has pitched 71 innings in his big-league career, posting a 1.90 ERA with 16.3 K/9 and 8.2 BB/9. He has 14 1/3 innings pitched for the Tigers this year. Here are more notes from around the Majors.

  • MLB's latest PED scandal could impact pennant races and the trading deadline, says ESPN.com's Jim Bowden (Insider-only). Teams don't know the identities of all the players in the Biogenesis scandal and who might be suspended as a result, Bowden writes, and that could make it difficult for GMs as they head down the stretch. Melky Cabrera's abrupt departure from the Giants last August — after the trading deadline — is the sort of scenario that might be faced by some GMs, who will have a hard time preparing for suspensions they might not be sure are coming. The Giants, of course, won the World Series even without Cabrera, but they didn't have one of their most productive hitters in the final six weeks of the regular season. This year, the Rangers, for example, will have to consider their backup plan in case Nelson Cruz, who has been named in the scandal, is suspended.
  • The list of sellers at this year's trade deadline could be large, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. Rosenthal's list of potential sellers includes three teams that entered the season with lofty aspirations (the Dodgers, Angels and Blue Jays), along with the Astros, Marlins, Phillies, Padres, Brewers, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Royals, Mariners and Mets. That's a very long list, which suggests that it might be a buyer's market at the deadline. Rosenthal says, however, that some of those teams (the Angels, Blue Jays, Phillies and Royals, in particular) might not actually sell, even though some of their records right now might dictate that they would.
  • Tsuyoshi Wada of the Orioles could agree to remain in the minor leagues once his rehab stint is over, reports MASN Sports' Roch Kubatko. Wada has not pitched well for Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 5.87 ERA in 23 innings, and after having elbow surgery, he has yet to make his big-league debut despite being in the second year of a two-year, $8.15MM deal. That deal hasn't worked out well, but Kubatko quotes a scout who says it made sense at the time. "[Wada] was worth the gamble. When he came in, (Miguel) Gonzalez wasn't there, (Wei-Yin) Chen wasn't established, (Jason) Hammel wasn't there yet. So he was worth the gamble. And it wasn't a lot of money."
  • Jeff Francis will likely start on Saturday for the Rockies, but his future with the organization is in question, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. "I think I can help this team, and I think I can do a lot of things," says Francis. "But I know that the reality of baseball is that if you don’t do them enough, then your time runs out." Francis had posted a 6.00 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 before landing on the disabled list with a strained groin. Tyler Chatwood, who Francis will replace on Saturday, will still have his rotation spot when he returns from a sore triceps, and Roy Oswalt, currently at Double-A Tulsa, is slated to join the big-league team shortly.

Draft Notes: Royals, Cubs, Bryant, Astros, Blue Jays

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In his final installment of his Top 100 Draft Flashback series, Matt Eddy of Baseball America assigned values to each of the top ten picks and gave tiered values to the entire first round.  Eddy lumps the together the picks in groups of five and uses WAR to weigh each tier against one another.  He also identifies the best players to be plucked out of each group, starting with Alex Rodriguez (1-5), Frank Thomas/Derek Jeter (6-10), and Manny Ramirez (11-15).  Here's the latest draft news as we close in on the first pick at 6pm central..

  • Keith Law of ESPN.com (via Twitter) hears that the Astros will take Mark Appel No. 1.
  • Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) isn't sure if the Royals have a deal worked out with Phil Bickford but he's certain that some team does.  The right-hander's adviser kept him from talking to club executives this week.
  • It was reported earlier today that the Royals have reached a deal to take Bickford with the No. 8 pick, but the club is adamant that they have no such agreement, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. 
  • There's some buzz around baseball that the Cubs are leaning towards taking Kris Bryant over a pitcher, tweets David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com.
  • Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Twitter link) spoke to one scouting director picking early in first round about how he thinks the top of the draft will play out.  His guess is that the Astros will take Jonathan Gray, the Cubs will grab Mark Appel at No. 2, and the Rockies will draft Bryant with the third pick.  
  • Shi Davidi of Sportsnet broke down the Blue Jays' draft strategy and spoke with Matt Smoral about his draft experience last year.  The left-hander, who saw his stock drop thanks to a stress fracture in his right foot, assumed he was UNC-bound as he didn't expect any club to meet his $2MM asking price.  “Initially, I went, not into panic, but said, ‘Oh crap, I’m going to college,’” the No. 50 pick in last year's draft said. “[The new rules] definitely changed the game but the way I looked at was, I went in there with a number that me and my family and my agent got together, and I was good with going either way."  Toronto found room in the budget for Smoral by essentially punting their picks from rounds 4-10, and Davidi surmises that they'll be open to getting creative this year if another opportunity falls into their lap.
  • Marc Carig of Newsday (via Twitter) hears that the Mets will draft the best player available at No. 11, rather than target need.
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