A handful of draft prospects have agreed to $2MM+ bonuses over the previous two days. Until in any other case famous, bonuses have been first reported by Jim Callis of MLB.com. Pre-draft rankings and scouting experiences are supplied by Keith Regulation of the Athletic, Baseball America, FanGraphs and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.
- Padres first-round choose Kash Mayfield agreed to phrases at $3.4421MM. That’s full slot worth for the twenty fifth choose to maintain him from attending Oklahoma State. Mayfield was the second highschool pitcher off the board. The 6’4″ southpaw has a three-pitch combine, superior management, and might contact 97 MPH. He’s a possible mid-rotation arm. San Diego went with one other highschool pitcher, Boston Bateman, within the second spherical. Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo experiences (on X) that he lands an above-slot $2.5MM bonus. Bateman is a large left-hander with mid-90s velocity and a great slider, however his 6’8″ body results in questionable command projection. He’d been dedicated to LSU.
- The Brewers agreed to a $3.44MM bonus with first-round choose Braylon Payne. Milwaukee chosen the Texas highschool outfielder with the seventeenth choice. Payne was not usually anticipated to go within the first spherical. McDaniel was highest on him, rating thirty eighth in his pre-draft record. Milwaukee reduce an underslot deal however nonetheless paid Payne like a late first-round expertise to signal him out of a dedication to the College of Houston. Evaluators credit score Payne with no less than 70-grade velocity and the power to stay in middle discipline, although there’s some skepticism about his offensive upside. Second-round choose Blake Burke landed a $2.1MM bonus, Collazo experiences (X hyperlink). A primary baseman from the College of Tennessee, he hit .379/.449/.702 this season.
- The Dodgers signed #23 choose Kellon Lindsey for $3.3MM, as first reported by J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California Information Group. That’s a bit beneath the approximate $3.68MM slot worth. Lindsey is a highschool infielder who’d been dedicated to Florida. He’s a top-of-the-scale runner who may ultimately slot in middle discipline, although he has performed shortstop in highschool. All 4 retailers word that Lindsey is analogous to Trea Turner on the similar age, although that’d clearly be on the very excessive finish of his vary of outcomes. He’s listed at 6’0″ and 175 kilos and may need restricted energy however may supply a standard leadoff profile.
- Rangers first-round choose Malcolm Moore signed for $3MM. That’s simply above slot for the thirtieth choice. A Stanford product, Moore is a left-handed hitting catcher. He’s thought to be a bat-first participant with questions on his means to stay behind the dish, however his hit/energy mixture made him a primary spherical expertise. Moore turned in a .255/.414/.553 slash with extra walks than strikeouts this season. He was a draft-eligible sophomore who turns 21 subsequent week.
- The A’s went above slot to signal second-round choose Tommy White for $3MM, experiences Robert Murray of FanSided (X hyperlink). The fortieth choose comes with a worth round $2.33MM. White’s bonus extra intently aligned with the very finish of the primary spherical. An LSU product, the righty-hitting White had an OPS above 1.000 in all three faculty seasons. He hit .330/.401/.638 with 24 homers in his draft yr. He has good contact abilities and large uncooked energy, although there’s some concern about his aggressive strategy. White performed third base in faculty however isn’t a great athlete and will transfer to first base in professional ball. Oakland additionally went above slot with a $2MM bonus for third-rounder Gage Soar, Callis experiences (X hyperlink). A teammate of White’s at LSU, Soar has a mid-90s fastball and a pair of breaking pitches. Most evaluators undertaking him to the bullpen due to inconsistent management and his smaller stature.
- The Diamondbacks have agreements with supplemental picks Ryan Waldschmidt and J.D. Dix. Waldschmdit, a righty-hitting outfielder from the College of Kentucky, will get the $2.904MM worth related to the thirty first choose. Regulation ranked him because the #11 participant within the class, whereas FanGraphs and ESPN had him behind the highest 20. Waldschmidt had a large junior season, hitting .333/.469/.610. He’s restricted to left discipline however attracts reward for his plate self-discipline and exit velocities. Dix is a switch-hitting highschool shortstop from Wisconsin. A Wake Forest commit, he has a well-rounded profile however underwent surgical procedure on his throwing shoulder final fall and spent a piece of this spring as a chosen hitter.
- Yankees first-round choose Ben Hess agreed to phrases at $2.7475MM, experiences Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (on X). He was taken twenty sixth total, which comes with a slot worth round $3.33MM. Hess is a 6’5 right-hander from the College of Alabama. He works within the mid-90s fastball and has a promising slider. Regulation ranked him twenty fourth within the class and wrote that he has mid-rotation potential. Hess had a blended monitor report in faculty and struggled to throw strikes in his draft yr, although. He posted a 5.80 earned run common throughout 15 appearances this season. The Yanks went above slot within the second spherical for righty Bryce Cunningham, who signed for $2.2975MM. He had a 4.36 ERA over 16 begins this season for Vanderbilt. The 6’5″ hurler has a three-pitch combine and an opportunity to stay as a starter.
- The Phillies have a $2.5MM deal with first-rounder Dante Nori. He was chosen with the twenty seventh choose, which comes with a worth round $3.23MM. Nori is a left-handed hitting outfielder from Michigan who’d been dedicated to Mississippi State. Evaluators reward his velocity and nascent energy potential. He’s considerably older than the everyday excessive schooler, turning 20 not lengthy after the draft.
- The Twins agreed to a $2.4MM bonus with thirty third choose Kyle DeBarge, Collazo experiences (on X). Callis experiences that Minnesota additionally went above slot to signal 69th choose Dasan Hill for $2MM. DeBarge is a 5’9″ shortstop from the College of Louisiana who hit .356/.418/.699 this season. He’s successful over energy participant who may undertaking to a utility function. Hill is a lanky left-hander from a Texas highschool who had been dedicated to Dallas Baptist. FanGraphs had him because the #24 participant within the class and projected him as a possible mid-rotation starter.
- thirty ninth total choose Caleb Lomavita signed with the Nationals. Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com experiences (on X) that he landed a $2.325MM bonus that’s slightly below slot worth. Lomavita is a righty-hitting catcher out of Cal who has superior contact abilities and a great likelihood to stay behind the plate. His very aggressive offensive strategy results in some danger about his on-base flooring. Lomavita hit .322/.395/.586 throughout his draft season however solely walked 12 instances in 55 video games. The Nationals acquired the thirty ninth choose from the Royals within the Hunter Harvey commerce.
