Friday, June 14, 2013

Only Two Of Top Ten MLB Picks Have Signed

Ball Hurls Ball (Star Press Photo)
The Red Sox are not the only top-ten picking team that hasn't signed their first-round draft pick. In fact, only two of the top ten picks have inked deals with their drafting teams—Colorado signing Oklahoma RHP Jonathan Gray (#3 overall) for $4.8 million and Kansas City signing HS second baseman Hunter Dozier (#8 overall) for $2.2 million. The Boston choice at #7 was HS LHP Trey Ball—who is slotted in at $3,246.5 million. Things have been strangely silent on Yawkey Way regarding Ball—although the player has expressed excitement about joining the organization rather than honoring his commitment to play for the University Texas. Reports suggest that the Sox are angling to sign Ball for less than the slot figure (perhaps $3 million) so they can free up extra money to sign HS catcher Jon Denney, an elite player they did not expect to have available for their third round pick. Denney is committed to play for the University of Arkansas, and may need to be wooed beyond his relatively low slot figure of $671,200. The Red Sox already signed their second pick, Seminole State CC RHP Teddy Stankiewicz, for $129,600 less than his slot figure.