Monday, August 17, 2009
Draft signing deadline looms
Posted by Alex PediciniTonight at 11:59 PM is the deadline for major league teams to sign their selections from the 2009 MLB Draft.
Baseball America has an updated status on all remaining unsigned picks from the top 10 rounds. Among these players are number one selection Stephen Strasburg (Washington), number two Dustin Ackley (Seattle), number three Donovan Tate (San Diego), number six Zack Wheeler (San Francisco) , and the ninth pick Jacob Turner (Detroit).
Overall there are still 17 unsigned picks from the first round (including supplemental picks). Strasburg is expected to command a record signing bonus (well above Mark Prior's $10.5 million bonus in 2001) and the rumored asking price has been around $50 million. Agent Scott Boras has a history of holding his clients out and waiting for them to become draft eligible the following season, but the desperate Nationals are in a position where they really need to sign him. Negotiations are expected to last right up until the final minutes.
Also still unsigned is pitcher Aaron Crow. Crow was a 9th overall pick by Washington in 2008 but could not reach an agreement. After re-entering the draft and being taken 12th by Kansas City, he is still trying to sign his first professional contract.
Alex is a student in Boston. He welcomes all questions and comments here