Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money

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Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money

Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money
Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money
Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money 2018
With the signing deadline behind us and teams looking at a complete picture of their 2019 draft classes, it's now possible to break down some of the numbers and see where and how major league teams are spending their money.
It's also now possible to see how the industry valued the top 34 players in the country. Unlike drafts in other sports, baseball doesn't have a hard-slotting system, which means the players don't necessarily get taken in the order that the industry perceives their talent level.

For various financial reasons—or simply because a team values a certain player more or less than the industry does—it can be misleading to look at the first round and think you are looking at the top talent in the class.
Now, though, it's as simple as lining up the top 34 players in the draft by signing bonus and seeing how different the order looks. Talented high school players like Matthew Allan and Hudson Head fell to the second day of the draft, but they made up for that drop by signing for bonuses that give them first-round bank accounts, even if they won't be referred to as first-round picks.
MLB Draft Results - Round: 1. The 2020 MLB Draft is in the books. The five round draft had some early surprises. With the number of rounds cut short, teams will now be eligible to sign an unlimited number of undrafted playes due to the reworked draft process. We got a hold of the bonus slot values and, it follows, each team's total pool amount for the upcoming 2019 MLB Draft. The PDF we acquired from an industry source was missing Washington's comp pick for Bryce Harper at 138 overall, so we added that and manually recalculated each team's pool total (which were incorrect on the PDF because of this missing pick).
Below, you can see how the 34 highest-paid 2019 draftees line up.
Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State ($8,100,000)
Bobby Witt, SS, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS ($7,787,400)
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California ($7,221,200)
JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt ($6,670,000)
Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla. ($6,180,700)
Nick Lodolo, LHP, Texas Christian ($5,432,400)
CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga. ($5,200,000)
Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia ($4,547,500)
Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech ($4,400,000)
Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State ($4,097,500)
Keoni Cavaco, SS, Eastlake HS, Chula Vista, Calif. ($4,050,000)
Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor ($3,997,500)
Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS, Austin ($3,900,000)
Bryson Stott, SS, Nevada-Las Vegas ($3,900,000)
Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS, Seattle ($3,745,500)
Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto (Texas) JC ($3,450,000)
Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill. ($3,400,000)
Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State ($3,397,500)
George Kirby, RHP, Elon ($3,242,900)
Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M ($3,129,800)
Greg Jones, SS, UNC Wilmington ($3,024,500)
Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky ($3,000,000)
Hudson Head, OF, Churchill HS, San Antonio ($3,000,000)
Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane ($2,740,300)
Anthony Volpe, SS, Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. ($2,740,300)
Michael Toglia, 1B, UCLA ($2,725,000)
Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy, Statesboro, Ga. ($2,500,000)
Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS, Sanford, Fla. ($2,500,000)
Blake Walston, LHP, New Hanover HS, Wilmington, N.C. ($2,450,000)
Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson ($2,424,600)
Michael Busch, 2B, North Carolina ($2,312,000)
Gunnar Henderson, SS, Morgan Academy, Selma, Ala. ($2,300,000)
Brady McConnell, SS, Florida ($2,222,500)
Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. ($2,202,200)
Seeing how the money breaks down across different position groups can also be informative. Here are the top money-makers for each position group, as well as average signing bonus numbers for the total position group and the top 10 players at each group.
Top Paid Catchers
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,746,750
Total (73) Average Bonus — $312,214
Adley Rutschmanset the all-time bonus record by signing for $100,000 more thanGerrit Coledid as the No. 1 overall selection by the Pirates in 2011. Rutschman topped the previous record for a catcher's bonus by more than a million, clearing 2018 No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart's $7,025,000 mark.
Teams largely prefer spending money on college catchers, as the high school backstop profiles is among the riskiest in the draft. That sentiment is made obvious by the fact thatEthan Hearnwas the sole prep catcher to appear among the top 10 catcher bonuses.

Adley Rutschman, Oregon State (Orioles) — $8,100,000
Shea Langeliers, Baylor (Braves) — $3,997,500
Korey Lee, California (Astros) — $1,750,000
Ethan Hearn, Mobile (Ala.) Christian HS (Cubs) — $950,000
Logan Driscoll, George Mason (Padres) — $600,000
Kyle McCann, Georgia Tech (Athletics) — $500,000
Philip Clarke, Vanderbilt (Blue Jays) — $497,500
Thomas Dillard, Mississippi (Brewers) — $397,500
Carter Bins, Fresno State (Mariners) — $350,000
Nick Kahle, Washington (Brewers) — $325,000
Top Paid First Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,405,380
Total (38) Average Bonus — $404,587
Andrew Vaughnset the new record for highest-paid first baseman, surpassing Brendan McKay's $7,005,000 bonus in 2017. McKay's bonus was high because of his two-way status out of Louisville, however, and the previous high bonus for a first baseman outside of him was Eric Hosmer's $6,000,000 bonus after the Royals took him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2008 out of American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) High.

Andrew Vaughn, California (White Sox) — $7,221,200
Michael Toglia, UCLA (Rockies) — $2,725,000
Logan Wyatt, Louisville (Giants) — $997,500
Garrett Frechette, Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS (Giants) — $797,500
Joseph Naranjo, Ayala HS, Chino Hills, Calif. (Indians) — $770,000
Tristin English, Georgia Tech (Diamondbacks) — $500,000
Mahki Backstrom, Serra HS, Gardena, Calif. (Braves) — $397,500
Andrew Daschbach, Stanford (Orioles) — $250,000
Jake Guenther, Texas Christian (Rays) — $197,600
Bryce Ball, Dallas Baptist (Braves) — $197,500
Top Paid Third Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,820,750
Total (36) Average Bonus — $559,919
Third base is a lucrative position, as the group averaged the second-highest bonus when accounting for all players who signed. It's unsurprising considering the track record of third basemen taken early in the draft and the fact that, generally, the position is full of the best hitters in the class.
Josh Jungwas the most lucrative third baseman in the 2019 class, but his $4,400,000 bonus ranks just eighth all time.Kris Bryantis still the most expensive third baseman after signing for $6,708,400 as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft. Texas sluggerBrett BatysurpassedNicholas Castellanos' $3,450,000 bonus in 2010 to become the highest-paid high school third baseman in draft history.

Major league baseball draft slot money 2018

Josh Jung, Texas Tech (Rangers) — $4,400,000
Brett Baty, Lake Travis HS, Austin (Mets) — $3,900,000
Kody Hoese, Tulane (Dodgers) — $2,740,300
Davis Wendzel, Baylor (Rangers) — $1,600,000
Nick Quintana, Arizona (Tigers) — $1,580,200
Aaron Schunk, Georgia (Rockies) — $1,102,700
Jared Triolo, Houston (Pirates) — $868,200
Drew Mendoza, Florida State (Nationals) — $800,000
Andre Lipcius, Tennessee (Tigers) — $733,100
Seth Gray, Wright State (Twins) — $483,000
Top Paid Shortstops
Top 10 Average Bonus — $3,795,410
Total (97) Average Bonus — $668,855

If you want to get paid, play shortstop. This is the position group that averaged the highest bonus in the 2019 class, both among the top 10 players for each position group and among all signed players. Shortstops become stars, either by sticking at the position at the major league level (Derek Jeter,Francisco Lindor,Carlos Correa), moving to third base (Chipper Jones,Manny Machado,Alex Bregman) or even the outfield (Gary Sheffield,Justin Upton,Adam Jones). By playing the toughest non-catcher position in the field and throwing righthanded, shortstops have the most flexibility on the positional spectrum and regularly find success at other positions if necessary.

The 2019 college shortstop class was routinely praised by scouts throughout the year, but it was three high school shortstops who topped the signing bonus list. BothBobby Witt Jr. andCJ Abramssigned for enough to join the list of top 10 highest paid shortstops of all time. In fact, Witt Jr. set the new bar for a shortstop signing bonus and is now the third-highest paid player in draft history behind Rutschman and Cole.

Bobby Witt, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS (Royals) — $7,787,400
CJ Abrams, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga. (Padres) — $5,200,000
Keoni Cavaco, Eastlake HS, Chula Vista, Calif. (Twins) — $4,050,000
Bryson Stott, Nevada-Las Vegas (Phillies) — $3,900,000
Will Wilson, North Carolina State (Angels) — $3,397,500
Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M (Braves) — $3,129,800
Greg Jones, UNC Wilmington (Rays) — $3,024,500
Anthony Volpe, Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. (Yankees) — $2,740,300
Logan Davidson, Clemson (Athletics) — $2,424,600
Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy, Selma, Ala. (Orioles) — $2,300,000
Brady McConnell, Florida (Royals) — $2,222,500
Nasim Nunez, Collins Hill HS, Suwanee, Ga. (Marlins) — $2,200,000
Rece Hinds, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Reds) — $1,797,500
Kyren Paris, Freedom HS, Oakley, Calif. (Angels) — $1,400,000
Cameron Cannon, Arizona (Red Sox) — $1,300,000
Matthew Lugo, Beltran Baseball Academy, Florida, P.R. (Red Sox) — $1,100,000
Yordys Valdes, McArthur HS, Hollywood, Fla. (Indians) — $1,001,000
Christian Cairo, Calvary Christian HS, Clearwater, Fla. (Indians) — $955,000
Cody Freeman, Etiwanda HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Rangers) — $900,000
Glenallen Hill, Baylor (Diamondbacks) — $850,000
Top Paid Second Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $799,750
Total (38) Average Bonus — $244,947
Second baseman averaged the least amount in the 2019 class and was the only position group where the top 10 players didn't average at least $1 million. OnlyMichael Busch,Tyler CallihanandChase Strumpfsigned for more than a million, and Busch and Callihan hardly spent any time at second base prior to getting drafted at the position.
Defensive questions generally surround second base prospects and only 12 players have been drafted as first-round second baseman this century, with Busch joining that group this year. But even with Busch, it's possible that he winds up at first base or corner outfield in the future.Keston Hiura($4,000,000) has the highest signing bonus for a second baseman, followed byRickie Weeks($3,600,000) and now Busch.

Michael Busch, North Carolina (Dodgers) — $2,312,000
Tyler Callihan, Providence HS, Jacksonville (Reds) — $1,497,500
Chase Strumpf, UCLA (Cubs) — $1,050,300
Josh Smith, Louisiana State (Yankees) — $976,700
Eduoard Julien, Auburn (Twins) — $493,000
Michael Massey, Illinois (Royals) — $472,500
Gabe Holt, Texas Tech (Brewers) — $450,000
Ivan Johnson, Chipola (Fla.) JC (Reds) — $397,500
Cody Milligan, Cowley County (Kan.) JC (Braves) — $197,500
Isaac Collins, Creighton (Rockies) — $150,500
Top Paid Outfielders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $3,225,870
Total (158) Average Bonus — $368,208
The top 10 outfielders in the class averaged the second-highest bonus behind only shortstop, although the number of outfielders selected and signed brings the average overall bonus down to the middle of the pack.
JJ Bledaywas one of just two players (along with prep shortstopAnthony Volpe) who signed over-slot deals in the first round in 2019, and his $6,670,000 signing bonus is the most money any college outfielder has ever signed for. Bubba Starling—taken by the Royals with the No. 5 overall pick in 2011—is still responsible for the highest bonus by an outfielder of any source in the draft, whileBryce Harperand Donavan Tate are tied for third behind Starling and Bleday with $6,250,000 bonuses.Riley Greeneentered the top five outfielders with a $6,180,700 bonus.

JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Marlins) —$ 6,670,000
Riley Greene, Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla. (Tigers) — $6,180,700
Hunter Bishop, Arizona State (Giants) — $4,097,500
Corbin Carroll, Lakeside HS, Seattle (Diamondbacks) — $3,745,500
Hudson Head, Churchill HS, San Antonio (Padres) — $3,000,000
Sammy Siani, Penn Charter HS, Philadelphia (Pirates) — $2,150,000
Kameron Misner, Missouri (Marlins) — $2,115,000
Matt Wallner, Southern Mississippi (Twins) — $1,800,000
Trejyn Fletcher, Deering HS, Portland, Maine (Cardinals) — $1,500,000
Joshua Mears, Federal Way (Wash.) HS (Padres) — $1,000,000
Matt Gorski, Indiana (Pirates) —$ 1,000,000
Colin Barber, Pleasant Valley HS, Chico, Calif. (Astros) — $1,000,000
Kyle Stowers, Stanford (Orioles) — $884,200
Dasan Brown, Abbey Park HS, Oakville, Ont. (Blue Jays) — $797,500
Zach Watson, Louisiana State (Orioles) — $780,400
Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas (Diamondbacks) — $700,000
Grant McCray, Lakewood Ranch HS, Bradenton, Fla. (Giants) — $697,500
Jake Sanford, Western Kentucky (Yankees) — $597,500
Erik Rivera, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Gurabo, P.R. (Angels) — $597,500
Stephen Paolini, St. Joseph HS, Trumbull, Conn. (Braves) — $597,500
Top Paid Righthanders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $2,813,550
Total (393) Average Bonus — $236,904
It was a down year for pitching, and that's reflected in the signing bonuses. Alek Manoah's $4,547,500 bonus was the highest of the 2019 class, but good for just 14th among righthanders all time. Manoah was the first righthander selected in the draft and on only two other occasions (1975 and 1980) did it take until the 11th pick for a righthander to get selected.
It was a notable year for junior college righthanders, however, asJackson Rutledgebecame the ninth member of that demographic to sign for at least $1 million and set a new record for JuCo righthanders by surpassing Nate Pearson's 2017 bonus ($2,452,900) with the Blue Jays.
Righthanders are coveted, and the top 10 players of the group averaged the third-highest bonus behind shortstops and outfielders, but the vast number of righthanders selected drags the overall average down to last.

Alek Manoah, West Virginia (Blue Jays) — $4,547,500
Jackson Rutledge, San Jacinto (Texas) JC (Nationals) — $3,450,000
Quinn Priester, Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill. (Pirates) — $3,400,000
George Kirby, Elon (Mariners) — $3,242,900
Daniel Espino, Georgia Premier Academy, Statesboro, Ga. (Indians) — $2,500,000
Matthew Allan, Seminole HS, Sanford, Fla. (Mets) — $2,500,000
Brennan Malone, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Diamondbacks) — $2,202,200
Josh Wolf, St. Thomas HS, Houston (Mets) — $2,150,000
Matthew Thompson, Cypress Ranch HS, Houston (White Sox) — $2,100,000
JJ Goss, Cypress Ranch HS, Houston (Rays) — $2,042,900
Ryan Jensen, Fresno State (Cubs) — $2,000,000
Andrew Dalquist, Redondo Union HS, Redondo Beach, Calif. (White Sox) — $2,000,000
Seth Johnson, Campbell (Rays) — $1,722,500
Kendall Williams, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Blue Jays) — $1,547,500
Evan Fitterer, Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif. (Marlins) — $1,500,000
Ryan Garcia, UCLA (Rangers) — $1,469,900
Drey Jameson, Ball State (Diamondbacks) — $1,40,0000
Jack Kochanowicz, Harriton HS, Rosemont, Pa. (Angels) — $1,247,500
Matt Canterino, Rice (Twins) — $1,100,000
Ryne Nelson, Oregon (Diamondbacks) — $1,100,000
Jimmy Lewis, Lake Travis HS, Austin (Dodgers) — $1,097,500
Alec Marsh, Arizona State (Royals) — $904,300
Tyler Baum, North Carolina (Athletics) — $900,000
Isaiah Campbell, Arkansas (Mariners) — $850,000
Karl Kauffmann, Michigan (Rockies) — $805,600
Top Paid Lefthanders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,938,200
Total (127) Average Bonus — $266,638
It was a down year for pitching across the board, and that impacted lefties as well as righties. Lodolo was the first pitcher (of either hand) selected, and his $5,432,400 bonus with the Reds makes him the fifth-highest paid southpaw in the draft, behindMacKenzie Gore($6,700,000),Carlos Rodon($6,582,000),Danny Hultzen($6,350,000) andDavid Price($5,600,000).
Blake Walstonwas the highest-paid prep lefty in the 2019 class and one of just 10 high school lefthanders who signed this year. His $2,450,000 bonus is good for 19th all time among prep lefties.

Nick Lodolo, Texas Christian (Reds) — $5,432,400
Zack Thompson, Kentucky (Cardinals) — $3,000,000
Blake Walston, New Hanover HS, Wilmington, N.C. (Diamondbacks) — $2,450,000
T.J. Sikkema, Missouri (Yankees) — $1,949,800
Ethan Small, Mississippi State (Brewers) — $1,800,000
John Doxakis, Texas A&M (Rays) — $1,127,200
Antoine Kelly, Wabash Valley (Ill.) JC (Brewers) — $1,025,100
Brandon Williamson, Texas Christian (Mariners) — $925,000
Avery Short, Southport HS, Indianapolis (Diamondbacks) — $922,500
Tommy Henry, Michigan (Diamondbacks) — $750,000
Major League Baseball is set to formally announce in the coming days that the 2020 draft will be only five rounds, the fewest since the draft began in 1965.
MLB and the MLB Player's Association agreed in March to cut the draft from its usual 40 rounds to as few as five rounds as a result of the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. With the 2020 season still uncertain to be played—though owners have begun presenting a proposal to players for a shortened, 82-game season beginning in July—clubs are seeking ways to save money in order to offset the revenue losses from a shortened or unplayed season. Reducing the number of players drafted, and by extension the amount of money teams pay out in draft signing bonuses, is one of the most direct ways to do so.
MLB proposed a 10-round draft where bonus slot amounts in rounds 6-10 would be halved from last year, but the MLBPA rejected that proposal. As such, the draft will consist of five rounds with slot values equal to 2019. A total of 160 players will be drafted compared to the more than 1,200 normally selected.
In baseball terms, the amount of money clubs save by reducing the number of draft rounds is minimal.
Teams combined to spend $23.319 million on signing bonuses for players drafted in rounds 6-10 in 2019. That's an average of $777,300 saved per team by eliminating those draft rounds this year.
Teams combined to spend $79,215,284 on signing bonuses for players drafted between rounds 6-40 in 2019. That's an average of just over $2.64 million saved per team by not having a full 40-round draft.
On the surface, $770,300 is a small price to pay for the chance to draft a Jacob deGrom, Paul Goldschmidt, Justin Turner, Marcus Semien, Whit Merrifield or Edwin Encarnacion, all of who were drafted between rounds 6-10.
Similarly, $2.64 million seems a small price for the chance to draft an Albert Pujols, J.D. Martinez, Lorenzo Cain, Matt Carpenter or Josh Hader, all of who were drafted between rounds 11-40.
In non-player terms, however, those savings can be meaningful.
For example, $770,300 could be the difference between 12 team employees making $60,000 a year remaining employed or being laid off. $2.64 million would be the difference between 44 such employees keeping or losing their jobs.
Teams are saving money through the draft in other ways. Players drafted in the first five rounds will receive only $100,000 of their signing bonuses this year. They will receive 50 percent of their bonuses in 2021 and the remaining amount in 2022. Typically, draft bonuses are paid out by the end of the following year after a player signs.
Major League Baseball Draft Slot MoneyPlayers drafted in the first five rounds last year received a combined $237,345,700 in signing bonuses. If all 160 players drafted this year sign for the full slot amount, teams will save more than $221 million in spending in 2020 by deferring all but $100,000 of those bonus payments, although clubs will still have to pay out the full amount in later years.
Teams will likely save more than that $221 million in spending this year because many players, particularly those drafted in the fifth and final round, are expected to sign less than the full slot amount.

For various financial reasons—or simply because a team values a certain player more or less than the industry does—it can be misleading to look at the first round and think you are looking at the top talent in the class.
Now, though, it's as simple as lining up the top 34 players in the draft by signing bonus and seeing how different the order looks. Talented high school players like Matthew Allan and Hudson Head fell to the second day of the draft, but they made up for that drop by signing for bonuses that give them first-round bank accounts, even if they won't be referred to as first-round picks.
MLB Draft Results - Round: 1. The 2020 MLB Draft is in the books. The five round draft had some early surprises. With the number of rounds cut short, teams will now be eligible to sign an unlimited number of undrafted playes due to the reworked draft process. We got a hold of the bonus slot values and, it follows, each team's total pool amount for the upcoming 2019 MLB Draft. The PDF we acquired from an industry source was missing Washington's comp pick for Bryce Harper at 138 overall, so we added that and manually recalculated each team's pool total (which were incorrect on the PDF because of this missing pick).
Below, you can see how the 34 highest-paid 2019 draftees line up.
Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State ($8,100,000)
Bobby Witt, SS, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS ($7,787,400)
Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California ($7,221,200)
JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt ($6,670,000)
Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla. ($6,180,700)
Nick Lodolo, LHP, Texas Christian ($5,432,400)
CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga. ($5,200,000)
Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia ($4,547,500)
Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech ($4,400,000)
Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State ($4,097,500)
Keoni Cavaco, SS, Eastlake HS, Chula Vista, Calif. ($4,050,000)
Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor ($3,997,500)
Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS, Austin ($3,900,000)
Bryson Stott, SS, Nevada-Las Vegas ($3,900,000)
Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS, Seattle ($3,745,500)
Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto (Texas) JC ($3,450,000)
Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill. ($3,400,000)
Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State ($3,397,500)
George Kirby, RHP, Elon ($3,242,900)
Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M ($3,129,800)
Greg Jones, SS, UNC Wilmington ($3,024,500)
Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky ($3,000,000)
Hudson Head, OF, Churchill HS, San Antonio ($3,000,000)
Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane ($2,740,300)
Anthony Volpe, SS, Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. ($2,740,300)
Michael Toglia, 1B, UCLA ($2,725,000)
Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy, Statesboro, Ga. ($2,500,000)
Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS, Sanford, Fla. ($2,500,000)
Blake Walston, LHP, New Hanover HS, Wilmington, N.C. ($2,450,000)
Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson ($2,424,600)
Michael Busch, 2B, North Carolina ($2,312,000)
Gunnar Henderson, SS, Morgan Academy, Selma, Ala. ($2,300,000)
Brady McConnell, SS, Florida ($2,222,500)
Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. ($2,202,200)
Seeing how the money breaks down across different position groups can also be informative. Here are the top money-makers for each position group, as well as average signing bonus numbers for the total position group and the top 10 players at each group.
Top Paid Catchers
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,746,750
Total (73) Average Bonus — $312,214
Adley Rutschmanset the all-time bonus record by signing for $100,000 more thanGerrit Coledid as the No. 1 overall selection by the Pirates in 2011. Rutschman topped the previous record for a catcher's bonus by more than a million, clearing 2018 No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart's $7,025,000 mark.
Teams largely prefer spending money on college catchers, as the high school backstop profiles is among the riskiest in the draft. That sentiment is made obvious by the fact thatEthan Hearnwas the sole prep catcher to appear among the top 10 catcher bonuses.

Adley Rutschman, Oregon State (Orioles) — $8,100,000
Shea Langeliers, Baylor (Braves) — $3,997,500
Korey Lee, California (Astros) — $1,750,000
Ethan Hearn, Mobile (Ala.) Christian HS (Cubs) — $950,000
Logan Driscoll, George Mason (Padres) — $600,000
Kyle McCann, Georgia Tech (Athletics) — $500,000
Philip Clarke, Vanderbilt (Blue Jays) — $497,500
Thomas Dillard, Mississippi (Brewers) — $397,500
Carter Bins, Fresno State (Mariners) — $350,000
Nick Kahle, Washington (Brewers) — $325,000
Top Paid First Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,405,380
Total (38) Average Bonus — $404,587
Andrew Vaughnset the new record for highest-paid first baseman, surpassing Brendan McKay's $7,005,000 bonus in 2017. McKay's bonus was high because of his two-way status out of Louisville, however, and the previous high bonus for a first baseman outside of him was Eric Hosmer's $6,000,000 bonus after the Royals took him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2008 out of American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) High.

Andrew Vaughn, California (White Sox) — $7,221,200
Michael Toglia, UCLA (Rockies) — $2,725,000
Logan Wyatt, Louisville (Giants) — $997,500
Garrett Frechette, Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS (Giants) — $797,500
Joseph Naranjo, Ayala HS, Chino Hills, Calif. (Indians) — $770,000
Tristin English, Georgia Tech (Diamondbacks) — $500,000
Mahki Backstrom, Serra HS, Gardena, Calif. (Braves) — $397,500
Andrew Daschbach, Stanford (Orioles) — $250,000
Jake Guenther, Texas Christian (Rays) — $197,600
Bryce Ball, Dallas Baptist (Braves) — $197,500
Top Paid Third Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,820,750
Total (36) Average Bonus — $559,919
Third base is a lucrative position, as the group averaged the second-highest bonus when accounting for all players who signed. It's unsurprising considering the track record of third basemen taken early in the draft and the fact that, generally, the position is full of the best hitters in the class.
Josh Jungwas the most lucrative third baseman in the 2019 class, but his $4,400,000 bonus ranks just eighth all time.Kris Bryantis still the most expensive third baseman after signing for $6,708,400 as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft. Texas sluggerBrett BatysurpassedNicholas Castellanos' $3,450,000 bonus in 2010 to become the highest-paid high school third baseman in draft history.

Josh Jung, Texas Tech (Rangers) — $4,400,000
Brett Baty, Lake Travis HS, Austin (Mets) — $3,900,000
Kody Hoese, Tulane (Dodgers) — $2,740,300
Davis Wendzel, Baylor (Rangers) — $1,600,000
Nick Quintana, Arizona (Tigers) — $1,580,200
Aaron Schunk, Georgia (Rockies) — $1,102,700
Jared Triolo, Houston (Pirates) — $868,200
Drew Mendoza, Florida State (Nationals) — $800,000
Andre Lipcius, Tennessee (Tigers) — $733,100
Seth Gray, Wright State (Twins) — $483,000
Top Paid Shortstops
Top 10 Average Bonus — $3,795,410
Total (97) Average Bonus — $668,855
If you want to get paid, play shortstop. This is the position group that averaged the highest bonus in the 2019 class, both among the top 10 players for each position group and among all signed players. Shortstops become stars, either by sticking at the position at the major league level (Derek Jeter,Francisco Lindor,Carlos Correa), moving to third base (Chipper Jones,Manny Machado,Alex Bregman) or even the outfield (Gary Sheffield,Justin Upton,Adam Jones). By playing the toughest non-catcher position in the field and throwing righthanded, shortstops have the most flexibility on the positional spectrum and regularly find success at other positions if necessary.
The 2019 college shortstop class was routinely praised by scouts throughout the year, but it was three high school shortstops who topped the signing bonus list. BothBobby Witt Jr. andCJ Abramssigned for enough to join the list of top 10 highest paid shortstops of all time. In fact, Witt Jr. set the new bar for a shortstop signing bonus and is now the third-highest paid player in draft history behind Rutschman and Cole.

Bobby Witt, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS (Royals) — $7,787,400
CJ Abrams, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga. (Padres) — $5,200,000
Keoni Cavaco, Eastlake HS, Chula Vista, Calif. (Twins) — $4,050,000
Bryson Stott, Nevada-Las Vegas (Phillies) — $3,900,000
Will Wilson, North Carolina State (Angels) — $3,397,500
Braden Shewmake, Texas A&M (Braves) — $3,129,800
Greg Jones, UNC Wilmington (Rays) — $3,024,500
Anthony Volpe, Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. (Yankees) — $2,740,300
Logan Davidson, Clemson (Athletics) — $2,424,600
Gunnar Henderson, Morgan Academy, Selma, Ala. (Orioles) — $2,300,000
Brady McConnell, Florida (Royals) — $2,222,500
Nasim Nunez, Collins Hill HS, Suwanee, Ga. (Marlins) — $2,200,000
Rece Hinds, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Reds) — $1,797,500
Kyren Paris, Freedom HS, Oakley, Calif. (Angels) — $1,400,000
Cameron Cannon, Arizona (Red Sox) — $1,300,000
Matthew Lugo, Beltran Baseball Academy, Florida, P.R. (Red Sox) — $1,100,000
Yordys Valdes, McArthur HS, Hollywood, Fla. (Indians) — $1,001,000
Christian Cairo, Calvary Christian HS, Clearwater, Fla. (Indians) — $955,000
Cody Freeman, Etiwanda HS, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Rangers) — $900,000
Glenallen Hill, Baylor (Diamondbacks) — $850,000
Top Paid Second Basemen
Top 10 Average Bonus — $799,750
Total (38) Average Bonus — $244,947
Second baseman averaged the least amount in the 2019 class and was the only position group where the top 10 players didn't average at least $1 million. OnlyMichael Busch,Tyler CallihanandChase Strumpfsigned for more than a million, and Busch and Callihan hardly spent any time at second base prior to getting drafted at the position.
Defensive questions generally surround second base prospects and only 12 players have been drafted as first-round second baseman this century, with Busch joining that group this year. But even with Busch, it's possible that he winds up at first base or corner outfield in the future.Keston Hiura($4,000,000) has the highest signing bonus for a second baseman, followed byRickie Weeks($3,600,000) and now Busch.

Michael Busch, North Carolina (Dodgers) — $2,312,000
Tyler Callihan, Providence HS, Jacksonville (Reds) — $1,497,500
Chase Strumpf, UCLA (Cubs) — $1,050,300
Josh Smith, Louisiana State (Yankees) — $976,700
Eduoard Julien, Auburn (Twins) — $493,000
Michael Massey, Illinois (Royals) — $472,500
Gabe Holt, Texas Tech (Brewers) — $450,000
Ivan Johnson, Chipola (Fla.) JC (Reds) — $397,500
Cody Milligan, Cowley County (Kan.) JC (Braves) — $197,500
Isaac Collins, Creighton (Rockies) — $150,500
Top Paid Outfielders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $3,225,870
Total (158) Average Bonus — $368,208
The top 10 outfielders in the class averaged the second-highest bonus behind only shortstop, although the number of outfielders selected and signed brings the average overall bonus down to the middle of the pack.
JJ Bledaywas one of just two players (along with prep shortstopAnthony Volpe) who signed over-slot deals in the first round in 2019, and his $6,670,000 signing bonus is the most money any college outfielder has ever signed for. Bubba Starling—taken by the Royals with the No. 5 overall pick in 2011—is still responsible for the highest bonus by an outfielder of any source in the draft, whileBryce Harperand Donavan Tate are tied for third behind Starling and Bleday with $6,250,000 bonuses.Riley Greeneentered the top five outfielders with a $6,180,700 bonus.

JJ Bleday, Vanderbilt (Marlins) —$ 6,670,000
Riley Greene, Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla. (Tigers) — $6,180,700
Hunter Bishop, Arizona State (Giants) — $4,097,500
Corbin Carroll, Lakeside HS, Seattle (Diamondbacks) — $3,745,500
Hudson Head, Churchill HS, San Antonio (Padres) — $3,000,000
Sammy Siani, Penn Charter HS, Philadelphia (Pirates) — $2,150,000
Kameron Misner, Missouri (Marlins) — $2,115,000
Matt Wallner, Southern Mississippi (Twins) — $1,800,000
Trejyn Fletcher, Deering HS, Portland, Maine (Cardinals) — $1,500,000
Joshua Mears, Federal Way (Wash.) HS (Padres) — $1,000,000
Matt Gorski, Indiana (Pirates) —$ 1,000,000
Colin Barber, Pleasant Valley HS, Chico, Calif. (Astros) — $1,000,000
Kyle Stowers, Stanford (Orioles) — $884,200
Dasan Brown, Abbey Park HS, Oakville, Ont. (Blue Jays) — $797,500
Zach Watson, Louisiana State (Orioles) — $780,400
Dominic Fletcher, Arkansas (Diamondbacks) — $700,000
Grant McCray, Lakewood Ranch HS, Bradenton, Fla. (Giants) — $697,500
Jake Sanford, Western Kentucky (Yankees) — $597,500
Erik Rivera, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, Gurabo, P.R. (Angels) — $597,500
Stephen Paolini, St. Joseph HS, Trumbull, Conn. (Braves) — $597,500
Top Paid Righthanders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $2,813,550
Total (393) Average Bonus — $236,904
It was a down year for pitching, and that's reflected in the signing bonuses. Alek Manoah's $4,547,500 bonus was the highest of the 2019 class, but good for just 14th among righthanders all time. Manoah was the first righthander selected in the draft and on only two other occasions (1975 and 1980) did it take until the 11th pick for a righthander to get selected.
It was a notable year for junior college righthanders, however, asJackson Rutledgebecame the ninth member of that demographic to sign for at least $1 million and set a new record for JuCo righthanders by surpassing Nate Pearson's 2017 bonus ($2,452,900) with the Blue Jays.
Righthanders are coveted, and the top 10 players of the group averaged the third-highest bonus behind shortstops and outfielders, but the vast number of righthanders selected drags the overall average down to last.

Alek Manoah, West Virginia (Blue Jays) — $4,547,500
Jackson Rutledge, San Jacinto (Texas) JC (Nationals) — $3,450,000
Quinn Priester, Cary-Grove HS, Cary, Ill. (Pirates) — $3,400,000
George Kirby, Elon (Mariners) — $3,242,900
Daniel Espino, Georgia Premier Academy, Statesboro, Ga. (Indians) — $2,500,000
Matthew Allan, Seminole HS, Sanford, Fla. (Mets) — $2,500,000
Brennan Malone, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Diamondbacks) — $2,202,200
Josh Wolf, St. Thomas HS, Houston (Mets) — $2,150,000
Matthew Thompson, Cypress Ranch HS, Houston (White Sox) — $2,100,000
JJ Goss, Cypress Ranch HS, Houston (Rays) — $2,042,900
Ryan Jensen, Fresno State (Cubs) — $2,000,000
Andrew Dalquist, Redondo Union HS, Redondo Beach, Calif. (White Sox) — $2,000,000
Seth Johnson, Campbell (Rays) — $1,722,500
Kendall Williams, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (Blue Jays) — $1,547,500
Evan Fitterer, Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif. (Marlins) — $1,500,000
Ryan Garcia, UCLA (Rangers) — $1,469,900
Drey Jameson, Ball State (Diamondbacks) — $1,40,0000
Jack Kochanowicz, Harriton HS, Rosemont, Pa. (Angels) — $1,247,500
Matt Canterino, Rice (Twins) — $1,100,000
Ryne Nelson, Oregon (Diamondbacks) — $1,100,000
Jimmy Lewis, Lake Travis HS, Austin (Dodgers) — $1,097,500
Alec Marsh, Arizona State (Royals) — $904,300
Tyler Baum, North Carolina (Athletics) — $900,000
Isaiah Campbell, Arkansas (Mariners) — $850,000
Karl Kauffmann, Michigan (Rockies) — $805,600
Top Paid Lefthanders
Top 10 Average Bonus — $1,938,200
Total (127) Average Bonus — $266,638
It was a down year for pitching across the board, and that impacted lefties as well as righties. Lodolo was the first pitcher (of either hand) selected, and his $5,432,400 bonus with the Reds makes him the fifth-highest paid southpaw in the draft, behindMacKenzie Gore($6,700,000),Carlos Rodon($6,582,000),Danny Hultzen($6,350,000) andDavid Price($5,600,000).
Blake Walstonwas the highest-paid prep lefty in the 2019 class and one of just 10 high school lefthanders who signed this year. His $2,450,000 bonus is good for 19th all time among prep lefties.

Nick Lodolo, Texas Christian (Reds) — $5,432,400
Zack Thompson, Kentucky (Cardinals) — $3,000,000
Blake Walston, New Hanover HS, Wilmington, N.C. (Diamondbacks) — $2,450,000
T.J. Sikkema, Missouri (Yankees) — $1,949,800
Ethan Small, Mississippi State (Brewers) — $1,800,000
John Doxakis, Texas A&M (Rays) — $1,127,200
Antoine Kelly, Wabash Valley (Ill.) JC (Brewers) — $1,025,100
Brandon Williamson, Texas Christian (Mariners) — $925,000
Avery Short, Southport HS, Indianapolis (Diamondbacks) — $922,500
Tommy Henry, Michigan (Diamondbacks) — $750,000
Major League Baseball is set to formally announce in the coming days that the 2020 draft will be only five rounds, the fewest since the draft began in 1965.
MLB and the MLB Player's Association agreed in March to cut the draft from its usual 40 rounds to as few as five rounds as a result of the shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. With the 2020 season still uncertain to be played—though owners have begun presenting a proposal to players for a shortened, 82-game season beginning in July—clubs are seeking ways to save money in order to offset the revenue losses from a shortened or unplayed season. Reducing the number of players drafted, and by extension the amount of money teams pay out in draft signing bonuses, is one of the most direct ways to do so.
MLB proposed a 10-round draft where bonus slot amounts in rounds 6-10 would be halved from last year, but the MLBPA rejected that proposal. As such, the draft will consist of five rounds with slot values equal to 2019. A total of 160 players will be drafted compared to the more than 1,200 normally selected.
In baseball terms, the amount of money clubs save by reducing the number of draft rounds is minimal.
Teams combined to spend $23.319 million on signing bonuses for players drafted in rounds 6-10 in 2019. That's an average of $777,300 saved per team by eliminating those draft rounds this year.
Teams combined to spend $79,215,284 on signing bonuses for players drafted between rounds 6-40 in 2019. That's an average of just over $2.64 million saved per team by not having a full 40-round draft.
On the surface, $770,300 is a small price to pay for the chance to draft a Jacob deGrom, Paul Goldschmidt, Justin Turner, Marcus Semien, Whit Merrifield or Edwin Encarnacion, all of who were drafted between rounds 6-10.
Similarly, $2.64 million seems a small price for the chance to draft an Albert Pujols, J.D. Martinez, Lorenzo Cain, Matt Carpenter or Josh Hader, all of who were drafted between rounds 11-40.
In non-player terms, however, those savings can be meaningful.
For example, $770,300 could be the difference between 12 team employees making $60,000 a year remaining employed or being laid off. $2.64 million would be the difference between 44 such employees keeping or losing their jobs.
Teams are saving money through the draft in other ways. Players drafted in the first five rounds will receive only $100,000 of their signing bonuses this year. They will receive 50 percent of their bonuses in 2021 and the remaining amount in 2022. Typically, draft bonuses are paid out by the end of the following year after a player signs.
Major League Baseball Draft Slot MoneyPlayers drafted in the first five rounds last year received a combined $237,345,700 in signing bonuses. If all 160 players drafted this year sign for the full slot amount, teams will save more than $221 million in spending in 2020 by deferring all but $100,000 of those bonus payments, although clubs will still have to pay out the full amount in later years.
Teams will likely save more than that $221 million in spending this year because many players, particularly those drafted in the fifth and final round, are expected to sign less than the full slot amount.
Clubs are making these moves because they face steep revenue losses this season, even if games return but fans are not allowed into stadiums.
Major League Baseball Draft Slot MoneyAbout 40 percent of team revenues come from ticket sales and attendance-related expenses such as parking and concessions, according to league sources and publishedreports. The exact figure varies by team.
The Mariners, Padres and Rangers announced employees making more than a certain amount would take pay cuts this year in order to help avoid furloughs and layoffs. The Rays began furloughing staffers at the start of May and the Marlins will reportedly furlough between 90 and 100 employees beginning June 1, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Major League Baseball Draft Slot Money 2018MLB saw gross revenues of $10.7 billion in 2019 according to Forbes, its 17th consecutive year of record growth.