#1 Pick Harper Heads List Of Signees…
It came right down to the wire, but number one overall MLB draft pick Bryce Harper signed his first professional contract with the Washington Nationals just before the deadline late Monday night. The 17-year-old junior college player inked a five year contract worth a reported $9.9 million, including a $6.25 million signing bonus.
Bryce Harper
Harper’s deal was inked just seconds before the 12:01 am E.T. deadline early Tuesday morning. Like Harper, last year’s top pick, Stephen Strasburg, is also represented by Scott Boras. Like Harper, Strasburg’s negotiations with the Nationals went down to the wire.
Harper is expected to be introduced to the Washington D.C. media next week during the Nationals’ next homestand. He will begin his career in the Gulf Coast League and then play in the fall Instructional League.
Seven other college players who were taken in the first round of June’s draft also inked deadline deals. The highest of those pick is former Ole Miss pitcher Drew Pomeranz. The lefty was taken with the #5 pick and signed with the Cleveland Indians for $2.65 million.
Other college first round signees (with their corresponding draft order) include:
7. Matt Harvey-RHP-North Carolina/New York Mets – $2.525 million signing bonus
11. Deck McGuire-RHP-Georgia Tech/Toronto Blue Jays – $2 million signing bonus
12. Yasmani Grandal-C-Miami (FL)/Cincinnati Reds – $2.99 million four-year contract
24. Gary Brown-OF-Cal State Fullerton/San Francisco Giants – $1.45 million signing bonus
25. Zack Cox-3B-Arkansas/St. Louis Cardinals – $2.99 million four-year contract
26. Kyle Parker-OF-Clemson/Colorado Rockies – $1.4 million bonus
CLICK HERE to continue reading about the college player drafted in the first round who didn’t sign as well as Kyle Parker’s unique contract.