There is a growing trend of teams picking players in the draft in higher rounds to under slot their bonuses to save cash to sign bigger value prospects that fall a round or two. A player who falls from the first round loses some leverage. It depends whether a high schooler has no desire to go to college or one who decides college will only increase his status in the next draft. Every draft choice has a number in mind to give up school to turn pro. The idea of finding the right prospects in the top ten rounds who are willing to get their number but at a higher draft order (thus saving the bonus pool and gaining leverage for later round picks) is the new strategy.
Saving money by drafting players you know who will sign for less (because you will pay them more than their projected draft value) is a tool to stock pile several players for the cost of a high first round pick. The more quality prospects you can sign the more chance of success.
The Cubs have agreed to a $1.3MM bonus with fourth-round selection D.J. Wilson, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports on Twitter. That’s well above the $503,100 slot value that came with the 113th overall pick.
Wilson is a high school center fielder who had been committed to Vanderbilt. What he lacks in stature (Wilson is just 5’8) he makes up for with plus speed. MLB.com rated him the 129th-best prospect available, comparing his overall offensive package to that of Ben Revere: solid hitting ability, excellent speed, little power Baseball America which ranked Wilson 178th, likened him to Adam Eaton, a serviceable lead off hitter.
On the defensive side of things, Wilson is said to possess quite a nice overall package of skills. He not only moves well, but is said to have good instincts in center in addition to a strong and accurate arm.
MLBTR noted that when the Cubs’ signed second-round pick Donnie Dewees, the club had socked away a notable pile of cash in many of its early signings. This agreement will absorb a big piece of that availability, and the club could need the rest to lock up third-rounder Bryan Hudson, a projectable lefty who has committed to the University of Missouri.
