The Cubs have agreed to sign second round pick Duane Underwood for $1.05MM, reports Jim Callis of Baseball America. Slot money for the 67th overall pick was $770K. He'll take his physical on Monday.
Underwood, a high school right-hander from Georgia, is said to run his fastball up to 98. Callis notes (on Twitter) that Chicago is $276K under their draft pool and can afford to pay sixth overall pick Albert Almora up to $3.9MM without forfeiting next year's first round pick.
They won’t sign Almora for that little, I hope they pass and double up on picks next year.
Almora has little choice. What’s he going to do, pass up $4M, go to college for three years, become a FA 3 years later, and miss out on a whole “before past his prime” payday? And Boras is just going to say: “go ahead kid, go back to school. I didn’t want your money this year anyway.”? Yeah right. If Almora does that, next time he enters the draft, he has no option to sign whatever contract he is offered….
Agreed! Plus 3.9 million can always pay for you to go to school anywhere in the world you want to go if baseball doesn’t work out.
It costs a lot less to go to college just about anywhere else in the world.
Plus, this guy just got drafted 6th. There’s no way he can plan on going to college, tear it up as the best college player, then get drafted higher later on. I don’t know what the slot amount for the #1 overall player is, but he’d certainly make more money in his career if he signs now rather than in 3-4 years.
Next years draft class is being called pretty weak at the top. Kieth Law has said if Appel or Almora don’t sign there’s a strong chance either could go #1. Of course almora would have to go to JuCo to reenter next year.
Either way I think he signs.
#1 overall money was $7.2 mil. Astro’s paid high schooler out of the Domincan $3.4, then gave almost $2 to supplemental picther outta Cal destined for USC. $3.9 for #6 seems a bit hi, but Boras is Boras. You expect to get it stuck to you by him. Gud luck guys.