2:32pm: New York has announced the signing.
12:52pm: The Yankees have agreed to an above-slot bonus with first-round pick James Kaprielian, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports on Twitter. The 16th overall selection will earn a $2.65MM payday to forego his final season at UCLA if and when he passes his physical.
Heading into the draft, ESPN.com’s Keith Law had the highest grade on the power right-hander, ranking him 13th among draft-eligible players. Law profiles Kaprielian as a mid-rotation starter in future outlook, saying he has a chance to deliver four solid offerings that will play up if he can harness his command to his full potential.
Other draft observers ranked Kaprielian slightly further down their lists, but all saw him as a clear first-round pick. MLB.com placed him 22nd, praising his “pitchability,” while Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs put him in the 21st slot and Baseball America ranked him 19th.
Callis had calculated that the Yankees had up to $2,676,450 to use on Kaprielian, but the team was able to get things done for slightly less. That won’t leave much left over to use on other picks, of course. The slot value for his selection was $2,543,300.
Finally!
Future Ace……
haha……
Can he ever be as valuable as future HOF Refsnyder?
Don’t be that guy.
Since he’s in the Yankees system, he’ll never get the respect. Had the Red Sox selected him the “mid rotation starter” report would read “next Roger Clemens.”
Looking back, it’s too bad the Yanks couldn’t sign Cole out of high school, he is an ace. I think he went to UCLA instead. Hope Kapi is half as good as him!
Kap did something Cole never could…..throw a no-hitter for UCLA…..KAP>>>>>>>Cole……..
I bet in 20 years you wont say that
I bet in 20 minutes he won’t. Kap is projected to be a mid-rotation arm. Cole is an ace.
Are you a scouting director…Kap will become more then some mid-rotation scrub….
Brian Matusz was suppose to be a top of the rotation starter when he went 4th overall, Kapriellian is no sure thing
Projected.
You know by who? Guys who scout players for a living, having much more experience than you, me, and everyone else in here combined.
I would love for him to surpass his potential, but right now, he is projected as a middle of the rotation arm.
One last note, being a middle arm is not a bad thing. Especially not for the Yanks. Usually, the top spots are taken by the pitchers we bring in via free agency. And all we need are some capable young arms who can handle the 3-5 spots in the order.