The Marlins have agreed to terms with first-round pick Jacob Berry, according to Joe Frisaro of Man On Second Baseball. Frisaro says that the sixth overall selection will be receiving a bonus of $6MM, which is just a hair below the $6.03MM slot value for the pick.
Berry, a third baseman out of Louisiana State University, posted a ridiculous .370/.464/.630 batting line on the year, hitting 15 home runs in the process. In addition to that potent bat, Berry will bring some versatility to the table, as he is a switch-hitter who also saw some time in the outfield corners this year. Baseball America placed him eighth on their pre-draft rankings, complimenting his plate discipline but adding that his defense is his weakest trait. Still, they note that his bat should still play even if his defensive shortcomings result in a move to first or designated hitter down the road. Berry also came in at #8 over at FanGraphs, was #9 at ESPN, #27 at The Athletic and #7 at MLB Pipeline.
By getting Berry to agree to an under-slot deal, the Marlins will be able to reapportion that small amount of money to try and sign other draft picks.