The Los Angeles Dodgers will have $5,288,200 in bonus pool money for the 2018 MLB Draft, per MLB.com. The total is down slightly from last year when the club had over $5.5 million to sign their draft picks.
However, that’s due to the fact that the Dodgers picked dead last in this year’s draft after holding the best record in all of baseball in 2017.
Additionally, the new collective bargaining agreement introduced some changes to the bonus pool money, as the slot values have been redistributed. The value for the No. 1 overall pick has decreased, while the values of picks Nos. 2-54 have increased, and every pick 55 or later has decreased.
The Dodgers will have just south of $5.3 million to spend on their picks within the first 10 rounds of the 2017 Draft. This year they had one selection in each of those rounds, the last pick in each round. Their bonus pool allotment will also apply to picks made in rounds 11 or later, should the Dodgers offer the player $125,000 or more, which in the new CBA is up from $100,000 in previous seasons.
According to Jim Callis of MLB.com, the Dodgers have signed their 26th round pick, catcher Andrew Ackerman to a contract of that nature:
26th-rder Aaron Ackerman signs w/@Dodgers for $125k. Illinois-Chicago C, power potential in 6-3/210 frame, gets job done w/arm & receiving skills. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 15, 2018
The Dodgers first pick in the 2018 Draft was No. 23 overall, which has a $2,275,800 slot value. They decided to go with pitcher J.T. Ginn, a hard-throwing right-hander out of Brandon High School in Mississippi, with that pick. Ginn has yet to sign and is committed to Mississippi State University, although he likely will never step foot on a college campus.
The Dodgers’ second-round pick (No. 68 overall) has a $917,000 slot value. They went with another pitcher with that pick, selecting righty Michael Grove out of West Virginia University.
Pitching was a theme for the Dodgers early in this year’s draft as they took left-hander John Rooney out of Hofstra with their third round pick (No. 104 overall). His slot value is $538,300.
It appears the Dodgers have also inked deals with their fourth and fifth round picks, going above their slot value for right-handed pitcher Brayden Fisher and below it for second baseman Devin Mann:
4th-rder Braydon Fisher signs w/@Dodgers for $497,500 (pick 134 value = $402,300). Texas HS RHP, low-90s fastball reaches 96 mph & has more projection remaining, solid slider. Lamar recruit. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 15, 2018
5th-rder Devin Mann signs w/@Dodgers for $272,500 (pick 164 value = $300,600). Louisville 2B, very disciplined approach, average runner. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 15, 2018
They then went well below their slot value to sign eighth-round pick Luke Heyer:
8th-rder Luke Heyer signs w/@Dodgers for $47,500 (pick 254 = $155,300). Kentucky OF/3B, senior sign exploded for 18 HR and 1.131 OPS this spring, strength is his best asset, solid arm too. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 15, 2018
Replenishing the farm system has been a priority for Andrew Friedman since he took over as president of baseball operations, so it will be interesting to see how many of the organization’s 2018 picks pan out.
