The Los Angeles Dodgers made 40 selections in the 2017 MLB Draft, and as of last week had agreed to terms with more than half of their picks. The club has $5,517,800 in bonus pool money to sign this year’s draft picks made within the first 10 rounds.
That is down from the $9,336,500 the the Dodgers had last year, which is due to not holding compensation picks. The bonus pool allocation also applies to picks made in rounds 11 or later, should the Dodgers offer the player $125,000 or more.
That’s increased from $100,000 that was in place under the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement. Last year, the Dodgers a minimum of $125,000 to five players drafted in round 11 or later.
While first-round draft pick out of Vanderbilt Jeren Kendal has yet to sign, reported signing bonus details were recently released.
According to Jim Callis of MLB.com, fourth-round draft pick James Marinan, a right-handed pitcher taken out of high school in Florida, signed for over slot:
4th-rder James Marinan signs w/@Dodgers for $825k (pick 130=$401k). Florida HS RHP, 92-96, hard breaking ball. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 20, 2017
Marinan was committed to attend the University of Miami. Meanwhile, the Dodgers signed Wills Montgomerie below slot value
6th-rder Wills Montgomerie signs w/@Dodgers for $197,500 (pick 190=$231,900). Connecticut RHP, FB up to 95. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 21, 2017
Montgomerie went 6-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 15 starts this past season at Connecticut. In addition to Montgomerie, the Dodgers were also able to sign eighth-round pick Rylan Bannon to below his slot value:
8th-rder Rylan Bannon's bonus w/@Dodgers = $122,500 (pick 250=$151,400). Xavier 3B stands out most w/glove, also 15 HR & 17 SB. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) June 24, 2017
As Callis mentioned, the third baseman out of Xavier hit .325/.439/.618 with 14 home runs and 14 doubles in 59 games this past season, in addition to stealing 17 bases.
According to MLB.com, the Dodgers also agreed to terms with fifth-round pick Riley Ottesen, Connor Strain (ninth round) and Zach Reks (10th).
Ottesen signed for $197,500, which is below the pick value of $299,300. The right-handed pitcher yielded a 4.93 ERA in 95 innings of work this season at Utah.
Strain went 2-5 with a 2.62 ERA in 14 starts in 2017, while striking out 68 and walking 38 in 68.2 innings in 2017 at Evansville. He was a fifth-year senior, so he did not have much leverage in regards to his signing bonus, and he received a mere $1,500; well below his $138,800 slot value.
Reks, a senior out of Kentucky, also signed for just $1,500, well below his $131,600 slot value. The outfielder batted .352/.461/.471 with three home runs, 44 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 2017.
