The Los Angeles Dodgers selected right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller out of Louisville with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. It represented the final selection in the first round as the Houston Astros were stripped of their pick as part of MLB’s punishment for the organization’s sign-stealing scandal.
The Dodgers have now drafted a collegiate player with their first-round pick in each of the past two years and three of the last four.
Miller, who has an electric fastball, was previously selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 38th round of the 2017 Draft. In 2018 he was named a Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper, D1Baseball, Perfect Game), and named to the All-ACC Third Team and 2018 ACC All-Freshman Team.
The 2020 MLB Draft continues Thursday at 1 p.m. PT, with rounds 2-5 and Competitive Balance Round B. Coverage will be provided on MLB Network, ESPN2 and MLB.com.
The Dodgers have the Nos. 60 and 66 overall picks, then will make one selection in the third through fifth rounds, bringing their total number to six over the two-day span. That of course is substantially reduced as MLB cut this year’s Draft from 40 to just five rounds.
The No. 29 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft has a $2,424,600 slot value; No. 60 has a $1,157,400 value; and No. 66 is valued at $1,003,300. Overall, the Dodgers have a draft bonus pool of $5,928,400.
With a normal draft, a team’s bonus pool is determined by calculating the sum of the slot values for all of their picks in the first 10 rounds. Signing bonuses from those rounds, plus any amount spent over $125,000 for players selected outside of that would count toward the bonus pool.
Now, however, the the bonus pool money can only be used on picks made during the five rounds of the draft. “There’s just those six picks, and if you don’t spend the money, it doesn’t get spent,” Dodgers vice president of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said.
Teams are permitted to offer a maximum of $20,000 to undrafted free agents, with no limit on how many they can sign.
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