Sweet. Unless they went overslot after the 10th somewhere i missed, they're 45k under the pool, but have about 300k to play with and not lose a pick. Not sure if any of those HS kids would take a $425K payday, but it might be worth a look.
Tellit you called with $1.2M for Schroeder, nice work. So they should have their 5% overage available for any of the other unsigned late rounders, right? Bring on Lin, Stilwell, Birdsell, Ayers, or Duarte.
I thought the pool only applied to the first ten round’s selections? Either way glad they signed Schroeder, first round talent that slipped due to signability.
Birdsell and Ayers have already given the Astros notice they are headed to college (as they should, potential future early round talent) Lin would be my biggest target. Don’t see Duarte or Stilwell signing but if one did it would be awesome! Four of the unsigned picks are college seniors and should be some of those guys who sign for a $1000
With all ten of their picks signed and all bonus values disclosed, the Astros now have $45,100 remaining in their bonus pool before penalties. As seniors, France, Daniels, and Billingsley are not subject to the signing deadline.
The pool applies to the first 10 rounds. All draft picks have a slot value. The slot value for the first ten picks is the pool. If after the first ten picks have signed, the team is either over or under the pool. If the team is under, they can apply that to rounds 11-40 picks, which have a slot of $150,000 or so. The team can go over pool. The first 5% over gets taxed. After 5%, **** gets real and future picks are lost.
1. Seth Beer Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 Scouting Report: Over the last three seasons, Beer has been one of college baseball’s brightest stars—and not just because of his infinitely punnable last name. Beer made a huge splash in 2016, enrolling early at Clemson and playing his freshman season when he could have been a senior in high school. He won BA’s Freshman of the Year Award that season by hitting .369/.535/.700 with 18 home runs—several in clutch, game-deciding moments. Since that season, though, Beer has hit for less contact, batting .277/.421/.561 with 14 home runs through 173 at-bats this spring. While there’s little doubt in Beer’s power—earning some 70 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale—his other tools are points of concern for scouts. Beer boasts exceptional pitch recognition and plate discipline, but some evaluators are more bullish on his hit tool than others due to his lack of a wood-bat track record. An accomplished swimmer who at one point was on track to compete in the Olympics, Beer’s swimmer’s body hasn’t translated into defensive ability on the field. He’s a poor runner, and his inefficient routes give him little chance of sticking in the outfield at the next level. He’s been an inconsistent first baseman as well, and doesn’t have a clear position heading into the draft. The team that drafts Beer will do so because of its belief in his power, plate discipline and overall hit tool. He has game-changing pop, but he’ll need to continue to hit and find a defensive home in order to move up the professional ranks. 2. Jayson Schroeder Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 205 Scouting Report: The top high school prospect out of the Northwest this year, Schroeder is an immensely athletic, 6-foot-2 righthander with arm strength and a three-pitch mix that will have teams interested in him among the top 100 picks. A three-sport athlete, Schroeder was the best pitcher on the Royals team at last summer’s Area Code Games, where he threw strikes with all of his pitches and showed a potential wipeout curveball. This spring, Schroeder has picked up right where he left off, regularly sitting 92-93 mph with a fastball that includes both power and sink. He has also shown a second breaking ball this spring in a slider, and while both of his secondary offerings are currently fringe-average, many scouts think both could turn into plus pitches down the line thanks to his arm speed and feel for spin. Given his arm slot and strength, a power slider seems to be the pitch most evaluators are banking on as his future go-to offering. While he doesn’t have a ton of projection left to offer, his physicality and plus arm speed have teams believing he’ll throw even harder in the future. 3. Jeremy Pena Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 175 Scouting Report: The son of seven-year major league second baseman Geronimo Pena, Jeremy is a premium defensive shortstop with Maine who is one of the top defensive players in the 2018 draft class. Pena has started every game for the Black Bears throughout his college career and was named to the America East All-Rookie Team in 2016, when he led the team in runs and hit .283/.336/.356 with 11 stolen bases. His hitting has improved since then, and Pena hit .308/.390/.478 with four home runs, five triples and nine doubles through the first 46 games of his junior campaign. However, talk about Pena should start with his defensive ability, as he possesses fantastic defensive actions, loose athleticism and an above-average arm. His above-average running ability helps his range in the infield and also on the bases, where he’s been an efficient base stealer through parts of three seasons. Including his complete freshman and sophomore seasons and 46 games this spring, Pena stole bases with an 85 percent success rate. Offensively, there is work to do, as evidenced by Pena’s .228/.315/.323 slash line in 36 games last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he struck out 30 times to 14 walks with just three extra-base hits. He did make the Cape All-Star team in spite of that line, which speaks to Pena’s defensive ability, which will also get him drafted in spite of a light bat with below-average power. 4. Alex McKenna Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 200 Scouting Report: McKenna has been one of the leading hitters in the Big West Conference in each of the last two years. He also put together a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, establishing himself as one of the premier college hitters on the West Coast. He has a short, quick swing and makes consistent contact. An unconventional setup at the plate with his hands close to his chest helps his contact-based approach and swing path, but may limit his power. Listed at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, the righthanded hitter has above-average power to unlock, but more typically hits doubles to the gap. McKenna has played center field throughout his college career and is a solid runner with an average arm. Though he covers ground well in the outfield and has solid speed, he is unlikely to stick in center field in pro ball. He offers value as someone who can play all three outfield positions thanks to his strong arm and outfield instincts. He earns praise for his approach to the game. 5. Cody Deason Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 205 Scouting Report: Deason has thrived as the Wildcats’ Friday night starter after spending his first two years in Tucson as a reliever and spot starter, with the highlight being a complete game shutout of UCLA in early May. His 2018 season follows an outstanding Cape Cod League performance in 2017, when he posted a 1.19 ERA while pitching out of the bullpen for Orleans. Despite his success as a starter this year, Deason is viewed by most talent evaluators as a likely reliever in pro ball. His delivery has effort, and while he has a four-pitch mix, he is most effective when using his fastball/curveball combo. Deason’s average fastball sits in the low 90s, touching 94-95 mph. His best out-pitch and most consistent offering is a 12-to-6 curveball that he can really spin, but it could be even more effective if it was a bit firmer than its current 72-75 mph velocity. Deason is expected to go off the board early on day two of the draft.
6. RJ Freure Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 205 Scouting Report: A hard-throwing righthanded reliever at Pittsburgh, Freure throws a plus fastball in the 92-95 mph range and can spin a powerful, downer curveball that’s also a plus pitch—giving him the raw stuff necessary to be a shutdown reliever. He struck out a ludicrous 95 batters in 58.2 innings (14.57 K/9) this spring, with all but one appearance coming out of the bullpen. The question mark with Freure surrounds his ability to throw enough strikes to have success at the next level. Scouts label him with 30-grade command and his walk rate backs that up, with 35 free passes issued through 58.2 innings (5.37 BB/9) this season. A native of Burlington, Ont., Freure was a member of Team Canada’s 18U junior national team in high school. 7. Cesar Salazar Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 188 Scouting Report: Salazar first came to the United States from his home in Hermosillo, Mexico for high school alongside Javier Medina, who was the third-round pick of the Rockies in 2015. While eligibility issues limited playing time for both Salazar and Medina in high school, Salazar has spent most of the last three years serving as Arizona’s starting catcher. He has made big strides at the plate this year by adding strength, but he is still regarded as a defense-first catcher. He blocks and receives well and knows how to manage a pitching staff. His fringe-average arm plays up because his quick hands and feet allow him to get rid of the ball quickly. Salazar improved offensively in 2018 with solid bat-to-ball skills, but he is still more of a singles hitter who doesn’t impact the baseball consistently. He has a short, compact swing, however, and could grow into more power. Most importantly, Salazar’s intangibles allow all of his tools to play up. He’ll be drafted in the top 10 rounds, primarily because of his leadership and skills behind the plate. 8. Austin Hansen Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195 Scouting Report: Hansen has been a reliable late-inning option for the Sooners this season as he attacks hitters with a little more varied assortment than most power relievers. He mixes a 93-95 mph fastball and a solid-average curveball and changeup. At his best Hansen will touch a 96, but that velocity usually tails off, especially when he’s working back-to-back days, which feeds scouts concerns about his 6-foot frame. 9. Scott Schreiber Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 225 Scouting Report: A 26th-round pick of the Rays last year, Schreiber’s lengthy medical record understandably gives teams concern, but they also like his track record of being one of the more productive hitters in the Big Ten. Schreiber has hit .369/.446/.692 with 18 home runs this spring and also hit 16 home runs as a sophomore even though he missed time with an abdominal injury. He is moving better this year than he did last year when his power dissipated in games, although he still showed plus-plus raw juice. Scouts see Schreiber as largely limited to first base nowadays although he was capable of handling right field in the past. As a productive senior money saver with power potential, Schreiber will likely go at some point in the sixth to 10th round. 11. Brett Conine Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 Scouting Report: Conine saved 25 games the last two seasons as Cal State Fullerton’s closer, including the clinching victories in the Stanford Regional and Long Beach Super Regional in 2017. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Conine is dependent on his velocity for success because his fastball is straight and lacks life. He gets swings and misses when he’s at his best, regularly reaching 95 mph. At other times, his velocity drops to 90-91 mph and he gets hit around. He gave up more than one hit per inning as a junior because he spent more time at his lower velocity. Conine’s best secondary offering is an above-average, power curveball in the 79-80 mph range and he can throw his changeup for a strike as well. Conine has a chance to move fairly quickly as a reliever in pro ball, but only if he can find a way to maintain the upper end of his velocity range. He projects to be picked toward the back of the top 10 rounds.
15. Trey Dawson Dawson began his college career at Lousiana State, transferred to Chipola (Fla.) JC, then ended up at Kentucky where he's been the team's everyday shortstop in 2018. Dawson is a solid athlete with the range and hands to stick at shortstop in pro ball. He's an above-average runner. Scouts are less enamored with his swing and hitting ability, which is why he may end up as a utility infielder in pro ball. 26. David Hensley Hensley is famous among San Diego-area scouts as the only player who barreled up Brady Aiken in high school during the 2014 season, the year Aiken went No. 1 overall in the draft. Hensley went on to a decorated four-year career at San Diego State that concluded with a .316 average this year as the Aztecs’ starting shortstop. Hensley is the rare college senior who has some projectability left. He’s 6-foot-6 with a low waist, long torso and long arms, resulting in plenty of room to still add strength. Hensley has a good feel for the barrel and shows hints of power, although nothing projects plus. Defensively he held his own at shortstop despite his size but projects to move to third base, where his average arm and reliable hands work. 29. Lyle Lin A native of Taiwan, Lin played scholastically at JSerra High in Southern California with 2017 No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis. He was drafted in the 16th round by the Seattle Mariners in 2016, but instead chose to head to Arizona State. He's a draft-eligible sophomore who could go in the top 10 rounds this time around, although observers are mixed about whether Lin has the skills and athletic actions to stay behind the plate. He's a below-average defensive catcher, but he throws well and has an average, accurate arm. At the plate, Lin has good hands and is a contact hitter with a line-drive approach. Because of his approach--and his lack of balance at the plate--Lin has below-average power. The lack of pop means that he is going to have to improve defensively since he won't have enough bat for a move to first base. Lin may return to campus for another year if teams remain lukewarm on him in this year's draft. 36. Cole Ayers Ayers will likely make it to Kentucky, but he has the building blocks to be a starting pitcher in pro ball. The righthander has a fast arm, an 89-91 mph fastball that shows some arm-side run and an 82-84 knuckle change that has the action of a hard slider. He mixes in a changeup that is less advanced and needs a lot more work and he has the ability to modestly manipulate his two-seam fastball. 39. Brandon Birdsell Birdsell, a Texas signee, has one of the best arms in Texas, as he's shown he's fully recovered from the Tommy John surgery he had in 2016. The righthander can sit 91-93 mph and touch 95. His feel for pitching and his secondary offerings have work to do to catch up to his fastball, but his frame, athleticism and fast arm could entice teams that he's worth being patient.
Here's the final update, unless they sign an undrafted free agent. As a senior, Ben Gross is not subject to the signing deadline. Status as of July 6 Round 1, Pick 28: Seth Beer, OF, Clemson (JR); signed for $2,250,000 Round 2, Pick 66: Jayson Schroeder, RHP, Juanita HS (Kirkland, WA); committed to Washington, signed for $1,200,000 Round 3, Pick 102: Jeremy Pena, SS, Maine (JR); signed for $535,000 Round 4, Pick 132: Alex McKenna, OF, Cal Poly (JR); signed for $432,500 Round 5, Pick 162: Cody Deason, RHP, Arizona (JR); signed for $285,000 Round 6, Pick 192: R.J. Freure, RHP, Pittsburgh (SOPH); signed for $348,800 Round 7, Pick 222: César Salazar, C, Arizona (JR); signed for $160,000 Round 8, Pick 252: Austin Hansen, RHP, Oklahoma (JR); signed for $156,500 Round 9, Pick 282: Scott Schrieber, OF, Nebraska (SR); signed for $10,000 Round 10, Pick 312: Chandler Taylor, LF, Alabama (JR); signed for $70,000 Round 11, Pick 342: Brett Conine, RHP, Cal State Fullerton (JR); signed for $125,000 Round 12, Pick 372: Mark Moclair, RHP, Tampa (JR); signed for $125,000 Round 13, Pick 402: Shawn Dubin, RHP, Georgetown College (SR); signed for $1,000 Round 14, Pick 432: J.P. France, RHP, Mississippi State (SR); signed for $1,000 Round 15, Pick 462: Trey Dawson, SS, Kentucky (JR); signed for $125,000 Round 16, Pick 492: Alex Holderbach, C, Eastern Kentucky (JR); signed for $100,000 Round 17, Pick 522: Brett Daniels, RHP, North Carolina (SR); signed for $1,000 Round 18, Pick 552: Michael Wielansky, SS, The College of Wooster (JR); signed for $75,000 Round 19, Pick 582: Devin Conn, RHP, Nova Southeastern (redshirt SOPH); signed for $125,000 Round 20, Pick 612: Austin Dennis, CF, Middle Tennessee State (JR); signed for $70,000 Round 21, Pick 642: Dalton Roach, RHP, Minnesota State-Mankato (SR); signed for $125,000 Round 22, Pick 662: Marty Costes, OF, Maryland (JR) Round 23, Pick 702: Jonathan Bermudez, LHP, Southeastern (JR); signed for $75,000 Round 24: Pick 732: Miguel Figueroa, RHP, Oklahoma City University (JR); signed for $20,000 Round 25, Pick 762: Logan Mattix, OF, Georgia College & State University (SR); signed for $1,000 Round 26, Pick 792: David Hensley, SS, San Diego State (SR) Round 27, Pick 822: Juan Paulino, C, Western Oklahoma State College (JUCO SOPH) Round 28, Pick 852: Joey Gonzalez, RHP, Stetson (JR); signed for $60,000 Round 29, Pick 882: Lyle Lin, C, Arizona State (SOPH) Round 30, Pick 912: Layne Henderson, RHP, Azusa Pacific (SR) Round 31, Pick 942: Riley Cabral, RHP, Memphis (JR); signed for $1,000 Round 32, Pick 972: Jacob Billingsley, RHP, Mississippi State (5th-year SR); signed for $1,000 Round 33, Pick 1002: J.C. Correa, RHP, Alvin Community College (JUCO SOPH); committed to Lamar Round 34, Pick 1032: Ben Gross, RHP, Princeton (SR) Round 35, Pick 1062: A.J. Bregman, LHP, Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, New Mexico); committed to New Mexico Round 36, Pick 1092: Cole Ayers, RHP, West Clermont High School (Batavia, Ohio); committed to Kentucky Round 37, Pick 1122: Antonio Cruz, OF, Episcopal High School (Houston); committed to Rice Round 38, Pick 1152: Cole Stilwell, C, Rockwall-Heath High School (Heath, Texas); committed to Texas Tech Round 39, Pick 1182: Brandon Birdsell, RHP, Willis High School (Willis, Texas); committed to Texas A&M Round 40, Pick 1212: Nathan Duarte, SS, Lancaster High School (Lancaster, California) Undrafted Free Agents There were several players who had apparently signed undrafted free agent deals with the Astros last year, but they never appeared on a roster of a minor league affiliate. I'll only update this part when they appear on a roster. The First 10, with Slot Values 1-28: Seth Beer - $2,399,400; signed for $2,250,000 ($149,400 under slot recommendation) 2-66: Jayson Schroeder - $965,300; signed for $1,200,000 ($234,700 over slot) 3-102: Jeremy Pena - $549,700; signed for $535,000 ($14,700 under) 4-132: Alex McKenna - $410,400; signed for $432,500 ($22,100 over) 5-162: Cody Deason - $306,100 - signed for $285,000 ($21,100 under) 6-192: R.J. Freure - $237,600 - signed for $348,800 ($111,200 over) 7-222: César Salazar - $187,000; signed for $160,000 ($27,000 under) 8-252: Austin Hansen - $156,500 (full slot value) 9-282: Scott Schrieber - $144,100; signed for $10,000 ($134,100 under) 10-312: Chandler Taylor - $136,800 - signed for $70,000 ($66,800 under) Overslot signings after 10th round Original bonus pool: $5,492,900 Pool spent: $5,447,800 Pool remaining before penalties: $45,100 Breakdown 31 College 7 High school 2 JUCO By position 20 RHP 7 OF (4 listed as "OF", 2 CF, 1 LF) 5 C 5 SS 2 LHP 1 2B Players drafted after the 11th round can sign for up to $125,000 without having their bonus count against the pool. Baseball America/Perfect Game Top 500 Players 1. Seth Beer (Baseball America 46/Perfect Game 58) 2. Jayson Schroeder (BA 72/PG 66) 3. Jeremy Pena (BA 102/PG 128) 4. Alex McKenna (BA 105/PG 133) 5. Cody Deason (BA 113/PG NR) 6. R.J. Freure (BA 242/PG 205) 7. César Salazar (BA 277/PG 288) 8. Austin Hansen (BA 234/PG 323) 9. Scott Schreiber (BA 473/PG NR) 11. Brett Conine (BA 256/PG 207) 12. Mark Moclair (BA NR/PG 261) 15. Trey Dawson (BA NR/PG 326) 29. Lyle Lin (BA 322/PG 483) 36. Cole Ayers (BA 476/PG NR) 39. Brandon Birdsell (BA 268/PG 258) Where are the HS/JUCO players committed? 2. Jayson Schroeder - Washington 33. J.C. Correa - Lamar 35. A.J. Bregman - New Mexico 36. Cole Ayers - Kentucky 37. Antonio Cruz - Rice 38. Cole Stilwell - Texas Tech 39. Brandon Birdsell - Texas A&M Players in College World Series 14. J.P. France (Mississippi State) 17. Brett Daniels (North Carolina) 32. Jacob Billingsley (Mississippi State) Where they’re headed Quad Cities Scott Schreiber (9) Chandler Taylor (10) Logan Mattix (25) David Hensley (26) Tri-City Seth Beer (1) Jeremy Pena (3) Cody Deason (5) R.J. Freure (6) César Salazar (7) Austin Hansen (8) Brett Conine (11) Mark Moclair (12) Shawn Dubin (13) Trey Dawson (15) Alex Holderbach (16) Brett Daniels (17) Michael Wielansky (18) Devin Conn (19) Austin Dennis (20) Marty Costes (22) Riley Cabral (31) GCL Jonathan Bermúdez (23) Miguel Figueroa (24) Juan Paulino (27) Joey Gonzalez (28) Layne Henderson (30)
Ben Gross (34) is transferring to Duke to work on his Master's degree. He'll join the Blue Devils next spring.
So there are still 3 guys who were reported to have signed that are not on a roster: Jayson Schroeder, Jacob Billingsly, and Dalton Roach. I also expected JP France to sign, but it looks like he didn't. Assuming Schroeder, Billingsly, and Roach all actually signed, Houston signed 30 of their 40 picks.
Roach and France will sign, since they have no eligibility left there is no deadline to sign them. I wouldn't expect much out of Schroeder soon, as a data point Whitley didn't make his GCL debut until July 21.
