After the first round of the 2010 draft, there was speculation that the Los Angeles Dodgers selected two sport star Zach Lee without the intention of signing him.  Lee was considered a difficult sign because of his strong commitment to LSU to play football.  The thinking went that if Lee did not sign, the Dodgers would get around the 29th pick in the 2011 and Los Angeles is strapped for money amidst the ownership struggle.

However, the Dodgers surprised everyone by signing Lee to a $5.25M contract.  More importantly, perhaps it debunked the theory that the Dodgers were just throwing draft picks. 

Though the Dodgers and Lee were fortunate to get a deal done, three clubs in the first round were not.  As such, in 2011, they will receive the pick after what they had in 2010 as compensation for failure to sign their draft pick.  Here's a list of who failed to sign and what pick the teams will be compensated with.

• Barret Loux, 2010 #6, Diamondbacks: Loux failed a physical and instead of taking a risk, the Diamondbacks chose to pass on signing the pitcher from Texas A&M and tak the #7 pick in the 2011 draft.  Loux will be granted unrestricted free agency as of September 1st.  
• Karsten Whitson, 2010 #9, Padres: Whitson was unable to come to terms with the Padres and instead will play baseball for the University of Florida starting this fall.  The Padres will receive the #10 pick in 2011.

• Dylan Covey, 2010 #14, Brewers: Similar to Loux, the Brewers discovered a medical condition, diabetes, during Covey's physical.  It's unclear exactly why contract negotiations broke down after this illumination, but many suspect Covey chose to attend San Diego University instead of going to Milwaukee so he could be closer to home and have family assistance dealing with the diagnosis.  The Brewers will receive the 15th pick in 2011. 
• Ryne Stanek: 2010 3rd round pick, Mariners: Stanek did not reach an agreement and will attend Arkansas.  The Mariners compensation pick will be in the third round, pick number to be determined.

We are just hours away from today's deadline to sign player selected in June's amateur draft and the rumors are starting to swirl about who will sign and for how much.  In the interim, a number of non-first round draft picks continue to sign for over market value.

As always, Jim Callis and Aaron Fitt from Baseball America leads the pack in breaking this news.

• Pepperdine RHP Cole Cook signed with the Indians for $299K.  As a fifth round pick, the 150th overall, the recommended slot bonus is $169,200.
• Florida State outfielder Tyler Holt, a 10th round pick by the Cleveland Indians, also agreed to a $500K signing bonus with the Indians ($350K over).

• The Marlins signed high school shortstop/catcher JT Realmuto to a $600K signing bonus.  Realmuto was the 104th pick of the draft in the third round, a slot bonus recommendation of $309,600.
• High school catcher Will Swanner, a 15th round pick by the Rockies, agreed to a $490K signing bonus, $340K in excess of the recommendation.  
• Jake DePew, a high school catcher and ninth round pick by the Rays, signed for $460K, $310K over the slot recommendation.
• Jared Lakind, a high school first baseman, agreed to a $400K signing bonus with the Pirates.  A 23rd round pick, Lakind's deal was $250K over slot recommendation.
• The Padres have signed high school outfielder Jose Dore to a $450K signing bonus, three times the slot recommendation for an eighth-round pick.  

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The number of signed draft picks continue to increase and we had a few more announced recently. Jim Callis from Baseball America and Michael Huang from The Sporting News provide the news about the recent signings.

Visit our Draft Pick Signing Page for a complete list of first round draft picks signing bonuses and status.

• Chris Sale, considered one of the best college pitchers available in this year's draft, agreed to a $1.656M signing bonus with the White Sox.  Callis notes that while the signing bonus is within MLB's slot recommendation, it is far below what the normal best college pitchers receive in the draft.  

• The 49th overall pick first baseman Michael Olt agreed to a $717,200 signing bonus with the Rangers.  Olt's signing bonus is similar to last year's 49th pick. 
• The Mariners signed high school pitcher Taijuan Walker to a $800K signing bonus.  The 43rd pick of the draft, Walker's signing bonus is slightly above the MLB slot recommendation, but beneath that of what the 43rd pick signed for last year.
• Taylor Lindsay agreed to a $873,000 signing bonus with the Angels.  It was reported last week that Lindsay signed, but terms had not yet been released.

After being selected in the first round or supplemental round of the 2010 Draft on June 8th, 2010, teams and players had until August 16th, 2010 at 11:59pm to agree to a signing bonus and begin their professional career or head to college.  The only exception to this rule are college seniors with whom there is no set time table for when they have to sign.

1) Washington: Bryce Harper - $9.9M signing bonus
2) Pittsburgh: Jameson Taillon - $6.5M signing bonus
3) Baltimore: Manny Machado - $5.25M signing bonus
4) Kansas City: Christian Colon - $2,75M signing bonus
5) Cleveland: Drew Pomeranz - $2.65M signing bonus
6) Arizona: Barret Loux - Did not sign, failed physical
7) New York Mets: Matt Harvey - $2.5M signing bonus
8) Houston: Delino DeSheilds Jr. - $2.15M signing bonus
9) San Diego: Karsten Whitson - No contract signed, will attend Florida
10) Oakland: Michael Choice - $2M signing bonus
11) Toronto: Deck McGuire - $2M signing bonus
12) Cincinnati: Yasmani Grandal - $3.2M signing bonus
13) Chicago White Sox: Chris Sale - $1,656M signing bonus
14) Milwaukee: Dylan Covey - Did not sign, will attend San Diego
15) Texas: Jake Skole - $1.557M signing bonus
16) Chicago Cubs: Hayden Simpson - $1.06M signing bonus
17) Tampa Bay: Josh Sale - $1.62M signing bonus
18) Los Angeles Angels: Kaleb Cowart - $2.3M signing bonus
19) Houston: Mike Foltynewicz - $1.3M signing bonus
20) Boston: Kolbrin Vitek - $1.359M signing bonus
21) Minnesota: Alex Wimmers - $1.332M signing bonus
22) Texas: Kellin Deglan - $1M signing bonus
23) Florida: Christian Yelich - $1.7M signing bonus
24) San Francisco: Gary Brown - $1.45M signing bonus
25) St. Louis: Zack Cox - $3.2M signing bonus
26) Colorado: Kyle Parker - $1.4M signing bonus
27) Philadelphia: Jesse Biddle - $1.16M signing bonus
28) Los Angeles Dodgers: Zach Lee - $5.25M signing bonus
29) Los Angeles Angels: Cam Bedrosian - $1.116M signing bonus
30) Los Angeles Angels: Chevez Clarke - $1.089M signing bonus
31) Tampa Bay: Justin O'Conner - $1.025M signing bonus
32) New York Yankees: Cito Culver - $954K signing bonus

Supplemental Round

33) Houston: Michael Kvasnicka - $936K signing bonus
34) Toronto: Aaron Sanchez - $775K signing bonus
35) Atlanta: Matt Lipka - $800K signing bonus
36) Boston: Bryce Brentz - $892K signing bonus
37) Los Angeles Angels: Taylor Lindsey - $873K signing bonus
38) Toronto: Noah Syndergaard - $600K signing bonus
39) Boston: Anthony Ranaudo - $2.55M signing bonus
40) Los Angeles Angels: Ryan Bolden - $829K signing bonus
41) Toronto: Asher Wojciechowski - $814K signing bonus
42) Tampa Bay: Drew Vettleson - $845K signing bonus
43) Seattle: Taijuan Walker - $800K signing bonus
44) Detroit: Nick Castellanos - $3.45M signing bonus
45) Texas: Luke Jackson - $1.557M signing bonus
46) St. Louis: Seth Blair - $751K signing bonus
47) Colorado: Peter Tago - 982,500 signing bonus
48) Detroit: Chance Ruffin - $1.15M signing bonus
49) Texas: Mike Olt - $717K signing bonus
50) St. Louis: Tyrell Jenkins - $1.3M signing bonus

For the first 32 picks of the first round of the 2010 MLB draft, click here.

33) Houston Astros: Michael Kvasnicka, Minnesota, C
34) Toronto Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez, Barstow HS, RHP
35) Atlanta Braves: Matt Lipka, McKinney HS, SS
36) Boston Red Sox: Bryce Brentz, Middle Tennessee State

37) Los Angeles Angels: Taylor Lindsey, Desert Mountain HS, SS
38) Toronto Blue Jays: Noah Syndergaard, Legacy HS, RHP
39) Boston Red Sox: Anthony Ranaudo, LSU, RHP
40) Los Angeles Angels: Ryan Bolden, Madison Central HS, OF
41) Toronto Blue Jays: Asher Wojciechowski, The Citadel, RHP
42) Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Vettleson, Central Kitsap HS, OF
43) Seattle Mariners: Taijuan Walker, Yucaipa HS, RHP

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Back in October, we posted the 2010 MLB Draft Order.  Since October, there have been plenty of free agent signings which have impacted where teams will make selections based on compensation picks.  Below is the complete draft order with all compensation picks included.

Protected First-Round Picks
1) Nationals (59-103)
2) Pirates (62-99)
3) Orioles (64-98)
4) Royals (65-97)
5) Indians (65-97)
6) Diamondbacks (70-92)
7) Mets (70-92)
8) Astros (74-88)
9) Padres (75-87)
10) Athletics (75-87)
11) Blue Jays (75-87)
12) Reds (78-84)
13) White Sox (79-83)
14) Brewers (80-82)
15) Rangers (compensation for failure to sign Matt Purke)
16) Cubs (83-78)
Unprotected First-Round Picks
17) Rays (84-78)
18) Angels (compensation from Mariners for Chone Figgins)
19) Astros (compensation from Tigers for Jose Valverde)
20) Red Sox (compensation from Braves for Billy Wagner)
21) Twins (87-76)
22) Rangers (87-75)
23) Marlins (87-75)
24) Giants (88-74)
25) Cardinals (91-71)
26) Rockies (92-70)
27) Phillies (93-69)
28) Dodgers (95-67)
29) Angels (compensation from Red Sox for John Lackey)
30) Angels (97-65)
31) Rays (compensation for failure to sign LeVon Washington)
32) Yankees (103-59)

When teams finish with the same record, the tiebreaker (and higher pick) goes to the club with the worst record the previous year.

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Recently, a number of respected baseball media outlets have released their respective lists of the top number of prospects heading into the 2010 season.  These lists include Keith Law of espn.com's Top 100, Jonathan Mayo's collection of top prospects starting with Scouting the Sally's Top 30, Oriolesprospects.com Top 20, Propects Paradise's Top 30, Camden Crazies Top 25, Dave Barr's Hot Corner Top 20, Prospect Junkie's Top 20, The Cardinal Nation's Top 40, Seth Stohs from sethspeaks.net's Top 20, and Mayo's Top 50.

Obviously this all represents opinion, but to get a better idea of the overall feel of the group Baseball Rumor Mill averaged the Top 20 rankings from all of the lists to come up with an aggregate ranking of the Top 20 prospects heading into 2010. 

The rankings were tabulated only evaluating the Top 20 of each list and a point value was assigned to each rank.  #1 = 20 points, #2 = 19 points, so on down to #20 = 1 point.  If a player was not listed in the Top 20 a NR indication was given and no points were awarded.  The rankings are based on aggregate point totals, though we also did an evaluation of point totals after dropping the highest ranking and lowest ranking.  For instance, Desmond Jennings finished fifth overall in aggregate, but would be tied for 3rd with Buster Posey after dropping each player's highest and lowest ranking.

To view the raw data, click here.

Not surprisingly, Jason Heyward and Stephen Strasburg were significantly ahead of the field at the #1 and #2 spot, respectively.  There seems to be a considerable drop in consensus after either Dustin Ackley at #12 or Madison Bumgarner at #13.  Only ten players received Top 20 votes in all ten rankings.

Without further ado, the aggregate rankings

1. Jason Heyward, OF Atlanta
2. Stephen Strasburg, P Washington
3. Buster Posey, C San Francisco
4. Brian Matsuz, P Baltimore
5. Desmond Jennings, OF Tampa Bay
6. Carlos Santana, C Cleveland
7. Jesus Montero, C New York Yankees
8. Neftali Feliz, P Texas
9. Mike Stanton, OF Florida
10. Pedro Alvarez, 3B Pittsburgh
11. Justin Smoak, 1B Texas
12. Dustin Ackley, OF Seattle
13. Madison Bumgarner, P San Francisco
14. Aroldis Chapman, P Cincinnati
15. Domonic Brown, OF Philadelphia
16. Jeremy Hellickson, P Tampa Bay
17. Martin Perez, P Texas
18. Alcides Escobar, SS Brewers
19. Wade Davis, P Tampa Bay
20. Chris Carter, 1B Oakland

Less than a year after being the #1 draft pick, Strasburg rates as the #2 prospect in baseball

The Red Sox officially introduced Adrian Beltre at a Fenway Park news conference Friday morning.  The free-agent third baseman Beltre is well known for his defense and replaces Mike Lowell in the corner.  Beltre's contract is for one-year, $9 million that includes a 2011 option for $5 million, the amount will double if Beltre has 640 plate appearances in 2010.  The option also includes a $1 million buyout.

Beltre, 30, is a .270 career hitter with 250 homers and 906 RBI.  2009 was an offensively slow year for Beltre due to left shoulder problems, however on June 30, 2009 he had bone spurs removed and is expected to rebound for 2010.

Beltre marks the fourth free-agent acquisition press conference for Boston this winter which includes, shortstop Marco Scutaro, right-hander John Lackey and outfielder Mike Cameron.

Adrian Beltre is heading to Boston

The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners finalized their trade sending Casey Kotchman to the west coast for Bill Hall, a Minor League player to be named and cash.  Hall is a versatile slugger who will be able to fill any defense gap for the Sox.  In 2009 Hall began the season with the Brewers and finished with the Mariners. Hall started 51 games at third base, 22 games in left field, 12 games in right field, two at second base and one in center field.

Last year Hall, 30, batted .201 (67-for-334) with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 110 games between Milwaukee and Seattle. If Hall can regain his form at the plate, career-high 35 homers in 2006, he may be an extremely pinch-hitter for Boston.

Kotchman was displaced from the infield rotation when the Sox aquired third baseman Adrian Beltre but is expected to start at first base in Seattle. Last year Kotchman, 26, batted .268 (103-for-385) with seven home runs and 48 RBI in 126 games between Atlanta and Boston.

The Rule 5 Draft was held today.  Here are the first round picks. Draft picks are listed by the team making the selection, player name and the team he was selected from.

As a reminder, players selected in the Rule 5 draft must remain on the 25-man roster the entire subsequent season or they are returned to the team from which they were taken.

1. New York Yankees* (from Washington): Jamie Hoffmann, Dodgers
2. Pittsburgh: John Raynor, Marlins
3. Texas^ (from Baltimore): Benjamin Snyder, Giants
4. Kansas City: Edgar Osuna, Braves
5. Cleveland: Hector Ambriz, Diamondbacks
6. Arizona: Zach Kroenke, Yankees
7. New York Mets: Carlos Monasterios, Phillies
8. Florida# (from Houston): Jorge Jiminez, Red Sox
9. San Diego: pass
10. Oakland: Bobby Cassevah, Angels
11. Toronto: Zech Zinicola, Nationals
12. Chicago White Sox: pass
13. Milwaukee: Chuck Lofgren, Indians
14. Chicago Cubs: Mike Parisi, Cardinals
15. Tampa Bay: Armando Zerpa, Red Sox
16. Seattle: Kanekoa Texeira, Yankees
17. Texas: pass
18. Florida: pass
19. San Francisco: Steve Johnson, Orioles
20. St. Louis: Ben Jukich, Reds
21. Colorado: pass
22. Philadelphia: Ken Herndon, Angels
23. Los Angeles Dodgers: pass
24. Boston: pass
25. Los Angeles Angels: pass
26. New York Yankees: pass

* Acquired from Nationals as part of Brian Bruney trade
^ Acquired from Baltimore as part of Kevin Millwood trade
# Acquired from Houston as part of Matt Lindstrom trade

The Tigers, Twins, Braves and Reds did not have picks because their 40 man roster was full.

The number 1 pick of the 2009 Rule 5 Draft, Jamie Hoffmann will now play all of 2010 on the Yankees 25-man roster