Tony Sanchez
Rumors

The August 17th deadline to sign plays from the 2009 MLB Draft is fast approaching. We'll use this page to update the signing status of all the first round picks.

The deadline for players to sign is August 17, 2009

1. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals - Despite speculation that he would not signed, agreed to a $15M contract. (updated 8/17/09)
2. Dustin Ackley, Seattle Mariners - Agreed to a $7.5M signing bonus. (updated 8/17/09)
3. Donovan Tate, San Diego Padres - Instead of going back to UNC to play football, signed a contract with a 6.25M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
4. Tony Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates - Signed a well-publicized contract before the draft
5. Matt Hobgood, Baltimore Orioles - Signed a contract
6. Zach Wheeler, San Francisco Giant - Signed for $3.3M (updated 8/17/09)
7. Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves - Signed a contract with a record $2.42M signing bonus (updated 8/8/09)
8. Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds - Agreed to a $2.2M contract (updated 8/15/09)
9. Jacob Turner, Detroit Tigers - Received a Rick Porcello-like signing bonus of $5.5M (updated 8/17/09)
10. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals - Signed a contract
11. Tyler Matzek, Colorado Rockies - Rumors were that it would take a lot of money to keep Matzek away from Oregon: signed for $3.3M (updated 8/17/09)
12. Aaron Crow, Kansas City Royals - Agreed to a $3M contract with the Royals (updated 9/21/09)
13. Grant Green, Oakland As - Agreed to a $2.75M signing bonus (updated 8/15/09)
14. Matt Purke, Texas Rangers - Decided to go to college instead of signing with the Rangers (updated 8/17/09)
15. Alex White, Cleveland Indians - Got a bit less than Minor, $2.25M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
16. Bobby Borchering, Arizona Diamondbacks - Agreed to a contract with a $1.8M signing bonus (updated 8/15/09)
17. AJ Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks - Signed a contract
18. Chad James, Florida Marlins - Agreed to a $1.7M contract (updated 8/15/09)
19. Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals - Inked a $2.875M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09).
20. Chad Jenkins, Toronto Blue Jays - Signed for $1.359M (updated 8/15/09)
21. Jiovanni Mier, Houston Astros - Signed a contract
22. Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins - Signed a $1.8M contract (updated 8/17/09)
23. Jared Mitchell, Chicago White Sox -Signed a contract
24. Randal Grichuk, Los Angeles Angels -Signed a contract
25. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels - Signed a contract
26. Eric Arnett, Milwaukee Brewers - Signed a contract
27. Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners - Signed for $1.28M (updated 8/15/09)
28. Reymond Fuentes, Boston Red Sox - Signed a contract
29. Slade Heathcott, New York Yankees - Agreed to a $2.2M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
30. LeVon Washington, Tampa Bay Rays - Ultimately did not sign with the Rays (updated 8/17/09)
31. Brett Jackson, Chicago Cubs - Signed a contract
32. Tim Wheeler, Colorado Rockies - Signed a contract

Jason Churchill of espn.com has a signings update from the 2009 MLB Draft class.

For an update on the status of first round draft picks, click here.

• Only three of the top ten picks have signed: Tony Sanchez - #4 with Pittsburgh, Matt Hobgood - #5 with Baltimore and Drew Storen - #10 with Washington.
• Scott Boras represents six of the top ten picks and will likely take all of them to the Aug 17 deadline. Negotiations with the #1 pick Stephen Strasburg (Washington), #2 pick Dustin Ackley (Mariners) and #3 pick Donovan Tate (Padres) have not progressed very far and all three are Boras clients.
• The #11 pick, Tyler Matzek, still has not signed with Colorado and is inching closer to going to college at Oregon. A report form the Denver Post indicates that the sides are still not close on any agreement. Matzek has also been told he can play the field while not pitching at Oregon, something he would not be able to do in the Rockies system, for the moment anyway.
• Matt Purke could be another high school pitcher who, along with Matzek, could go to college instead of signing. The #14 pick overall by the Texas Rangers, Purke has very high signing demands and with their recent financial trouble, the Rangers might not be able to accomodate.
• Mike Minor, the #7 pick, and the Braves are making progress towards signing a contract.
• When Minor signs, that will be the first domino to fall for the rest of the college pitchers drafted beneath him. The Reds (#8 Mike Leake), Royals (#12 Aaron Crow) and Indians (#15 Alex White) are all waiting to see what Minor signs for before finalizing deals with their players.
• There is word at the bottom of this Keith Law posting that Wil Myers is close to signing for $2M (despite being a fourth round draft pick) with the Royals.

Jason Churchill of espn.com has an update on the 2009 MLB Draftees who have signed with their clubs and started their professional careers already.

For an update on the status of first round draft picks, click here.

• Tony Sanchez, #4 overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates, has hit .328/.427/.469 so far.
• Tyler Matzek, #11 overall to the Colorado Rockies, has not signed yet and has been working out with his college commitment, Oregon, where he's playing the field and hitting when he's not pitching.
• However, the Rockies have signed their other top picks: Tim Wheeler (#32 overall), Rex Brothers (#34 overall), Nolan Arenado (second round), Ben Paulson (third round), Kent Matthes (fourth round).
• Any talk of Nationals draft pick Drew Storen (#10 overall) being a starter seem to be just that: talk. While getting promoted through the single A ranks, Storen has pitched exclusively in relief.
• The Diamondbacks first round pick, AJ Pollock (#16 overall) has struggled so far.
• Jiovanni Mier (#21 to the Astros) his hit the ball very well so far: .303/.394/.483 with two home runs, two doubles, four triples and four stolen bases in 23 games.
• Mike Trout, #25 overall to the Los Angeles Angels, has crushed the Arizona Rookie League hitting .395/.489/.579 in 10 games. One opposing player said about Trout, "He looks like a big leaguer down here on rehab, spraying the ball everywhere and beating out a routine ground ball to second base."

Earlier we posted Keith Law of espn.com's review of Day One of the 2009 MLB Draft. Let's check in on his thoughts about Day Two.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates opened eyes with their controversial pre-draft deal for Tony Sanchez and then took him with the #4 pick of the draft, well ahead of several better talents according to most evaluators. Their approach to the draft was not to spend a lot of money in Round 1, but perhaps splurge a little bit in the later rounds on some talent with higher salary demands than might be normally seen in the later rounds. The Pirates added Jordan Cooper, Zach Van Rosenberg, Colton Cain and Trent Stevenson - all players who feel because of signability concerns.

Oakland Athletics

Hopefully the As are prepared to spend some money on their amateur draft because they grabbed guys who have potential signing issues. Their second round pick was Max Stassi who fell because of the perception that he'll require over draft slot money. The grabbed Ian Krol who was booted from his high school team for some off the field issues and is committed to Arizona and will take some money to wrestle free. Last, but not least, their first round pick was Grant Green who is represented by Scott Boras.

Tampa Bay Rays

Injury questions are a theme of the Rays draft. They grabbed a potential first round pick, Luke Bailey, who fell to them because of Tommy John surgery earlier in the year. Their 10th round pick, Derek Dennis, is kind of an unknown because of how late he blossomed.

Los Angeles Angels

We'll let Keith Law handle this one perfectly "The Angels' draft was all over the place, with toolsy prep bats, big college arms with bad command and some projectable high school arms"

Atlanta Braves

For whatever reason, the Braves have seemingly changed their draft philosophy from an upside-high school based approach to a more conservative college-based one. Their first pick was Mike Minor who, while solid, doesn't project to have much upside. All in all, they didn't take a high schooler until the 10th round. Perhaps they were not interested in the financial commitment high schoolers often require.

Keith Law of espn.com provided a reaction to the draft picks from Day 1 of the 2009 MLB Draft. For Day 2 analysis, click here.

Best picks of the first round

• Tyler Matzek, Colorado Rockies, #11 overall: He slid because of signability concerns and the Rockies benefited.
• Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals, #19 overall: Like Matzek, he fell because of contract demands.
• Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins, #20 overall: The stress fracture in Gibson's throwing arm scared many teams off, but so long as it heals, the Twins got a steal.

Worst picks of the first round

• Tony Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates, #4 overall: It's not that Sanchez is not a first round player, but the Pirates reached too high at #4. The reason was a pre-draft deal that saved the Pirates some money, but they passed on too much talent.
• Randal Grichuk, Los Angeles Angles, #24 overall: Not even in Law's Top 100
• Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners, #27 overall: Franklin does not have much upside along with below average power and mediocre defense at best.

More Thoughts

• Law liked the Diamondbacks draft of Bobby Borchering and AJ Pollock in the first round and Matt Davidson, Chris Owings and Mike Belifore in the second and third rounds.
• The Cubs took low stat, high upside athletic guys Brett Jackson and DJ LeMahieu.
• Rex Brothers was a steal for the Rockies at #34.

• Chuck Finder of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says that the Pirates reached for Tony Sanchez.  I think everyone realizes that they did, but the pick was a financial one: he'll sign for less.
• The Diamondbacks had eight picks in the first three rounds - Bobby Borchering and AJ Pollock in the first round - and hope they will mine some impact players writes Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
• Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times believes that Dustin Ackley was the right pick for Seattle.  I don't think anyone is going to argue with that.  Buster Olney of espn.com thinks that the top of the Mariners order could go 1. Ichiro Suzuki, 2. Ackley by 2011.
• The Padres aimed to draft ahtletic players with their early 2009 draft picks says Bill Center of The San Diego Union-Tribune.  Donovan Tate certainly fits that bill.
• By drafting Tyler Matzek the Rockies now have to make sure he doesn't go to Oregon for college.  It could cost them writes Irv Moss of The Denver Post.
• The Blue Jays are very impressed with their first round draft picks', Chad Jenkins, stuff, according to Richard Griffin of The Toronto Star.
• Minnesota took a gamble on Kyle Gibson who ended his season with a stress fracture in his forearm says La Velle Neal of The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
• Jared Mitchell has a high ceiling for the White Sox hopes Joe Cowley from The Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Red Sox hope that Reymond Fuentes has a similar career path to Jacoby Ellsbury writes Sean McAdam for the Boston Hearld.
• The Ranges have not been afraid to spend money on their draft picks recently and Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News notes that 2009 was no different.
• Marlins first round draft pick Chad James hopes he's on the major league roster in three years.
• LeVon Washington, the Rays first round draft picks, is ready to sign.
• The Orioles are not worried that Matt Hobgood was not rated as high as they had him in the 2009 draft.
• While Mike Trout (#24 to the Angels) was at the MLB studios at the draft, Stephen Strasburg watched the broadcast from his couch.

Buster Olney of espn.com broke down how signability - the liklihood a player is to sign with the team that drafted him - impacted the 2009 MLB Draft. The question typically refers to how much money a draftee is looking for, but could also mean whether a high school player is likely to break his collegiate commitment to turn pro.

Jacob Turner (#9 to the Tigers), Tyler Matzek (#11 to the Rockies), Aaron Crow (#12 to the Royals after the Nationals were unable to sign him as the #9 pick of the 2008 draft) and Matt Purke (#14 to the Rangers) are all talented players that slipped further than they should have - on talent alone, at least - because of concerns about how much money it was going to take to sign them. This was true when the Padres pass on Justin Verlander for Matt Bush. When the Royals passed on Evan Longoria and Matt Wieters. When 26 teams passed on Rick Porcello who proceeded to sign a $6M+ deal with the Tigers as the 27th pick of the 2007 draft.

The issue, Olney contends, is that because there's no salary structure and MLB teams are prevented from trading draft picks, it is not as simple as the worst teams get the best players because they might not be able to afford them. If was really the only reason there was any speculation that the Mariners were going to pass on Dustin Ackley. If a team picking very high didn't want to spend the $6M it is likely going to take to sign Ackley, their only option was to draft someone who'd sign for less. They can't trade the pick to a team who is interested in signing a player.

This is how we get the Pirates agreeing to a pre-draft deal for Tony Sanchez. Sanchez is likely a fine player, but he is certainly not the 4th best player in the draft. So what's the solution? Not much can happen until the next collective bargaining agreement is renegotiated, but there are hints of interest by the players union as well to create some sort of leveling of the playing field in terms of salary.

On a personal note, something I'm curious to see is how Crow and Tanner Scheppers, guys who did not sign contracts after being drafted in 2008 and subsequently playing independent baseball all year, fare in their 2009 contract negotiations. Perhaps Crow fell because he's still perceived as a tough sign and Scheppers fell because of health concerns, but if both do not see significant financial improvement, how will that impact the willingness of players to hold out this year? Especially for collegiate players who don't have quite the leverage high school players do.

Here's a review of the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

1. Washington Nationals - Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State University
2. Seattle Mariners - Dustin Ackley, OF, UNC
3. San Diego Padres - Donovan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS, GA
4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Tony Sanchez, C, Boston College
5. Baltimore Orioles - Matt Hobgood, RHP, Norco HS, CA
6. San Francisco Giants - Zach Wheeler, RHP, East Paulding HS, GA
7. Atlanta Braves - Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt
8. Cincinnati Reds - Mike Leake, RHP, Arizona State
9. Detroit Tigers - Jacob Turner, RHP, Westminster Christian Academy, MO
10. Washington Nationals - Drew Storen, RHP, Stanford
11. Colorado Rockies - Tyler Matzek, LHP, Capistrano Valley HS, CA
12. Kansas City Royals - Aaron Crow, LHP, Fort Worth Cats
13. Oakland As - Grant Green, SS, USC
14. Texas Rangers - Matt Purke, LHP, Klein HS, TX
15. Cleveland Indians - Alex White, RHP, UNC
16. Arizona Diamondbacks - Bobby Borchering, Bishop Verot HS, FL
17. Arizona Diamondbacks - AJ Pollock, OF, Notre Dame
18. Florida Marlins - Chad James, LHP, Yukon HS, OK
19. St. Louis Cardinals - Shelby Miller, RHP, Brownwood HS, TX
20. Toronto Blue Jays - Chad Jenkins, RHP, Kennesaw State
21. Houston Astros - Jiovanni Mier, SS, Bonita HS, CA
22. Minnestoa Twins - Kyle Gibson, RHP, Missouri
23. Chicago White Sox - Jared Mitchell, CF, LSU
24. Los Angeles Angels - Randal Grichuk, LF, Lamar Cons HS, TX
25. Los Angeles Angels - Mike Trout, CF, Millville Sr. HS, NJ
26. Milwaukee Brewers - Eric Arnett, RHP, Indiana
27. Seattle Mariners - Nick Franklin, SS, Lake Brantley HS, FL
28. Boston Red Sox - Reymond Fuentes, CF, Fernando Callejo HS, CA
29. New York Yankees - Slade Heathcott, OF, Texas HS, TX
30. Tampa Bay Rays - LeVon Washington, 2B, Buchholz HS, FL
31. Chicago Cubs - Brett Jackson, CF, University of California - Berkeley
32. Colorado Rockies - Tim Wheeler, OF, Cal State - Sacramento

For Picks 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, 21-26 and 27-32 click on the links.

6:00pm Welcome to the 2009 MLB Draft!  We'll be constantly updating the draft in groups of five throughout the night tonight.  Our first post will start with the Top 10 and we'll go from there. 

6:11pm Alright, the Nationals are officially on the clock!  Thanks Bud Selig!

6:12pm Interesting point about not signing Stephen Strasburg, if the Nationals do select him - they'd have the #2 pick in the 2010 draft.

6:15pm No surprise here, the Washington Nationals have selected Stephen Strasburg with the first pick of the 2009 MLB Draft.  The Mariners are now on the clock.

6:17pm The big question now is less if the Nationals can sign Strasburg, but more how much they sign him for.  I can't imagine that the Nationals would let Strasburg get away, especially after the Aaron Crow mess last year.

6:20pm With the second pick of the 2009 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners select Dustin Ackley from UNC.  The Padres are now on the clock.

6:22pm Ok, the formalities of drafting Strasburg and Ackley are over.  Now the fun begins.  Do the Padres take Donovan Tate?  Perhaps a pitcher like Zach Wheeler or Tyler Matzek?  We're also going to check in with Paul DePodesta's blog after the Padres pick for some commentary.

6:24pm With the third pick of the 2009 MLB Draft, the Padres select Donovan Tate.  The Pittsburgh Pirates are now on the clock.

6:26pm Despite rampant speculation throughout the past few months about who would go to the Padres with the third pick, the experts sniffed out this pick.  Well done.  The Pirates are expected to take Tony Sanchez next.  Keith Law reported they had agreed to a pre-draft deal.

6:30pm With the fourth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates select Tony Sanchez.  Selig threw everyone there for a second by calling him by his given name, Jorge Sanchez.  The Orioles are now on the clock.

6:31pm Recent buzz about the Orioles pick has them taking Zach Wheeler here.  The Braves would be quite disappointed as he's a Georgia native.

6:32pm Interesting point by Harold Reyonlds about Ackley being a cold weather player who perhaps hasn't come close to peaking yet.

6:34pm With the fifth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft, the Baltimore Orioles select Matt Hobgood.  The Giants are now on the clock.

6:35pm Our first curveball of the draft.  Certainly Hobgood is qualified enough to go fifth, but most experts had Wheeler in this spot.  This will have an interesting effect on picks six through ten because the Braves may get their man, Wheeler, now.

6:37pm Jim Callis of Baseball America points out that the recent contract demand rumors from the high school kids may have influenced the Hobgood pick by the Orioles.  It'll be interesting to see if it continues.

Keith Law of espn.com is reporting that the Pirates have agreed to a pre-draft deal with Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez.