Pittsburgh Pirates: Recap Of Players Signings From 2015 MLB Draft
By Larry Snyder
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been busy signing the players they chose in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. Neal Huntington has come to an agreement with 19 of the team’s 40 overall selections.
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The Pirates announced Monday that they signed their first-round pick, the 19th overvall selection, Kevin Newman to a deal. According to MLB.com‘s 2015 Draft Signing and Bonus Tracker, the 21-year-old shortstop from the University of Arizona collected a signing bonus of $2.175 million.
He will embark on his “Road to the Show” with the West Virginia Black Bears, who are the Pirates’ New York-Penn League Short Season Single-A affiliate, who will begin their inaugural season this weekend at Monongalia County Ballpark.
Ke-Bryan Hayes, who was Pittsburgh’s compensatory first-round pick at No. 32, was added to the fold Tuesday. The Signing and Bonus Tracker reveals a $1.855 million signing bonus for Hayes. The third baseman from Concordia Lutheran High School in Tomball, Texas will begin his professional career in Bradenton, Fla. with the Gulf Coast League Pirates.
The Bucs also announced Tuesday that they had inked their second-round pick from Day 1 of the draft, Kevin Kramer. The Signing and Bonus Tracker shows that the shortstop from UCLA received an $850,000 signing bonus. Kramer is being listed on the Black Bears roster at this time.
Prior to the signing of their top three selections this week, the Pirates announced Sunday the signing of three of the picks who were all right-handed hurlers from the first nine rounds. The three were sixth round pick J.T. Brubaker out of the University of Akron, eighth rounder Seth McGarry from Florida Atlantic University, and the ninth round pick out of the University of Utah, Bret Helton.
The Pirates added a trio of right-handed pitchers, all from the later rounds, on Wednesday morning. Coming to an agreement on a contract were 20th-round pick Tanner Anderson from Harvard, 21st-round choice Nicholas Economos from Mercer County Community College, and 30th-round selection Mike Wallace out of Fairfield University.
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Pittsburgh came to an agreement Thursday with 10 more players. Here is that list:
Seventh Round: Mitchell Tolman – 3B – 5’11” 195lbs – L/R – University of Oregon.
10th Round: Logan Sendelbach – RHP – 6’3″/185lbs – R/R – Tiffin University (OH),
11th Round: Christian Kelley – C – 5’11″/185lbs – Bats Left/Throws Right – University of Cal Poly Pomona (CA).
12th Round: Ty Moore – RF – 6’0″/190lbs – L/R – UCLA.
13th Round: Logan Ratledge – SS – 5’11″/190lbs – R/R – North Carolina State.
15th Round: Scooter Hightower – RHP – 6’6″ 215lbs – R/R – Columbia State Community College (TN).
22nd Round: Nathan Trevillian – RHP – 6’2″/175lbs R/R – Amherst County High School (VA).
24th Round: John Bormann – C – 6’0″/205lbs – R/R – University of Texas – San Antonio.
25th Round: Logan Hill – RF – 6’3″/230lbs – R/R – Troy University (AL).
35th Round: Jordan George – 1B – 6’2″/200lbs – S/R – Arkansas State University.
The Pirates selected 25 pitchers, including seven left-handers, and 16 hitters in the draft. Among the 16 hitters were a total of two catchers, nine infielders, and five outfielders.
With the prevailing slotting system, which was put in place by recently retired commissioner Bud Selig, many players are reaching pre-draft understandings with their respective teams. That in turn leads to some faster signings overall.
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