2012 draft signings

[roger]

There is a lag between last year and this year. Last year Grimes was picked and did not play (because of the singing deadline).

Grimes signed a bit later than Bryant, but did play last year. He was assigned to Beloit where he hit .225 average in 138 at bats.

[nicksaviking]

5th rounder Tyler Duffy signed for slot.

[glunn]

Here is a link to a good article by Aaron Gleeman about how the Twins have now signed 10 of their 1st 11 picks -- everyone but #42 -- Luke Bard -- http://aarongleeman.com/

[IdahoPilgrim]

That is correct: after round 10, a team can still go above 100K, it just eats into their pool amount.

 

And your point about the tax is also correct. Team can go up to 5% over their pool total and just pay the 75% luxury tax. Obviously the Twins won't pay hundreds of thousands in luxury tax, but teams don't lose draft picks until they go above 5%. Perhaps if the Twins are high on a player but it would put them 50K above the total, they would do it and pay the 37.5K of luxury tax. We can hope right?

While you can go up to 5% and only pay a small tax, there is a possible future consequence for even exceeding by a penalty. Any draft pick which is forfeited by a team for exceeding the pool is giving out to another MLB team via a lottery prior to the draft's start. Exceeding the bonus pool invalidates participation in that lottery. This may not be a big deal; how many teams are going to exceed by over 5% and forfeit a draft pick? But it is a possible consequence.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Is Bard still unsigned? Is there any reason to think he won't sign?

[James]

Is Bard still unsigned? Is there any reason to think he won't sign?

I haven't heard any reason why he would not sign. He might be trying to get a little more money, or maybe not. He was injured when they drafted him, so maybe the Twins are doing some medical due diligence before they come to terms on a contract.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I posted this on a different thread, but it looks like this thread is the more read one and I speculate on the Bard situation...

 

As far as players that count towards the spending pool (those taken in the first 10 rounds), the Twins have agreements with all but three: Luke Bard, LJ Mazzilli and DJ Baxendale.

 

Bard, as far as I know, still isn't 100%, so that would be my guess as to why he isn't signed.

Mazzilli expected to be drafted higher, so is probably expecting more than slot money.

Baxendale is still pitching in the College World Series, which would explain why he is unsigned.

 

The Twins have agreements with JT Chargois, Jorge Fernandez and Christian Powell, but their bonuses aren't public yet.

 

So we'll take those six out and here's what we know:

Berrios, Walker, Jones and Duffey all signed for slot.

Melotakis signed for $68.5K under slot and Buxton signed for $200K under slot.

Andre Martinez got $60K over slot.

 

So the Twins have created wiggle room to the tune of $208.5K.

 

They could also go over their cap by $618,410 without losing a draft pick (though that would actually cost them just short of $1.1m).

 

My guess is that Bard gets slot (or near). And that Baxendale and Mazzilli both get over slot (but under penalty). If they balk, the Twins may offer their savings to a lower-round guy like Timmy Robinson, Josh Graham or possibly James Marvel, of course these would probably be deadline deals.

[Thrylos]

They could also go over their cap by $618,410 without losing a draft pick (though that would actually cost them just short of $1.1m).

 

My guess is that Bard gets slot (or near). And that Baxendale and Mazzilli both get over slot (but under penalty). If they balk, the Twins may offer their savings to a lower-round guy like Timmy Robinson, Josh Graham or possibly James Marvel, of course these would probably be deadline deals.

I think that there is close to no chance that Timmy Robinson signs. Marvel I am not sure.

[PMKI]

We want LJ!

[benhertz]

Luke Bard, June 20: Link 1, Link 2.

 

Full slot: $1.227MM

[benhertz]

According to Baseball America, the Twins have signed 33rd round pick Kaleb Merck, RHP.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

According to Baseball America, the Twins have signed 33rd round pick Kaleb Merck, RHP.

Not a shocker to many, I suppose, but I'm kinda surprised. Merck had a year left, was coming off injury, was disappointed where he was drafted and could hve helped his draft stock with a solid senior year. Curious to see what he brings to the table...

[Miles]

Any idea if Baxendale will sign, now that Arkansas has been eliminated from the CWS?

[Miles]

Also... Baseball America lists Merck as signed, but lists 8th round pick Christian Powell as unsigned. Everything else I've read listed Powell as signed. Anyone know the fact from fiction on this one?

[Thrylos]

Also... Baseball America lists Merck as signed, but lists 8th round pick Christian Powell as unsigned. Everything else I've read listed Powell as signed. Anyone know the fact from fiction on this one?

He is signed/agreed. BA is late to update their Database.

[jokin]

Any idea if Baxendale will sign, now that Arkansas has been eliminated from the CWS?

Baxendale, for all intents and purposes, tweeted his good-byes and thank yous to his teammates and Razorback fans, so it's fair to think that he is looking to sign soon. His performance against SC on Saturday suggests potential upside (trying to be optimistic here) towards a Radke level of performance, but I think the best we should hope for realistically is as a capable back-end SP in Sep 2014/2015 (with all his innings this year, likely shut down until AFL or 2013, delaying signing until the deadline?)

[Steve Fetch]

Baxendale, for all intents and purposes, tweeted his good-byes and thank yous to his teammates and Razorback fans, so it's fair to think that he is looking to sign soon. His performance against SC on Saturday suggests potential upside (trying to be optimistic here) towards a Radke level of performance, but I think the best we should hope for realistically is as a capable back-end SP in Sep 2014/2015 (with all his innings this year, likely shut down until AFL or 2013, delaying signing until the deadline?)

I think he can (hopefully) be a decent #3. He struck out a lot of guys in the SEC so that's something to be hopeful about.

[Seth Stohs]

From MLB Trade Rumors:

 

• The Twins have signed eighth rounder Christian Powell, according to Callis (on Twitter). The College of Charleston right-hander, who features a mid-90s sinker, will receive a $140K bonus.

[nicksaviking]

If the Nick Blackburn Law is accurate, that mid-90's sinker can't possibly have any sink to it as he's throwing the thing too damn hard. Guess maybe we'll get to see if Professor Anderson's physics teachings regarding the sinker are accurate, or if a real pitcher will show it's a bunch of crap and Blackburn just isn't very effective at using the pitch.

[SweetOne69]

If the Nick Blackburn Law is accurate, that mid-90's sinker can't possibly have any sink to it as he's throwing the thing too damn hard. Guess maybe we'll get to see if Professor Anderson's physics teachings regarding the sinker are accurate, or if a real pitcher will show it's a bunch of crap and Blackburn just isn't very effective at using the pitch.

It all depends on the amount of rotation you get on the ball relative to the velocity.

[East Coast Twin]

The signing deadline is Friday. Any word on whether the Twins are still negotiating with L.J. Mazzilli?

[T.Scott]

Travis Huber, RHP, Nebraska 700 pick in the 2012 draft signed on tues.

[Twinsoholic]

Earlier in this thread it says that #6 pick Andre Martinez, a high school lefty from Florida, was signed for over slot to lure him away from his commitment to Florida State University. However, I do not see any evidence on Baseball America's transactions that Martinez signed with the Twins. Moreover, if he did sign with Minnesota, is he at Extended Spring Training, because he is not on the Gulf Coast Twins roster, and one would expect him to be pitching for that team unless he is hurt or unless he has not singed or unless there is some other reason why he might be practicing with the extended spring training squad. Can anyone confirm that Martinez has signed, and can anyone explain why he is not on the Gulf Coast Twins' roster?

[Seth Stohs]

They have not yet signed Martinez. I can confirm the signing of Travis Huber, and also of Carson Goldsmith. Just about 30 hours to go before the deadline.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Baseball America has it wrong, then. They list Martinez as being signed in their draft database.

[nicksaviking]

Anyone know what the Twins have left to spend before hitting the luxery tax? They must still be sitting pretty comfortably.

[IdahoPilgrim]

Anyone know what the Twins have left to spend before hitting the luxery tax? They must still be sitting pretty comfortably.

Baseball America has then currently being $200K under collective pool value for those signed, but they had listed Martinez as being signed, so their numbers may be inaccurate.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Jim Callis just reported an "unsigning". It was Andre Martinez. Purely speculation here, but I would guess they came to some sort of an agreement, he reported to Fort Myers for a physical and the Twins found something they didn't like. Now there will be no deal... and extra money in the pot (the overage that was reported he got).

[IdahoPilgrim]

What is an "unsigning?" Did he use vanishing ink? In any case, Baseball America has now updated their draft database to show Martinez as unsigned.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Jim Callis just reported an "unsigning". It was Andre Martinez. Purely speculation here, but I would guess they came to some sort of an agreement, he reported to Fort Myers for a physical and the Twins found something they didn't like. Now there will be no deal... and extra money in the pot (the overage that was reported he got).

pretty sure you lose the money in the pot for every guy in teh top 10 that goes unsigned.... you don't get to reallocate it elsewhere.