Article: Draft Signing Deadline Looms

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Over the past handful of years the signing deadline has come and gone with very little drama as far as the Twins are concerned. In fact, since the draft rules changed, only the 2012 deal with Zack Larson for $190,000 as a 20th round pick been an overslot, deadline deal.This year, as the deadline of 4 pm Friday approaches, the Twins are facing some drama. Their second choice, Kyle Cody, selected in Comp Round B with the 73rd overall pick - a pick worth $839,700 - remains unsigned.

 

Cody, who is compared frequently to Mike Pelfrey, entered the season as a potential first-round pick, but some mid-year struggles caused him to drop down some teams' draft boards.

 

Even with the struggles and subsequent drop down boards, both Cody and the Twins seemed destined to find common ground and get his professional career underway. Rumors had him accepting less than slot value as long as everything went smoothly in his physical.

 

Well, something didn't. Though Cody isn't physically injured, whatever turned up caused the team to drop their offer. It's unknown what the current offer is, but one thing is sure: It's not the three-quarters-million-plus that he would have likely gotten before.

 

This isn't without precedence: 2012 6th rounder Andre Martinez originally came to terms with the Twins for $260,000 - $60,000 over slot - before his physical showed something amiss with his left shoulder. Martinez and the Twins eventually signed for $80,000. Most of the savings then went to sign the aforementioned Larson. Martinez hasn't resurfaced since being released after one appearance for the AZL White Sox in 2014. His Twins career ended in 2013.

 

Both Cody and the Twins are in a difficult situation.

 

Cody could return to Kentucky and pitch his senior season. He would re-enter the 2016 draft with little leverage as well as having the whatever-is-wrong-with-him now black cloud hanging over his head. That is, as long as nothing else happens between now and then.

 

The Twins are in a better place, but still handcuffed to the bonus pool. If Cody goes unsigned, those dollars are lost but they'll be awarded the 74th pick in the 2016 draft. If he signs for less, they can re-invest that money into later draft picks... but only until Friday afternoon.

 

It seems as though the Twins are still hopeful a deal will still be reached, which appears to be the best-case scenario for all parties involved, though it's an unfortunate development for Kyle Cody.

 

The Twins remain engaged in talks with a handful of their other selections as well. Prep pitchers Kyle Wilson and Colton Eastman, as well as prep outfielder Jonathan Engelmann, haven't all completely ruled out turning professional.

 

Currently, the Twins sit $77,600 under slot, which means they could pay any of of the non-Top 10-round picks up to $177,600 without incurring any fines.

 

However, none of the prep trio mentioned above are expected to sign for less than a few hundred thousand dollars. Dollars that aren't available unless Cody signs for less than slot.

 

With only about 72 hours left until the deadline, drama remains. And for a Twins fan under these rules, that's different.

 

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[Squirrel]

Is there any speculation as to just what was uncovered in the physical? What types of things would drop his value like that?

 

And have the Twins given him a deadline so they have time to use that money on other picks rather than be completely lost this year?

[Dman]

Did Alex Wiel sign? I don't see anything that shows that he was signed. That is tough news about Cody. I wonder what they would have found that would have put them off like that as the Twins are typically pretty straight shooters. Hope it can work out well for everyone.

[JustinCB]

I think in the past there's been a thread where each of the picks are listed with what they signed for, if at all. Is that still a thing and I just can't find it?

[LimestoneBaggy]

I don't remember the TD thread, but the Twins website lists when they sign here: http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/team/draft.jsp?c_id=min 

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Is there any speculation as to just what was uncovered in the physical? What types of things would drop his value like that?

And have the Twins given him a deadline so they have time to use that money on other picks rather than be completely lost this year?

 

Without knowing exactly what was found, I would *guess* there are really only two areas that are really big deals in a physical. I don't think I need to spell them out for you to figure them out. (It's one of those two.)

 

Tough to give him a deadline. If he says, "No deal", there isn't substantial money to spend.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

Did Alex Wiel sign? I don't see anything that shows that he was signed. That is tough news about Cody. I wonder what they would have found that would have put them off like that as the Twins are typically pretty straight shooters. Hope it can work out well for everyone.

 

Wiel is in Fort Myers "getting back into the swing of things." I'd expect him to be added to their roster any day now.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

 

I think in the past there's been a thread where each of the picks are listed with what they signed for, if at all. Is that still a thing and I just can't find it?

 

If you go into the forums, there is a section dedicated to the draft. There is a thread in there that had it.

[Monkeypaws]

Seems like Cody would do well, to take what the Twins offer, especially as his performance dropped off this year.

 

If not, well, I like the #74 next season. 

 

If I'm the Twins, I would give him a nice consolation prize, 150-200k, not a complete lowball offer, and used the savings on those later round kids. It's really all or nothing at this point.

[Seth Stohs]

With Kuresa moving back up to Cedar Rapids, I'd assume Weil goes to E-Town very soon.

[roger]

I know someone here mentioned that Chris Paul had signed, yet, the Twins website doesn't show him as having signed.  Can you confirm his signing?

 

They also don't show Max Cordy as having signed, yet I believe he has appeared in a game.  Are there others that they show as being unsigned who have in fact signed?

[jimbo92107]

 

Without knowing exactly what was found, I would *guess* there are really only two areas that are really big deals in a physical. I don't think I need to spell them out for you to figure them out. (It's one of those two.)

 

Tough to give him a deadline. If he says, "No deal", there isn't substantial money to spend.

Acne and foot odor, the nightmares of every pitching prospect... ;-)

[Bob Sacamento]

 

They also don't show Max Cordy as having signed, yet I believe he has appeared in a game.  Are there others that they show as being unsigned who have in fact signed?

I can vouch that Cordy is in camp and pitching for the GCL squad just saw him on Friday.  Don't think he got much more than 5K to sign.  If I see Wiel this weekend around the complex I'll let ya know.

 

If I'm Cody, I take the offer the Twins have on the table.  Way too big of a gamble for him to go back to school at this point.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Here is the list of unsigned guys. Paul and Wiel are both done, as is Cordy, who's playing. Everyone else is a done deal. That means 27 out of 40 signed. I remember reading that number was going to be closer to 20, which I always suggested was extremely low. IF Cody signs (28), I have no doubt one, possibly two more get done... which would bring the total to 30, which even I would have doubted.

 

P Kyle Cody
P Kyle Wilson
P Cody Eastman
P Blake Cederlind
RF Tyler Williams
LP Dalton Sawyer
RF Jonathan Engelmann
CF Greg Popylisen
LF Tristan Pompey
C Collin Theroux
P Jake Irvin
CF Alex McKenna
LP Daniel Tillo

[sane]

 

I think in the past there's been a thread where each of the picks are listed with what they signed for, if at all. Is that still a thing and I just can't find it?

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draftdb/index.php

[gil4]

 

Acne and foot odor, the nightmares of every pitching prospect... ;-)

I have a couple of OF non-prospects in the house dealing with the same issues. 

[jimbo92107]

 

I have a couple of OF non-prospects in the house dealing with the same issues. 

Once a week make them scrub their feet with Clorox Cleanup, and every other day spray their toes and shoes with Lysol. You'll never smell foot funk again. Dangerous chemicals rock!

[sane]

 

"You'll never smell foot funk again. Dangerous chemicals rock!"

 

From then on, you will totally lose your sense of smell. Taste, sight and hearing will soon follow.

[gil4]

 

From then on, you will totally lose your sense of smell. Taste, sight and hearing will soon follow.

Sounds like a fair trade-off.

[nicksaviking]

I'm going to guess comparing Cody to whomever the Twins chose at #74 next year will provide years of spirited indignant second guessing and/or stern defenses of the selection. Should be fun.

[AlwaysinModeration]

I'm going to guess comparing Cody to whomever the Twins chose at #74 next year will provide years of spirited indignant second guessing and/or stern defenses of the selection. Should be fun.

I suggest you alternate between both, and sometimes in the same comment, just to keep it fresh.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Not that simple. Getting Cody done would have provided savings to sign one or - more likely - two other guys.

[nicksaviking]

Not that simple. Getting Cody done would have provided savings to sign one or - more likely - two other guys.

Yes, this doesn't sound any different than Houston last year except the round. I was probably one of the few who liked the Cody pick but those medicals must have been quite alarming despite what the club is saying. The only other reasons not to pay what it took to sign him would be they A ) are cheap or B ) made a poor evaluation on him predraft and somehow realized it soon after.

 

I don't think A ) or B ) are likely at this point. Seems like the most logical answer is the team thought pick 74 next year was more likely to work out than Cody if Cody wasn't going to give them enough savings to get their HS targets.

Edited July 18, 2015 by nicksaviking

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I can only speculate what happened, because I don't know the specifics (and I honestly don't want to). But as you look around the league all of Kirby, Buehler and Betts ended up getting less because of things that showed up in their physicals.

 

I believe Cody wasn't taking a penny less than the ~$800K that he was originally going to sign for. The Twins weren't going to give him that, but still made a very substantial offer. When it was obvious they were going to have a few hundred extra thousand to spend (since Cody wasn't going to require it all), they engaged some kids and were fairly certain they'd be able to give them each close to $250k. 

 

It's just too bad because all of those other guys mentioned above realized that not signing was a really big risk. 

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Yes, this doesn't sound any different than Houston last year except the round.

 

Houston had an agreement in place with Nix and when Aiken chose not to sign, they yanked offers off the table for him. They also, when they thought they could get Aiken for less, immediately went out and tired to sign Marshal and then yanked that offer too when Aiken didn't sign.  It's a bit different.  It's not unusual to have something come up in the medicals and see an offer reduced.  All teams do that from time to time.  What Houston did, however, was a bit more unethical.