Atlanta Braves Stay Busy, Already Sign Multiple Draft Picks — Creatively

Braves Moving Quick With Draftees

The Atlanta Braves have already signed10 of their 42 selections that they made in the 2016 MLD Draft.  The highest pick they’ve signed so far is their 6th round pick, Matt Gonzalez from Georgia Tech.

**UPDATED: Braves have signed Alex Lee, there 22nd round selection from Samford.

Major League Drafts are different than any other sport.  You can’t just freely draft players like you do in other leagues.  Each team has a bonus pool allotted to them that they have to stay under.  In 2016, the Braves have a total of $13,319,600 in bonus pool money – third highest behind the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.  The lowest amount is the Chicago Cubs at $2,245,100.

Every selection in the top 10 rounds of the MLB draft comes with an assigned value.  That total for each of a team’s choices covers what they can spend without penalty in those rounds.  You’ll see from the chart below the assigned value of the first 10 rounds compared to what the Braves have signed the player for.

By signing Gonzalez to a deal worth only $25,000 compared to the slot value of $306,600, the Braves saved $281,600 which they can offer to later draft picks to entice them to sign.  Watch the Braves try to do this move to from rounds three through 10.  These guys were mostly seniors in college that would likely sign for a lot less.  Kinda sucks for them to be drafted by the Braves as they could have got more money by being selected by another team.

Note as you look at the chart below, picks after the 10th round have no slot value and teams don’t lose any bonus pool money for failing to sign a player in these rounds.  Any amount given to a player in these rounds with excess of $100,000 counts against the bonus pool.

KEEP CHECKING BACK IN

Take a look at the excited new Braves and the chart below that shows who the Braves have signed so far.  We’ll be updating this chart throughout the summer months as the players are signed.

Matt Gonzalez – 6th round pick

J.B. Moss – 7th round pick – This is a strange one. Moss posted yesterday afternoon that he had officially signed with the Braves.  I told him congrats and others did as well.  The Atlanta Braves twitter account even retweeted it.  But, he deleted the post around 10pm last night. 

Matt Rowland – 11th round pick

Brandon White – 13th round pick

Ramon Osuna Sanchez – 14th round pick

Zach Becherer – 15th round pick –
Becherer said his doctor told him he is at least eight to 12 months away from getting back on a mound. It could take up to 18 months for a full recovery

Devan Watts – 17th round pick

Gabe Howell – 20th round pick

Griffin Benson – 23rd round pick

Corbin Clouse – 27th round pick

[table id=44 /]

So far, by my calculations the Braves have spent $775,0000 plus the five or six players (depending on JB Moss) which we’re not sure of the figures.  Which means the Braves have $12,544,600 to play with.

**UPDATED 2:28pm Tuesday: Found out Lee and Benson’s bonus money – subtract another $150,000

**UPDATED 4:40pm Tuesday: Braves have signed Joey Wentz, Kyle Muller and Drew Harrington!  Three of their top five picks are now under contract.  This puts the Braves spent money at $7,375,000 and still have $5,944,600 to play with

**note that the players with (–) in the Bonus Amount column we do not yet know the amount they were given