2007 Draft Picks who have signed

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Any word on when we can expect Vitters to sign?

[Guest]

2B Jeffrey Rea - Mississippi State

 

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Senior second baseman Jeffrey Rea and senior right-hander Josh Johnson, among four members of Mississippi State’s 2007 College World Series edition selected in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft, have signed professional baseball contracts.

 

Rea, from Nettleton, Miss., has signed with the Chicago Cubs and will report next Tuesday to Mesa, Ariz., to begin his career with the Mesa Cubs of the Arizona League. Rea was chosen in the 18th round by the Cubs.

 

http://www.mstateathletics.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=15&url_article_id=8882&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2

[cuubs4life]

Any word on when we can expect Vitters to sign?

 

I hope him and Thomas sign soon!!!!!

 

Vitters should go to Mesa and maybe get a cup of coffie at Boise, and I expect Thomas to go to Boise, and maybe a taste of Peoria before the year is over.

[Guest]

Per the Idaho Statesman, Clark Hardman (9th rounder, CSUF) signed. Is it just me or do the last two sentences contradict each other? The first sentence says 4 of the Cubs top 9 picks have signed...and then says the top 5 picks *have* signed:

 

Former Cal State Fullerton center fielder Clark Hardman, the Cubs' ninth-round draft pick, recently signed with Chicago after the Titans were eliminated from the College World Series, Fleita said. Hardman suffered a calf strain in the College World Series and will take some time off before reporting to the Cubs' training facility in Mesa, Ariz. The Cubs have now signed four of their top nine draft picks and three of them are in Boise (left-hander Casey Lambert, sixth round, outfielder Ty Wright, seventh, and third baseman Marquez Smith, eighth. As of Friday afternoon, Fleita said, the Cubs' top five picks have been signed.

 

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/story/90180.html

[E.J.]

Per the Idaho Statesman, Clark Hardman (9th rounder, CSUF) signed. Is it just me or do the last two sentences contradict each other? The first sentence says 4 of the Cubs top 9 picks have signed...and then says the top 5 picks *have* signed:

 

Former Cal State Fullerton center fielder Clark Hardman, the Cubs' ninth-round draft pick, recently signed with Chicago after the Titans were eliminated from the College World Series, Fleita said. Hardman suffered a calf strain in the College World Series and will take some time off before reporting to the Cubs' training facility in Mesa, Ariz. The Cubs have now signed four of their top nine draft picks and three of them are in Boise (left-hander Casey Lambert, sixth round, outfielder Ty Wright, seventh, and third baseman Marquez Smith, eighth. As of Friday afternoon, Fleita said, the Cubs' top five picks have been signed.

 

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/story/90180.html

 

Sounds like the people at the idaho statesman need to learn how to write. They're having all kinds of problems.

[NCCubFan]

Per the Idaho Statesman, Clark Hardman (9th rounder, CSUF) signed. Is it just me or do the last two sentences contradict each other? The first sentence says 4 of the Cubs top 9 picks have signed...and then says the top 5 picks *have* signed:

 

Former Cal State Fullerton center fielder Clark Hardman, the Cubs' ninth-round draft pick, recently signed with Chicago after the Titans were eliminated from the College World Series, Fleita said. Hardman suffered a calf strain in the College World Series and will take some time off before reporting to the Cubs' training facility in Mesa, Ariz. The Cubs have now signed four of their top nine draft picks and three of them are in Boise (left-hander Casey Lambert, sixth round, outfielder Ty Wright, seventh, and third baseman Marquez Smith, eighth. As of Friday afternoon, Fleita said, the Cubs' top five picks have been signed.

 

http://www.idahostatesman.com/sports/story/90180.html

If that were true Vitters would have been signed (too bad it isn't). One must keep in mind this is the same paper that mentioned Kyler Wright.

[Guest]

Darwin Barney (4th rounder) is close to signing with the Cubs:

 

The Oregonian[/url]"] Junior shortstop Darwin Barney, an all-tournament performer in the CWS, said Wednesday that his negotiations with the Chicago Cubs probably will be completed by the end of the week. The Cubs have told Barney, whom they selected in the fourth round, that they expect him to be an everyday shortstop.

 

Barney is scheduled to report to the Cubs' training facility in Mesa, Ariz., on July 7 for a physical examination. It's probable that his first stop will be with the Boise Hawks, the Cubs' short-season Class A affiliate in the Northwest League.

[Guest]

Sounds like 34th rounder Enrique Garcia will not sign:

 

Miami Herald[/url]"]UM pitcher Garcia to return to school

 

University of Miami right-handed pitcher Enrique Garcia will return to school for his senior season, the team announced Friday.

 

Garcia was selected in the 34th round by the Chicago Cubs in the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in June.

 

Garcia finished his first season with the Hurricanes with an 8-4 record and a 3.82 ERA. He had one save and struck out 80 in 92 innings. He appeared in 22 games, starting 14 of those, and was the only Hurricanes pitcher to throw a complete game this season.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Have we gotten any idea how negotiations with Vitters are going?

[Guest]

Have we gotten any idea how negotiations with Vitters are going?

 

Sounds like most of the teams with top picks are waiting for one of the top picks to sign so they can work around those dollar figures.

[cuubs4life]

Have we gotten any idea how negotiations with Vitters are going?

 

Sounds like most of the teams with top picks are waiting for one of the top picks to sign so they can work around those dollar figures.

 

when is the new deadline for the picks to sign?

[Guest]

Have we gotten any idea how negotiations with Vitters are going?

 

Sounds like most of the teams with top picks are waiting for one of the top picks to sign so they can work around those dollar figures.

 

when is the new deadline for the picks to sign?

 

Aug 15.

[Guest]

Given that Acosta pitched for Mesa today, I'm guessing he has signed.

[Guest]

Given that Acosta pitched for Mesa today, I'm guessing he has signed.

 

Actually that was 18-year old Dominican native Francisco Acosta who pitched for Mesa today, not Ryan Acosta.

[Guest]

Given that Acosta pitched for Mesa today, I'm guessing he has signed.

 

Actually that was 18-year old Dominican native Francisco Acosta who pitched for Mesa today, not Ryan Acosta.

Rats.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Any news on Thomas?

[Guest]

Darwin Barney (4th rounder) signed.

 

Any news on Thomas?

 

Nothing really. This is all I found on Thomas, but that I don't know how much this guy actually knows about the negotiations to say it's getting closer:

 

Tallahassee Democrat[/url]"]Thomas closer to leaving 'Noles

 

Tony Thomas said he is getting closer to a deal with the Chicago Cubs. But before the Florida State second baseman enters professional baseball, he is in position to add another honor to his impressive list for the 2007 season.

 

...

 

Coach Mike Martin isn't monitoring Thomas' negotiations. The veteran coach knows that Thomas will not return for his senior season. He'll join juniors Mark Hallberg and Mark Gildea, who have already signed with professional baseball teams.

[CUBZ99]

Given that Acosta pitched for Mesa today, I'm guessing he has signed.

 

Actually that was 18-year old Dominican native Francisco Acosta who pitched for Mesa today, not Ryan Acosta.

Rats.

 

I'm actually happy to see that it was not Ryan Acosta. It seems everytime I see Acosta pitching for Mesa he is getting shelled. (16.20 ERA so far this year)

[Wrigley Rat]

The Cubs have also signed lefty OF Clark Hardman out of Cal State Fullerton. Hardman strained his calf during the College World Series, so he won't report immediately to the Mesa Cubs (Rookie) or Boise (Short A).

 

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=63650

 

This article is old, but since he played in Mesa yesterday... (I've found Bob Sacramento to be a very trustworthy Cubs source.)

[Guest]

BA has some contract figures up in the first 10 rounds, which is always a nice thing to see because that can give hints to prospects who the Cubs value more than you thought they would:

 

1st rounder (supp): C Josh Donaldson, Auburn - $652,500

5th rounder: OF Brandon Guyer, Virginia - $148,000

6th rounder: LHP Casey Lambert, Virginia - $53,000

7th rounder: OF Ty Wright, Oklahoma State - $42,000

8th rounder: 3B Marquez Smith, Clemson -$30,000

9th rounder: OF Clark Hardman, Cal State Fullerton - $114,500

10th rounder: OF Leon Johnson, BYU - $109,500

 

The Cubs sure saved some money in rounds 6-8. :( I'm actually rather surprised at how much Leon Johnson got (even if he was a sophomore, given his age I didn't think he had that much leverage...and I didn't think he was 6th-7th round caliber prospect either).

[Guest]

Official word on Barney + signing bonus info:

 

Portland Tribune[/url]"]Former Oregon State star Darwin Barney signed a contract Monday with the Chicago Cubs.

 

Barney, a fourth-round draft pick by the Cubs in the June 7 draft, says he received a signing bonus of $220,000.

 

“I’m happy,” says Barney, who was in Mesa, Ariz., on Monday undergoing a physical exam.

 

“It’s time to get my pro career moving,” he says. “I just want to stay healthy and play some good ball. I don’t feel I have to prove myself or anything. I’m just going to go out and play and have some fun.”

 

Barney expects to be assigned to either Chicago’s Rookie League team in Mesa or its Class A club in Boise, Idaho.

[Bruno7481]

I would think Barney would be a guy that could move pretty quickly through the system. He's limited in areas, and obvioulsy doesn't have anything close to star potential, but is probably pretty close to being a finished product.

[craig]

If minorleaguebaseball.com is to be believed (their box scores aren't always the most reliable) both Barney and Tony Thomas made their debuts today for Mesa.

 

If that's correct, Thomas as well as Barney has signed

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_07_11_rngrok_cubrok_1

[craig]

BA has some contract figures up in the first 10 rounds, which is always a nice thing to see because that can give hints to prospects who the Cubs value more than you thought they would:

 

1st rounder (supp): C Josh Donaldson, Auburn - $652,500

5th rounder: OF Brandon Guyer, Virginia - $148,000

6th rounder: LHP Casey Lambert, Virginia - $53,000

7th rounder: OF Ty Wright, Oklahoma State - $42,000

8th rounder: 3B Marquez Smith, Clemson -$30,000

9th rounder: OF Clark Hardman, Cal State Fullerton - $114,500

10th rounder: OF Leon Johnson, BYU - $109,500

 

The Cubs sure saved some money in rounds 6-8. :( I'm actually rather surprised at how much Leon Johnson got (even if he was a sophomore, given his age I didn't think he had that much leverage...and I didn't think he was 6th-7th round caliber prospect either).

 

I don't have BA subscription, so can't do careful comparison. Cal, would it be fair to say that thus far the first day picks seem like straight slot, and if anything hardman and Johnson are mild superslots? But that 6-8 are extreme sub-slot senior signs?

 

Will be interesting to see what Thomas got, whether he was straight slot, or perhaps even mild superslot. I'll be surprised if he's very seriously sub-slot, given that it took him a while to sign.

 

I'm actually somewhat encouraged that other than the 2nd-day senior signs, that the rest seem slot. Would suggest that other than 6-8, the Cubs weren't drafting for signability, but were drafting on their perception of merit relative to the large pool of slot-avaiilable guys at any given point in the draft.

 

I'm still curious about the impact budget had on their selections, and by whom or why the budget limit was imposed. No idea how the draft budget gets assigned, how flexible it is, or what the beginning/end of it is.

 

For example:

a) Is it possible that Samardz, signed this calendar year, might count against the 2007 draft budget? Could it be a January-December budget?

b) Is it possible that all the draft-and-follow signings (weren't there like 6 of them?) might perhaps come out of the 2007 draft budget? For example, might Wilken have to either not sign Hatley or Jovan or Latham or Redmond or whomever, or else perhaps have to squeeze some of those dollars away from his budget for otherwise signing 2007 draftees? I have no idea, pure speculation. But perhaps if he'd spent $200 or more on D+F, he knew he'd need to go $200 subslot in the draft, and that's where Lambert-Wright-Smith came in?

c) Maybe once it's all said and done, we'll find that the 6-7-8 will all get spent on 2007 superslots, a little extra for Leon Johnson here, an extra pinch to somebody else there...

 

Lambert, by the way, is off to a fast start. 19K/4BB/12or13 innings. Maybe someday Lambert will be the LH equivalent of Wuertz, a breaking ball artist reliever.

Edited July 11, 2007 by craig

[Guest]

If minorleaguebaseball.com is to be believed (their box scores aren't always the most reliable) both Barney and Tony Thomas made their debuts today for Mesa.

 

If that's correct, Thomas as well as Barney has signed

 

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_07_11_rngrok_cubrok_1

 

They have Thomas' information right (age, right college). I'd guess it's right.

 

I don't have BA subscription, so can't do careful comparison. Cal, would it be fair to say that thus far the first day picks seem like straight slot, and if anything hardman and Johnson are mild superslots? But that 6-8 are extreme sub-slot senior signs?

 

6-8 definitely are super sub-slot signings (though, oddly enough, not the lowest bonus for their particular rounds).

 

Taking a cursory glance, it looks like the 6th round bonuses averaged out to around $120,000. 7th round: $100,000. 8th round: around $80,000...i.e. the Cubs got Lambert, Wright and Smith at about 40% of the average bonus for their round. What's interesting is there's a wide range between the bonus values - it looks like quite a few teams gave sub-slot bonues in rounds 7-8, more than I'd expect from a normal draft. But again, this is just at a glance - I didn't go ahead and average the bonuses out. Here's a recent BA blog entry that talks about how bonuses are down - so far it looks like few of the teams want to rock the boat.

 

Will be interesting to see what Thomas got, whether he was straight slot, or perhaps even mild superslot. I'll be surprised if he's very seriously sub-slot, given that it took him a while to sign.

 

Not only did Thomas take a while to sign but he was considered a 3rd round prospect and a jr - I can't see him taking sub-slot money at all.

 

I'm actually somewhat encouraged that other than the 2nd-day senior signs, that the rest seem slot. Would suggest that other than 6-8, the Cubs weren't drafting for signability, but were drafting on their perception of merit relative to the large pool of slot-avaiilable guys at any given point in the draft.

 

I'm still curious about the impact budget had on their selections, and by whom or why the budget limit was imposed. No idea how the draft budget gets assigned, how flexible it is, or what the beginning/end of it is.

 

For example:

a) Is it possible that Samardz, signed this calendar year, might count against the 2007 draft budget? Could it be a January-December budget?

b) Is it possible that all the draft-and-follow signings (weren't there like 6 of them?) might perhaps come out of the 2007 draft budget? For example, might Wilken have to either not sign Hatley or Jovan or Latham or Redmond or whomever, or else perhaps have to squeeze some of those dollars away from his budget for otherwise signing 2007 draftees? I have no idea, pure speculation. But perhaps if he'd spent $200 or more on D+F, he knew he'd need to go $200 subslot in the draft, and that's where Lambert-Wright-Smith came in?

c) Maybe once it's all said and done, we'll find that the 6-7-8 will all get spent on 2007 superslots, a little extra for Leon Johnson here, an extra pinch to somebody else there...

 

Lambert, by the way, is off to a fast start. 19K/4BB/12or13 innings. Maybe someday Lambert will be the LH equivalent of Wuertz, a breaking ball artist reliever.

 

Wow, I never thought Samardzija could have played a role in this year's draft, but that's a very good idea.

 

Going over slot (even if it's minimal) for Hardman and Johnson is nice to see after rounds 6-8. I'm hoping some of the draft-eligible sophomores, Cape Cod guys and Victor Sanchez are possibile signings because of the skimping on bonuses early but those guys look like insurance in case the Cubs couldn't sign the early round guys.

Edited July 11, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin