NEWSLETTER
At last check, the Chicago Cubs had signed nine of their top twelve picks in the 2012 Draft (i.e., their picks through the first 10 rounds), and now it looks like we can make that ten, after the Cubs agreed to terms with third round pick Ryan McNeil.
McNeil, a high school righty pitcher out of California, was taken 101st overall, and is expected to receive a bonus right around his slot value of $471,000. He’ll head to Chicago tomorrow for a physical, before finalizing his contract and likely heading to Arizona.
The 18-year-old sounds pretty excited to get his professional career underway.
“It’s pretty surreal actually. I don’t think it’s really going to set in until I get there and start playing. I’m kind of just trying to have a level head about it and go with an open mind and just be excited,” McNeil told KSBY. “I know that not a lot of guys have an opportunity to do that and just you know live it up.” (There’s a nice video of McNeil at that link, too.)
With McNeil essentially signed for slot, the Cubs remain about $425K under their bonus pool (plus another $396K if they’re willing to exceed their bonus pool by up to 4.99% (and pay a tax, but lose no future draft picks)), so they’ve got plenty of extra cash to play with in order to lock up first round pick Albert Almora, and second round pick Duane Underwood. The Cubs could also throw some extra cash at a later round pick or two.
Speaking of which, the Cubs have also signed 18th round shortstop David Bote out of Neosho County, a JUCO in Colorado. Bote received the full $100K signing bonus, plus money for college tuition (a relatively standard incentive to get guys over the top and sign)
