Cubs Set to Sign a Trio of Positional Draft Picks: Zak Blair, Kevin Brown and Tyler Sciacca

As I mentioned yesterday on a news of two pitchers signing, a number of collegiate signings from this year’s Draft are going to be rolling in rapidly with short-season ball just around the corner.

Today’s iteration includes 20th rounder Zak Blair, 22nd rounder Kevin Brown, and 27th rounder Tyler Sciacca. All are college position players who just finished their senior seasons, and all fit the current front office’s mold.

Blair, a second baseman from Mercyhurst, led his team in almost every offensive category and struck out just 9 times (while walking 18) this past season. GoErie.com reports that Blair signed with the Cubs yesterday.

Brown, an outfielder from Bryant, sported a huge line this year that featured another ridiculous BB:K ratio (47:20). The News Telegram reports that Brown is headed to Mesa, Arizona today for a six to ten-day minicamp before joining the Boise Hawks.

Sciacca, an infielder from Villanova, dealt with a quad injury for most of his senior season, but still produced fairly well. SILive.com reports that Sciacca is also headed to Mesa today to sign his contract and to participate in the minicamp.

Because all three are seniors, and none was expected to be a top draft pick, it’s a fair assumption that none received more than $100,000 to sign (and thus their signings will not count against the Cubs’ bonus pool). That’s not to say the Cubs don’t really like these guys. It’s just that college seniors don’t have a whole lot of leverage, and, if they want to get their pro career going – they’re already in their 20s – it’s often in their best interest to sign quickly.