[In case you need a refresher on how the bonus pool works, and how it impacts what the Cubs can do with respect to draft signings, you can get refreshed here.]
With a few top ten round signings now kinda-sorta-probably official-ish, we can start to look at the Chicago Cubs’ 2014 bonus pool, and how the rest of their signings might shake out.
The Cubs have $8,352,200 in their bonus pool for the top ten rounds of the draft (plus any amount over $100,000 given to a player in rounds 11 through 40), and they can exceed that by 5% without losing a future draft pick. In other words, you can bet the Cubs will be willing to spend up to $8,769,810, but no more.
Here’s a run down on the Cubs’ picks and reported signings, and how they affect the bonus pool (caveat: most of these “signings” are merely reported, and could still be pending physical; and some of the “unsigned” guys have probably actually signed, or will very soon):
1. Kyle Schwarber – Signed for $3,125,000 (Slot amount: $4,621,200)
2. Jake Stinnett – Unsigned, expected under slot (Slot amount: $1,250,400)
3. Mark Zagunis – Signed for $615,000 (Slot amount: $714,900)
4. Carson Sands – Signed for $1,100,000 (Slot amount: $480,600)
5. Justin Steele – Signed for $1,000,000 (Slot amount: $359,900)
6. Dylan Cease – Unsigned, expected over slot (Slot amount: $269,500)
7. James Norwood – Unsigned, uncertain on expectation, possibly over slot (Slot amount: $201,900)
8. Tommy Thorpe – Unsigned (but strong signals), uncertain on expectation (Slot amount: $161,800)
9. James Farris – Unsigned, expected under slot (Slot amount: $151,000)
10. Ryan Williams – Unsigned, expected under slot (Slot amount: $141,000)
So, on the Schwarber and Zagunis signings, the Cubs saved $1,595,200 against their bonus pool. On the Sands and Steele signings, the Cubs exceeded slot by $1,259,500.
Total under pool: $335,700.
Keep in mind that the Stinnett, Farris, and Williams signings are likely to save more against the pool. Further, the Cubs have the 5% overage to work with, which could add as much as $417,610. Ballparking it, the Cubs still probably have well over $1 million to work with on signing guys like Cease and Norwood, as well as tough signs after the 10th Round.
As for those post-10th Round signings, we’ve only so far heard about two that are (1) likely to happen (though not official), and (2) potentially going to cost more than $100,000 (and thus impact the bonus pool). Those two are 11th Rounder Jordan Brink and 22nd Rounder Joey Martarano. There will be others, but, for now, those are the only two guys about whom we’ve heard that fit those two criteria.
And the good news is that John Manuel reports Brink is signing for $100,000:
Not as big, but #Cubs also have signed 11th-round RHP Jordan Brink, whose velo & stock fell in season's last 6 weeks. $100k bonus #mlbdraft
— John Manuel (@johnmanuelba) June 17, 2014
On Martarano, it sounds like there might not be any bonus pool implications, either, according to this Idaho Statesman piece, in which Martarano’s father suggests his son’s bonus will be in the $100,000 range.