With the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft over, teams are busying negotiating and signing their draft picks to contracts. The Milwaukee Brewers are aggressively working to sign their players, reaching deals with four of their top eight picks on Wednesday.
The Brewers inked second round pick (46th overall pick) Lucas Erceg, a third baseman from Menlo College, to a $1.15 million signing bonus, which is $236,900 less than the assigned pick value.
Erceg is a left-handed power-hitting third baseman who has a strong arm that profiles well at the hot corner.
Right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes also signed with the Brewers, agreeing to a signing bonus worth $536,400, which is the assigned value for the No. 111 pick. The righty throws a mid-90s fastball with a hard slider, curveball and changeup.
Burnes has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter at the major league level.
The Brewers signed their sixth round pick in Utah prep catcher Payton Henry to an over slot deal. A BYU commit, Henry’s signing bonus is worth $550,000, exceeding the recommended slot value of $250,000 for the 171st pick. The Brewers will also pay for four years of college tuition for Henry once his professional career is finished.
Seventh-rounder Daniel Brown, a left-hander from Mississippi State, agreed to the recommended slot number of $225,500 for the 201st pick. The lefty will likely be a bullpen arm with a solid fastball-slider combination.
Although the Brewers have signed a majority of their top 10 round picks, they have yet to come to terms on a deal with No. 5 overall pick Corey Ray. Stay tuned to The3rdManIn.com for all the latest news surrounding the Brewers and the MLB Draft.
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