How do MLB Draft Signing Bonuses Work?

Last Modified Jul 9, 2024 07:27 GMT
How do MLB Draft Signing Bonuses Work
MLB Draft (Image Credits:- Getty Images )

Major League Baseball (MLB) always looks forward to adding the most talented baseball players to its teams. For this reason, it uses the MLB Draft every year so college and high school baseball players can get an opportunity to become professionals in the league.

The MLB Draft indicates the mid-way point of the MLB season along with the MLB All-Star game and other events. The league has introduced a lottery system that determines which team will get the first overall pick in the draft for the year. Moreover, it also chooses the next five picks of the year. From the seventh pick of the first round, the reverse order based on all teams’ rankings in the previous season is followed. The Draft goes on for twenty rounds and several new players are added by all the teams in the league. These players then begin their journey in the world of professional baseball by starting out in the minor leagues before transitioning into the majors. Notably, July 14, 2024, July 15, 2024, and July 16, 2024 are the dates of the 2024 MLB Draft.

Working of the MLB Draft Signing Bonus System

The MLB teams sign new players from high school and college during the MLB Draft every year. These new players then sign contracts with the teams and are given a bonus amount of money for signing the contract. The amount of the signing bonus can vary based on the draft position of the player as per JaxAthletics. This is done through the bonus pool of the team, which is the amount the team can spend on the signing bonuses without getting penalties.

However, if there is a highly talented player, teams can often pay him a signing bonus that is more than their slot value to get him. On the other hand, they can also play a lesser singing bonus under the slot value to a player, that is interested in becoming a professional. Signing bonuses have proved to be advantageous for the teams during the MLB Draft. It allows the MLB teams to compete with NIL deals and college scholarships and attract the top future talents in baseball to the team.

How much does a 5th round MLB Draft Pick Make?

These are the amounts that the 5th round MLB Draft picks are going to earn in the 2024 Draft as per the official MLB website -

  1. Oakland Athletics: $510,000

  2. Kansas City Royals: $505,000

  3. Colorado Rockies: $500,000

  4. Chicago White Sox: $495,400

  5. Washington Nationals: $490,500

  6. St. Louis Cardinals: $485,700

  7. Los Angeles Angels: $480,800

  8. New York Mets: $476,200

  9. Pittsburgh Pirates: $471,400

  10. Cleveland Guardians: $466,900

  11. Detroit Tigers: $462,300

  12. Boston Red Sox: $457,900

  13. San Francisco Giants: $453,300

  14. Cincinnati Reds: $448,700

  15. San Diego Padres: $444,200

  16. New York Yankees: $440,100

  17. Chicago Cubs: $435,600

  18. Seattle Mariners: $431,400

  19. Miami Marlins: $427,000

  20. Milwaukee Brewers: $422,900

  21. Tampa Bay Rays: $418,600

  22. Toronto Blue Jays: $414,600

  23. Minnesota Twins: $411,000

  24. Baltimore Orioles: $407,100

  25. Atlanta Braves: $403,400

  26. Philadelphia Phillies: $399,600

  27. Houston Astros: $396,200

  28. Arizona Diamondbacks: $392,300

  29. Texas Rangers: $388,700

Bonus Pools for the 2024 MLB Draft

Bonus pools are notable for being the amounts that the MLB teams use to sign players after they are drafted. These are the bonus pool amounts for all the MLB teams for the 2024 Draft as per the official MLB website -

  • Cleveland Guardians: $18,334,000

  • Colorado Rockies: $17,243,400

  • Cincinnati Reds: $15,842,100

  • Kansas City Royals: $15,418,300

  • Oakland Athletics: $15,347,900

  • Chicago White Sox: $14,593,300

  • Pittsburgh Pirates: $14,000,500

  • Los Angeles Angels: $12,990,400

  • Milwaukee Brewers: $12,984,400

  • Arizona Diamondbacks: $12,662,000

  • Minnesota Twins: $12,209,600

  • Detroit Tigers: $11,921,800

  • Washington Nationals: $11,500,100

  • Baltimore Orioles: $10,920,900

  • Boston Red Sox: $10,521,600

  • Miami Marlins: $10,438,500

  • St. Louis Cardinals: $10,213,000

  • Tampa Bay Rays: $10,093,100

  • Chicago Cubs: $9,802,300

  • New York Mets: $9,572,200

  • Seattle Mariners: $9,543,300

  • San Diego Padres: $9,360,500

  • Toronto Blue Jays: $8,987,000

  • New York Yankees: $8,134,500

  • Atlanta Braves: $7,765,000

  • San Francisco Giants: $7,566,200

  • Philadelphia Phillies: $7,381,800

  • Texas Rangers: $6,997,900

  • Los Angeles Dodgers: $6,114,700

  • Houston Astros: $5,914,700

FAQ's On MLB Draft Signing Bonuses Work

A. Yes, MLB players get signing bonuses after they are drafted. 

A. The highest signing bonus in the MLB Draft history is $9.2 million as of 2024. The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Paul Skenes with his amount as the first overall pick in 2023.

A. Yes, twenty-three MLB Draft picks have gone on straight to the majors as of 2024.

A. A high school or a college baseball player can enter the MLB Draft without any fee.

A. Players start their professional career in the minors after getting drafted in the MLB Draft. 

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