The Pirates selected the best overall player still remaining with the first pick on the second day of the 2011 MLB Draft.
The Pirates’ pick, Josh Bell, was ranked the No. 15 overall pick in the draft by Baseball America, but he fell all the way to the Pirates at No. 61 due to concerns that he won’t sign at all. He has a commitment to the University of Texas and sent MLB teams a letter indicating that he was planning on honoring it. He certainly sounds like he’s going to college. However, he did hire Scott Boras as his draft advisor, which suggests he’s at least open to being selected, regardless of what he says.
He won’t be cheap, though. Luckily, if the Pirates’ last three drafts have told us anything, it’s that they won’t shy away from spending big money on guys like this. If Bell won’t sign, they get a similar pick as compensation in next year’s draft.
The Pirates are making a big splash here. This is a bold pick, and if they can sign both Bell and first-overall pick Gerrit Cole, they’re going to spend a ton of money in this draft. Good for them.
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