Pirates Prospects notes that the Bucs appear to have agreed to terms with several early-round draft picks: third-rounder Jon Sandfort, sixth-rounder Eric Wood, and ninth-rounder D.J. Crumlich. A separate post reports that seventh-rounder Jacob Stallings has agreed to terms as well.
We already knew Sandfort was eager to sign.
That Wood, Stallings and Crumlich would sign quickly is no surprise. Wood wasn’t a well-known prospect, and he’ll evidently sign for $100,000, saving the Pirates $88,000 in pool money that they might be able to use later on first-rounder Mark Appel or a promising later-round pick. Stallings and Crumlich are college seniors and will probably also save the Pirates money against their pool allotment.
The key here is how the Pirates will handle negotiations with first-round pick Mark Appel, who likely won’t sign until near the deadline. His recommended pool value is $2.9 million.
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