Braves give record bonus to draft pick

By DAVID O'BRIEN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves signed first-round draft pick Mike Minor on Thursday for a $2.42 million bonus, the largest in franchise history and the largest signing bonus in draft history for a No. 7 pick.

“Today was the first day I actually felt like a Brave,” said Minor, 21, a former Vanderbilt left-hander who will report to Class A Rome on Saturday. “Draft day was a big day in my life, but today it was like I sealed the deal. I feel like I’m actually starting my career now.”

His signing bonus surpassed the $2.2 million the Braves gave Jeff Francoeur in 2002 and eclipsed the $2.4 million bonus that Prince Fielder received from the Brewers that year, the previous record for a No. 7 selection.

Francoeur was the 23rd pick of the first round, but had a football scholarship to Clemson to use as leverage for a bonus much higher than usual for his slot.

Minor, who was 22-10 with a 3.79 ERA in three seasons at Vanderbilt, signed in his hometown of Chapel Hill, Tenn.

There’s an Aug. 17 deadline for drafted players to sign or be forced to re-enter the draft. His agent, Bo McKinnis, said Minor always intended to sign before the deadline and was thrilled to join the organization he grew up cheering for.

“He was just so excited to be drafted by the Braves in the first place,” McKinnis said. “Being a Tennessee resident, like so many guys growing up in the Southeast he kind of dreamed of playing for the Braves.”

Minor said, “We were excited about being drafted in the first round, and then to be picked by the Braves was like a dream. Now to get a bonus like this — it’s a little overwhelming.”

After Fielder, the next-highest signing bonuses for No. 7 draft picks were the $2.3 million bonuses given to the seventh picks in 2004 (Homer Bailey), 2005 (Troy Tulowitzki) and 2006 (Clayton Kershaw).

Minor is 6-foot-4 but not an overpowering pitcher. He has good command of an 89-91 mph fastball that occasionally touches 92-93 mph and complements it with a good slider and decent change-up and curveball.

He said he has spent the down time since the NCAA regionals doing plenty of throwing to keep his arm in shape.

“I didn’t want to let anybody down,” he said.