Former Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart received a $7.025 million signing bonus, which is more than just a lot of money. It’s also reportedly the largest upfront bonus that a position player has ever received in the history of the Major League Baseball draft.
Bart was selected No. 2 overall by the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. Jim Callis of MLB.com reported that Bart's bonus was a record-setting sum. The No. 2 pick was slotted for $7,494,600, making Bart's actual bonus something of a bargain.
Bart entered the draft following his junior season, in which he was named the ACC player of the year and its defensive player of the year and was chosen to multiple All-America teams. He is also a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate catcher. He also became the highest draft pick in Tech history.
According to mlb.com, Bart will join other draftees at a mini-camp at the team’s Scottsdale, Ariz., training facility before heading to the Giants’ Class A short-season team in Oregon.
Logan Simmons, a Tech signee drafted in the sixth round by Philadelphia, signed last week for $750,000, well above the assigned pick value of $292,700. Coach Danny Hall had expected him to sign and pass up enrolling at Tech.
Hall said he expected two other signees who were drafted, pitcher Luke Bartnicki of Walton High (Arizona Diamondbacks, 29th round) and pitcher Reese Olson of North Hall High (Milwaukee Brewers, 13th round), to enroll at Tech.
Former Tech second baseman Wade Bailey, selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 33rd round, was not signed as of noon Monday, according to mlb.com.
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