BREAKING: Detroit Tigers Sign First-Round Pick, Three Other Top 2024 MLB Draft class to bonus deals
On Monday, the Detroit Tigers were active, securing four of their 2024 MLB Draft picks with bonus deals. Their first-round pick, along with three other selections from the first five rounds, were signed in a series of agreements, according to MLB Pipeline.
Rainer’s deal is particularly significant as it impacts the Tigers’ $11.921 million draft pick bonus pool. A University of Texas commit, Rainer signed an above-slot deal worth $5.8 million, surpassing the $5.71 million slot value for his No. 11 selection.
MLB Pipeline highlighted Rainer as potentially the best pure bat in the draft class, with expectations for him to remain at shortstop and drawing comparisons to two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager. The left-handed Rainer attended Harvard-Westlake High School in California and was ranked as the No. 10 overall prospect by MLB.com.
The Tigers also signed two other prospects under-slot to allocate more funds to Rainer’s deal. Second-round pick Owen Hall, a high school pitcher, signed for $1.75 million, about $143,000 below his No. 49 slot value of $1.893 million. Hall, a Vanderbilt recruit from Edmond, Oklahoma, will forgo college for the pros. He starred at Edmond North High School and boasts a fastball that reaches 97 mph, along with a slider and change-up. His control of secondary pitches is key to his development.
Third-round pick Josh Randall, a pitcher from the University of San Diego, signed an under-slot deal worth $700,000, compared to his No. 85 pick’s slot value of $892,600. Randall has a fastball that can hit 80 mph and a slider in the low 80s.
Detroit Tigers sign No. 11 overall pick Bryce Rainer to over-slot $5.8 million bonus https://t.co/AIswx3Cpw9
— Freep Sports (@freepsports) July 22, 2024
Fourth-round pick Michael Massey, a former Wake Forest pitcher, signed for $522,500, below the No. 114 pick’s slot value of $637,200. Massey, a starter last season, might return to a relief role after being the Demon Deacons’ top reliever in 2023.
The Tigers also have contracts with three other selections: Notre Dame shortstop Jack Penney, UC Irvine shortstop Woody Hadeen, and Regis pitcher Ethan Sloan, all of whom signed below-slot deals. Detroit has until 5 p.m. eastern on August 1, two days after the MLB trade deadline, to sign all their draft picks.
Below is the complete list of the Tigers’ 2024 MLB Draft selections.
2024 Detroit Tigers MLB Draft Picks
(Round, player, school, position, bat/throw)
Bold: Signed per report
Round 1: Bryce Rainer, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA), SS, L/R
Round 2: Owen Hall, Edmond North HS (OK), P, R/R
CB-B: Ethan Schiefelbein, Corona Senior HS (CA), P, L/L
Round 3: Josh Randall, University of San Diego, P, R/R
Round 4: Michael Massey, Wake Forest, P, R/R
Round 5: Jack Penney, Notre Dame, SS, L/R
Round 6: Woody Hadeen, University of California – Irvine, SS, S/R
Round 7: Jackson Strong, Canisius College, OF, L/L
Round 8: Ethan Sloan, Regis University, P, L/L
Round 9: Zach Swanson, Toutle Lake HS (WA), P, R/R
Round 10: R.J. Sales, UNC Wilmington, P, R/R
Round 11: Micah Ashman, Utah, P, L/L
Round 12: Jude Warwick, Downers Grove North HS (IL), SS, L/R
Round 13: Lucas Elissalt, Chipola College, P, R/R
Round 14: Preston Howey, St. Mary’s College, P, R/R
Round 15: Zach MacDonald, Miami University (OH), OF, R/R
Round 16: Anson Seibert, Blue Valley Southwest HS (KS), P, L/R
Round 17: Gabriel Rosado, Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (PR), C, L/R
Round 18: Bryce Alewine, Southern Union St JC (AL), P, R/R
Round 19: Chase Davis, Leon HS (FL), P, L/L
Round 20: Dawson Price, Eastern Oklahoma St JC (OK), P, R/R