Amid potential large-scale change to the MLB draft, this year’s class of selections are reaching deals for unprecedented signing bonuses.
Less than two weeks after the July 11 draft in Philadelphia, 18 of the top 20 picks have already signed contracts with MLB clubs, and the deals include a series of league records. Among them:
A $10.35 million signing bonus for UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the No. 1 overall pick by the White Sox. The agreement sets an MLB record, beating the $9.25 million deals for the Reds’ Chase Burns and the Rockies’ Charlie Condon in 2024, and is the league’s first signing bonus to reach eight figures. Cholowsky’s signing bonus also surpasses the $8.2 million that the Nationals’ Eli Willits received last year as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB draft.
A $9.75 million signing bonus for Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson, selected at No. 2 by the Rays. The deal is the largest ever for any high school player, and only trails Cholowsky in MLB history for any selection.
A $9.5 million signing bonus for Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, selected at No. 3 by the Twins, in a deal that is the highest in MLB history outside of the pacts for Cholowsky and Emerson.
