Reds sign West Allegheny prospect
OF Hendrick receives $4 million signing bonus
Austin Hendrick, the 12th pick in the MLB draft from West Allegheny High School, signed with the Reds, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.
Hendrick, a projected right fielder with a left-handed swing, reportedly received a $4 million signing bonus.
Hendrick became just the sixth WPIAL player to be drafted in the first round since 1965.
Dick Williams, the Reds’ president of baseball operations, said they loved Hendrick’s power and hitting tools. Director of amateur scouting Brad Meador said the Reds had Hendrick much higher than 12 on their board.
Update: Spring training 2.0
When major leaguers report next week for spring training 2.0 — or perhaps more accurately, baseball’s first summer camp — time will be a precious commodity with about three weeks to go before opening day.
“We’re going to have some live batting practices the first day they show up. Day 1 and Day 2 . ... Multiple ups for the starters,” Kansas City manager Mike Matheny said. “These guys are prepared for that. They’ve been hungry for it.”
All across the majors, the race is on to set up travel plans and work out the final details for training ahead of an unforgiving season of just 60 games. After intake coronavirus tests and a mandatory quarantine period while awaiting results, fullsquad workouts likely will begin next weekend.
The regular season starts July 23 or 24, leaving a short period for players to prepare and a tricky balance for managers trying to get their teams ready while also worrying about potential health issues that could pop up with more frequency during a truncated training period.
There is particular concern for starting pitchers, who take great care in building up their arms over an extended period.
That’s one reason why active rosters will be 30 players during the first two weeks, 28 during the second two weeks and 26 after that.
Blue Jays
Less than a week before teams resume training on July 1, Toronto still hasn’t been able to tell its players where to show up. “Sometime over the weekend, we’ll get them on their way and tell them where to report,” Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said. After spending weeks working on a “dual scenario” for their spring training site in Dunedin, Fla., and Rogers Centre in Toronto, a recent spike in coronavirus cases in Florida prompted the Blue Jays to petition the Canadian government to let players cross the closed U.S.-Canada border to safely prepare for the upcoming season.
Giants
After three years of growing apathy and shrinking attendance, San Francisco can guarantee fans will be glued to their seats this season. It’ll just have to be in the form of cutouts. Fans won’t be allowed to attend games at Oracle Park due to the pandemic, so the team launched the “Giants Fan Cutout Program,” which encourages fans to submit pictures of themselves to be displayed in the stands. The Giants sent notice to their season ticket holders introducing the program that “allows you to be at Oracle Park even when you’re home watching the game.”