Tigers snag 3rd-rounder Wilson with $1.7M bonus
The Tigers’ class of 2023 continues to fill in, with the team signing third-round pick Paul Wilson on Thursday.
Wilson, a high-school left-hander and the son of former MLB pitcher Trevor Wilson, has agreed to a deal worth $1,697,500 (plus a $2,500 contingency bonus), well over the slot value of his pick (No. 76 overall) of $945,100.
The 18-year-old was an Oregon State commit who features a fastball that averages 93 mph (and tops out at 97) along with a slider, curveball and changeup. Wilson, who is 6 feet 3 and 205 pounds, struck out 108 in 49 innings at Lakeridge High School in Lake Oswego, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. He was ranked as the No. 51 prospect in his class prior to the July 9-11 draft.
The Tigers entered the draft with about $15.7 million in allotted bonus money — second-most out of the 30 MLB teams — to spend on their 21 picks. They’ve already come to agreements with first-rounder Max Clark ($7.7 million) and second-rounder Max Anderson ($1.4 million).
Still unsigned among the Tigers’ top 17 selections is their second pick, Kevin McGonigle (No. 37 overall). The high-school shortstop from Pennsylvania is an Auburn commit who was the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year. His draft slot comes with a $2,309,500 value. Teams have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to sign their draft picks. McGonigle would not be draft-eligible again until after his junior season of college ball. If the Tigers are unable to sign McGonigle, they would receive a compensation pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
The Tigers announced the signing of seventh-rounder John Peck, 14th-rounder David Smith, 16th-rounder Donye Evans and 19th-rounder Blake Pivaroff last week, as well as 20th-rounder Johnathan Rogers on Friday, all without a bonus amount.
Among the known contracts for the Tigers’ later draft picks: Fourth-rounder Carson Rucker for $775,000 (about $150,000 over slot); fifth-rounder Jaden Hamm for $400,000 (about $42,000 under slot); sixth-rounder Bennett Lee for $297,500 (about $45,000 under slot); eighth-rounder Jatnk Diaz for $247,500 (about $35,000 over slot); ninth-rounder Hayden Minton for $162,500 (about $20,000 under slot); 10th-rounder Andrew Sears for $167,800 ($2,500 under slot); 11th-rounder Jim Jarvis for $175,000 ($25,000 counts against the bonus pool); 12th-rounder Andrew Dunford for $367,500 ($217,500 counts against the bonus pool); 13th-rounder Brett Callahan for $197,500 ($47,500 counts against the bonus pool).
The Tigers’ biggest bonus relative to slot among the later picks appears to have gone to 15th-round pick Brady Cerkownyk. The catcher out of Connors State College in Oklahoma signed for $400,000, of which $250,000 counts toward the Tigers’ bonus pool.
Thursday’s MLB games
Blue Jays 4, Padres 0: Chris Bassitt combined with three relievers on a six-hitter, and host Toronto avoided a three-game sweep. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk homered for Toronto, which managed just one run in the first two games of the series. San Diego was blanked for the eighth time. It was trying for its first road sweep of the season.
Mariners 5, Twins 0: George Kirby matched his career high with 10 strikeouts over seven innings, and host Seattle earned a split of its four-game series with AL Central-leading Minnesota. Teoscar Hernández and Mike Ford homered and Kirby, one of the M’s All-Stars, retired 11 of his first 12 batters and didn’t allow a hit until Matt Wallner dribbled a single just inside the bag at third base with two outs in the fourth.
Orioles 4, Rays 3 (10): Colton Cowser hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and AL East-leading Baltimore topped host Tampa Bay in the opener of a four-game series between the American League’s top teams. Aaron Hicks opened the 10th at second as the automatic runner. He advanced on pinch-hitter Adam Frazier’s sacrifice bunt and scampered home on Cowser’s fly ball to left against Robert Stephenson (1-4). Félix Bautista (5-1) worked a perfect ninth for Baltimore and then stayed on for the 10th. He hit Luke Raley and struck out Randy Arozarena before Brandon Lowe bounced into a game-ending double play.
White Sox 6, Mets 2: Yasmani Grandal started a four-run sixth inning with a two-run double that followed Pete Alonso’s error and visiting Chicago prevailed in José Quintana’s Mets debut. Quintana, a 34-year-old left-hander who pitched for the White Sox from 2012-17, signed a $26 million contract with the Mets, then fractured a rib during spring training. He allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.
Braves 7, Diamondbacks 5: Austin Riley hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Miguel Castro in the eighth inning, Matt Olson homered twice to raise his NL-best total to 32 and MLBleading Atlanta stopped a four-game skid vs. visiting Arizona.
Reds 5, Giants 1: Andrew Abbott and ex-Tiger Derek Law combined on a two-hitter, Luke Maile homered and host Cincinnati earned a four-game split. Abbott (5-2), a 24-year-old rookie left-hander making his ninth bi g league start, allowed one hit in a career-high eight innings.
Brewers 4, Phillies 0: Corbin Burnes continued his torrid July, allowing two hits while striking out 10 in eight innings Thursday as Milwaukee concluded their six-game road trip at 5-1. Christian Yelich connected on a three-run homer off Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker in the third inning.
Mariners’ Kelenic breaks foot kicking water cooler
SEATTLE – Jarred Kelenic’s emotional outburst after a tough at-bat resulted in a damaged water cooler, a broken bone in his left foot and a stint on the 10-day injured list.
Seattle manager Scott Servais said the young Mariners left fielder will be out for an extended period but did not estimate a timeframe. The team doesn’t believe surgery will be needed.
Padres activate RHP Suarez off IL
TORONTO – Padres right-hander Robert Suarez was activated off the 60-day injured list before Thursday afternoon’s game against the Blue Jays. Suarez signed a $46 million, five-year contract to stay with the Padres last November but has not pitched this season because of a sore elbow.
Suarez appeared in 45 games in 2022, with a 2.27 ERA.