Draft deadline passes with all 1st-rounders signed
The final day for Draft signings played out as expected before Monday's 5 p.m. ET deadline. Supplemental first-round pick Cam Cannarella signed with the Marlins, two other players selected in the top 10 rounds officially failed to come to terms and the Brewers made their usual flurry of late-round deals. Two nondrafted free agents of note also reached agreements.
Cannarella turned pro for $2,277,425, which was $725 more than the assigned value for his slot at No. 43 and the most the Marlins could pay without exceeding their $12,910,700 bonus pool. He batted .353/.479/.530 at Clemson this spring while displaying some of the best bat-to-ball skills and center-field defense in the college ranks.
Both Warren HS (Downey, Calif.) right-hander Angel Cervantes (Pirates, second round) and Tamaqua (Pa.) HS outfielder Mason Ligenza (Dodgers, sixth) announced on social media last week that they planned to attend college rather than turn pro. Cervantes will head to UCLA and Ligenza to Pittsburgh. Unsigned picks in the first three rounds come with compensation, so the Pirates will receive the No. 50 choice in the 2026 Draft.
With $1,507,350 of pool money unspent entering the day, the Brewers used their surplus to secure four high school players. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) right-hander Chase Bentley's $757,000 bonus set a record for the 19th round, while Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, Calif.) shortstop C.J. Hughes signed for $700,000 in the 11th round. Milwaukee also gave Thompson HS (Alabaster, Ala.) righty Ma'Kale Holden $410,000 in the 20th round and Grace Christian HS (Sanford, N.C.) righty Luke Roupe for $225,000 in the 17th round.
Teams also handed out the two largest bonuses given to nondrafted free agents this year. The Rays signed Middle Tennessee State right-hander Trace Phillips for $629,200, the second-highest bonus ever given to an NDFA behind the $732,500 the Reds paid T.J. Friedl in 2016. Phillips, a two-way player with a fastball that reaches 97 mph and a promising low-80s slider, was a potential top-three-rounds pick before a hand injury and a stress fracture in his lower back limited him to six starts this spring.
Using some of the money they had earmarked for Ligenza, the Dodgers signed Shaker HS (Latham, N.Y.) right-hander Tommy Case for $422,500. A St. John's recruit, he can push his fastball to 94 mph and shows good feel for spin.
The 30 clubs totaled $392,533,711 in signing bonuses for drafted players, breaking the record of $374,345,077 set a year ago. The 27 first-round choices averaged $5,334,019, eclipsing the mark of $5,036,544 also established in 2024.
Rockies shortstop Ethan Holliday received the highest bonus at $9 million, establishing a new record for a high schooler and tying for the fourth-highest total ever. The Orioles, who owned four of the first 37 selections, set a new standard for team spending at $21,150,840. The 2024 Guardians were the first club ever to exceed $20 million when they paid out $20,416,100.
Below is a team-by-team breakdown of Draft bonus spending:
Orioles: $21,150,840
Angels: $18,834,225
Nationals: $18,625,000
Mariners: $18,172,500
Rockies: $17,043,000
Marlins: $16,242,400
Cardinals: $15,332,600
Rays: $14,763,800
Royals: $14,663,500
Red Sox: $14,346,300
White Sox: $14,127,100
Twins: $13,878,000
Brewers: $13,873,250
Pirates: $13,278,700
Tigers: $12,890,200
Reds: $12,882,700
Rangers: $12,550,825
Athletics: $12,286,300
Blue Jays: $12,121,900
Guardians: $11,958,005
Diamondbacks: $11,605,626
Cubs: $11,120,725
Braves: $10,767,500
Dodgers: $10,064,425
Giants: $9,646,600
Phillies: $9,416,700
Astros: $8,756,600
Padres: $8,067,100
Mets: $7,089,190
Yankees: $6,978,100