These are the highest signing bonuses in the history of the Draft

July 22nd, 2025

For a third straight year, there were record-breaking deals signed in the annual MLB Draft.

While nobody has matched the deals signed in last year's Draft by Chase Burns ($9.25 million with the Reds) and Charlie Condon ($9.25 million with the Rockies), the high school players have set their own records in the 2025 Draft.

Eli Willits, the No. 1 overall pick by the Nationals in the '25 Draft, signed for $8.2 million, breaking the high school draftee record held by Jackson Holliday ($8.19 million in 2022). Mere days later, Willits was surpassed by Ethan Holliday, the No. 4 pick by the Rockies, who signed for $9 million.

The assigned pick values in 2025 rose 4.8 percent, mirroring the growth in industry revenues.

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Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Round-by-round analysis

Four players have received larger guarantees via big league contracts than anyone on this list, which were prohibited for draftees when the bonus-pool system was instituted in 2012. Stephen Strasburg (Nationals, 2009, No. 1 overall) commanded a deal that promised him $15,107,104, a figure that won't be topped for many years to come. Mark Prior (Cubs, 2001, No. 2) landed a $10.5 million contract, Bryce Harper (Nationals, 2010, No. 1) signed a $9.9 million deal and Mark Teixeira (Rangers, 2001, No. 5) inked a $9.5 million contract.

A complete list of drafted players who signed for bonuses of $7 million or more:

$9,250,000: Chase Burns, Reds, 2024 (No. 2 overall)
RHP, Wake Forest

$9,250,000: Charlie Condon, Rockies, 2024 (No. 3)
OF, Georgia

$9,200,000: Paul Skenes, Pirates, 2023 (No. 1)
RHP, Louisiana State

$9,000,000: Dylan Crews, Nationals, 2023 (No. 2)
OF, Louisiana State

$9,000,000: Ethan Holliday, Rockies, 2025 (No. 4)
SS/3B, Stillwater (Okla.) HS

$8,950,000: Travis Bazzana, Guardians, 2024 (No. 1)
2B, Oregon State

$8,800,000: Kade Anderson, Mariners, 2025 (No. 3)
LHP, Louisiana State

$8,416,300: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers, 2020 (No. 1)
3B, Arizona State

$8,200,000: Eli Willits, Nationals, 2025 (No. 1)
SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS

$8,190,000: Jackson Holliday, Orioles, 2022 (No. 1)
SS, Stillwater (Okla.) HS

$8,189,400: Druw Jones, Diamondbacks, 2022 (No. 2)
OF, Wesleyan School (Peachtree Corners, Ga.)

$8,100,000: Adley Rutschman, Orioles, 2019 (No. 1)
C, Oregon State

$8,000,000: Gerrit Cole, Pirates, 2011 (No. 1)
RHP, UCLA

$8,000,000: Wyatt Langford, Rangers, 2023 (No. 4)
OF, Florida

$8,000,000: Hagen Smith, White Sox, 2024 (No. 5)
LHP, Arkansas

$7,922,000: Jack Leiter, Rangers, 2021 (No. 2)
RHP, Vanderbilt

$7,787,400: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals, 2019 (No. 2)
SS, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS

$7,700,000: Max Clark, Tigers, 2023 (No. 3)
OF, Franklin (Ind.) HS

$7,689,525: Tyler Bremner, Angels, 2025 (No. 2)
RHP, Santa Barbara

*$7,500,000: Stephen Strasburg, Nationals, 2009 (No. 1)
RHP, San Diego State

+$7,500,000: Bubba Starling, Royals, 2011 (No. 5)
OF, Gardner-Edgerton HS (Gardner, Kan.)

$7,500,000: Casey Mize, Tigers, 2018 (No. 1)
RHP, Auburn

$7,497,500: Jac Caglianone, Royals, 2024 (No. 6)
1B/OF, Florida

$7,230,000: Hunter Greene, Reds, 2017 (No. 2)
RHP, Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)

$7,250,000: Liam Doyle, Cardinals, 2025 (No. 5)
LHP, Tennessee

$7,250,000: Seth Hernandez, Pirates, 2025 (No. 6)
RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS

$7,221,200: Andrew Vaughn, White Sox, 2019 (No. 3)
1B, California

$7,219,000: Termarr Johnson, Pirates, 2022 (No. 4)
2B, Mays HS (Atlanta)

$7,149,900: Aiva Arquette, Marlins, 2025 (No. 7)
SS, Oregon State

$7,144,200: Walker Jenkins, Twins, 2023 (No. 5)
OF, South Brunswick HS (Southport, N.C.)

$7,025,000: Joey Bart, Giants, 2018 (No. 2)
C, Georgia Tech

$7,005,000: Brendan McKay, Rays, 2017 (No. 4)
1B/LHP, Louisville

$7,000,825: Austin Martin, Blue Jays, 2020 (No. 5)
OF/3B, Vanderbilt

$7,000,000: Kyle Wright, Braves, 2017 (No. 5)
RHP, Vanderbilt

*Part of Major League contract.

+Bonus spread over multiple years via two-sport athlete rule.