MLB Draft 2022: Explaining Signing Bonuses, Slot Value and More – NBC Chicago | Hot Mobile Press

MLB Draft 2022: Explaining Signing Bonuses, Slot Value and More originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The 2022 MLB draft is officially complete.

From Sunday’s first pick to Tuesday’s 20th and final round, there’s no doubt that future Superstars were picked this week.

We won’t know who these stars are for years to come as these young players progress through junior high, but that’s what makes baseball unique. Draft picks in other major sports often line up directly on the starting lineup, while most of these MLB prospects won’t see the major leagues for three or more years.

Here’s everything you need to know about 2022 MLB draft pick money, signing bonuses, and more:

How Much Money Do First-Round MLB Draft Picks Make?

The MLB draft is about more than talent and position suitability—it’s also about money. Each selection in the first 10 rounds has a set slot value (signing bonus), with the first selection obviously having the highest slot at just under $9 million.

However, prospects do not always sign for the exact salary. Depending on the player, a team can sign their choice for “over-slot” or “below-slot”. So if a team picks a less-vaunted prospect in the first round and signs him below the slot, the team can spend more on a better prospect in a later round.

Here is the slot value for each first-round selection in 2022, with the proviso that teams may attempt to negotiate a below-slot value for those players:

How do they determine signing bonuses for MLB draft picks?

As previously mentioned, each draft pick has a slotted value for the first 10 rounds. Each team has a certain value to spend, and that value is determined by adding up the slot value for each of their picks in the first 10 rounds.

Teams cannot exceed this slot total, but it may exceed the slot for certain players. For example, if a team agrees to an under-slot signing bonus on its first-round pick, it may agree to an over-slot signing bonus on one or more of its later picks. As long as the total after the first 10 rounds isn’t more than the total slotted, the team is in the clear.

Signing bonuses are negotiated between teams and prospects (and their agents). If a player agrees to an under-slot signing bonus with a team before the draft, that bonus can ensure that they are selected in a specific position.

This year, it was widely expected that pitcher Kumar Rocker would be a late first-round pick after failing to sign as a first-round pick in 2021. Instead, he was drafted 3rd by the Texas Rangers. While the move seemed confusing at first, it was later reported that he agreed to a $5.2 million signing bonus – over $2 million less than slot value. This gave the Rangers more money to allocate in later rounds.

Who Was the #1 Pick in the 2022 MLB Draft?

The Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday as their top pick in the 2022 MLB draft. A shortstop from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, Holliday is the son of former major league outfielder Matt Holliday. The elder Holliday was a seven-time 2011 All-Star and World Series Champion before retiring in 2018.

Jackson Holliday, 18, was signed to play at Oklahoma State but is expected to skip college and join the Orioles organization.

How many picks are there per round in the MLB draft?

There are 30 picks per round in the MLB draft…usually. There may be more or less than 30 picks in a round, depending on a number of variables, including free agent additions or losses, luxury tax penalties, draft pick signings from the previous year, and more.

In addition to a normal draft round, there are also equalization and competitive balance rounds. These rounds have far fewer picks as they are awarded based on free agent losses (compensation) and low turnover teams (competitive balance).

What is the Competitive Balance Round in the MLB Draft?

There are two competitive balancing rounds in the MLB draft. Competitive Balance Round A takes place after the first round, while Competitive Balance Round B takes place after the second round.

So how do teams earn picks in the competitive balance rounds? Well, it’s complicated.

The 10 lowest performing teams and teams from the 10 smallest markets are eligible for a competitive balance round selection. All eligible teams will be assigned a pick in either Round A or Round B. Unlike normal draft picks, competitive balance picks can be traded.

Here are the competitive balance picks from the 2022 MLB draft: