Last-minute deals net infusion of young talent
It would be impossible for the Nationals to match their previous two drafts. Major League Baseball teams just do not find themselves landing the kind of outsized talent provided by a pitcher like Stephen Strasburg or an 18-year-old hitting prodigy like Bryce Harper, the No. 1 overall selections in 2009 and 2010.
But the organization believes by signing each of its top five picks from the 2011 draft before baseball’s midnight deadline Tuesday morning they have ensured that the big-league club has a depth of quality young players who will contribute for years to come.
Washington signed first-round picks Anthony Rendon (Rice) and Alex Meyer (Kentucky), both represented by agent Scott Boras. Rizzo and Boras also agreed to terms on outfielder Brian Goodwin (Miami Dade Junior College). And, for good measure, the Nats signed left-handed pitcher Matt Purke, a top talent who slipped to the third round because of injury concerns, and junior college left-handed pitcher Kylin Turnbull.
“It’s hard to have a more impactful draft than one that includes a Strasburg or a Harper because their talents are so enormous,” Rizzo said. “But as far as number of quality, impact players this is probably the first draft that I’ve ever been associated with that we can look back at this thing and figure out that we get four players that we had first-round numbers on coming into the draft.”
And they paid for it. Rendon and Purke both earned major-league contracts – a big concession for two players in the same draft class. Rendon’s was a four-year contract worth $7.2 million and a club option for a fifth year. Purke earned a four-year deal and – while terms were not officially disclosed – it is definitely under the $4.4 million that the Arizona Diamondbacks gave No. 3 overall pick Trevor Bauer.
Goodwin, the sandwich round selection, had good leverage as a junior-college player with a scholarship offer and a starting spot in center field waiting for him at South Carolina. He agreed to sign for $3 million. Meyer, the No. 23 overall pick, actually signed for less ($2 million). Turnbull received a $325,000 contract.
“This is my 27th year in the draft or being involved with the draft and it’s the best draft I’ve ever been a part of,” said Nats vice president of player personnel Roy Clark, who for years was part of the vaunted player-development system with the Atlanta Braves.
It wasn’t easy. Rizzo made progress on a deal with Purke and his representatives during a visit to the pitcher’s hometown of Houston over the weekend. He felt the two sides were close. Turnbull wasn’t a huge concern, either. But Rendon, Goodwin and Meyer – all represented by Boras, notorious for his last-minute negotiating – weren’t finalized until just minutes remained before the deadline.
Both Rizzo and Clark praised ownership, the Lerner Family, for allowing them to take aggressive risks in the draft – Purke is a prime example – and provide the funds it takes to sign those kinds of players. Purke was fine with the Nats drafting him, according to Rizzo, because he believed they were one of the few teams that would make a legitimate push to sign him for what he saw as his market value. Purke went so far as to allow Washington’s doctors to do a full medical work-up to ensure that his shoulder was healthy. That isn’t common during the negotiating process.
“I think that just solidifies where we’re at in the industry,” Rizzo said. “These guys want to come here. We had no ties to [Purke] whatsoever other than the fact that he knows we develop players, we develop them well and we’ve got a system that’s second to none. We’re the talk of the industry, right now.”
In all, the Nats handed out close to $16.5 million on Monday night to five players. They ended up signing 29 of their 51 draft picks and all of the top 13.
