MLB Draft Signing Deadline

Tonight at midnight is the MLB Amateur Draft signing deadline. All the players taken in the June draft have until 12am tonight to sign with their team before re-entering into the draft.



As I said in a prior post, the big questions with Stetson Allie and Jameson Taillon (the second and first round picks of the Pirates respectively) was not whether they would develop but whether they would sign.



Reports are in from Cleveland sports writer Paul Hoynes that the Pirates have an agreement with Allie. The Pirates also signed 15th Round pick Drew Maggi (Arizona State short stop).



Taillon now has less than four hours to sign his deal or re-enter the draft next year (and the Pirates will be given a compensatory late first round pick next draft).



Also awaiting the midnight deadline, the Washington Nationals and 17 year old Nevada phenom Bryce Harper.



Negotiations are expected to go until midnight and Stephen Strasburg, 21 year old Nationals star, has already chimed in saying, "If [Harper] wants to play here, he's going to play here" and "If he doesn't want to play here, then we don't want him here."

If Harper does not sign he is sure to re-enter the draft as the #1 overall pick once again, a prime target for the Pirates or Baltimore Orioles.