The Angels signed Flanagan High (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) shortstop Rolando Gomez on July 31 for $450,000, the fourth-highest bonus known to be given to a player drafted after the 10th round this year.

Gomez is a small (5-foot-9, 160 pounds) yet strong shortstop who has drawn comparisons to Rafael Furcal. He’s a lefthanded hitter with plus speed and some pop. While he’s a smooth fielder, some scouts wonder if his arm is better suited for second base. A cousin of former all-star shortstop Tony Fernandez, he had committed to Miami before signing.

The only players to receive higher bonuses after the 10th round this year are Wichita State shortstop Dusty Coleman ($675,000 in the 28th round from the Athletics), Tennessee high school outfielder Tyler Massey ($525,000 in the 14th round from the Rockies) and Kansas prep infielder Logan Watkins ($500,000 in the 21st round from the Cubs).

Coleman, whose imminent signing was reported the previous week, officially turned pro on Aug. 1. Regarded as a fourth- to sixth-round talent, he had extra leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore and that scared teams off. He has nice actions and a strong arm at shortstop, and good strength and power potential for the position. He helped himself by hitting .330 and earning all-star honors in the Cape Cod League this summer.

Other above-slot signings from last week included:

• The Diamondbacks signed Aptos (Calif.) High righthander Kevin Eichhorn for $500,000 on Aug. 1. A third-rounder, Eichhorn is the son of former big league reliever Mark Eichhorn. Mark was a submariner while Kevin is more of a traditional pitcher, working from 88-94 mph with his fastball and spinning a promising breaking ball. He had committed to Santa Clara.
• The Astros, who failed to sign three of their top six picks last year, spent $700,000 on supplemental third-rounder Ross Seaton on Aug. 1. A product of Second Baptist High in Houston, Seaton was one of the top high school pitchers in the draft. A commitment to Tulane clouded the righthander’s signability. Seaton also received a potential $250,000 through baseball’s college scholarship plan, which is believed to be a record amount.
• The Orioles signed slick-fielding Virginia shortstop Greg Miclat, a fifth-rounder, for $225,000 on Aug. 1. A slap hitter with good speed, Miclat hit .325 in 11 games with the Cape Cod League’s Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox this summer.
• Miclat’s Cavaliers teammate and fellow fifth-rounder, righthander Jacob Thompson, signed with the Braves for $195,000 on Aug. 2. Thompson projected as a first-rounder entering the spring, but his command and stuff slipped. When he’s going well, he uses his 6-foot-6 frame to pitch on a steep downhill angle and mixes four solid pitches.
• The Red Sox landed Yale catcher Ryan Lavarnaway, a sixth-rounder, for $325,000 on July 27. Lavarnaway is raw defensively, but he led NCAA Division I in batting (.467) in 2007 and the Ivy League in homers (13) in 2008.