Though the Pirates went conservative by taking Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez with the No. 4 overall pick, they vowed to be aggressive in later rounds. After taking a baby step by signing seventh-rounder Trent Stevenson for $350,000 two weeks ago, Pittsburgh today signed eighth-rounder Colton Cain for $1.125 million.

Cain is the first player outside the first round to receive a seven-figure bonus this year.

A lefthander from Waxahachie (Texas) HS, Cain flashed first-round stuff at times this spring. He’s a strong 6-foot-3, 225-pounder who showed the ability to sit in the low 90s and touch 94 mph with his fastball. His best secondary pitch is a curveball that could become a plus pitch in time. A star on U.S. national youth and junior teams the last two summer, he also was a first baseman with big lefty power potential. One of Texas’ top recruits, he fell in the draft after telling teams he wanted a seven-figure bonus.

The Pirates, who ranked fourth in draft spending at $9,780,500 last year, likely aren’t done yet. They’re still pursuing several high-profile prospects, including fourth-rounder Zack Dodson (a lefthander from Medina Valley HS in Castroville, Texas) and sixth-rounder Zack Von Rosenberg (a righty from Zachary, La., HS).