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Here's how much each team has spent on draft bonuses in each of the last three years. The three highest-spending teams in 2010 (Nationals, Pirates, Blue Jays) all broke the record for spending on a single draft ($11,511,500 by the 2009 Nationals).

Sorted by 2010 spending (see below for sorting by 2008-10 spending):

Team	2010 Bonuses	2009 Bonuses	2008 Bonuses	2008-10 Total
Nationals	$11,927,200	$11,511,500	$4,761,500	$28,200,200
Pirates	$11,900,400	$8,918,900	$9,780,500	$30,599,800
Blue Jays	$11,594,400	$4,895,200	$4,359,500	$20,849,100
Red Sox	$10,664,400	$7,095,400	$10,515,000	$28,274,800
Indians	$9,381,500	$4,943,000	$6,984,500	$21,309,000
Orioles	$9,159,900	$8,730,200	$6,916,500	$24,806,600
Rangers	$8,487,800	$4,684,200	$7,388,300	$20,560,300
Angels	$8,095,300	$6,792,900	$2,728,500	$17,616,700
Dodgers	$7,992,900	$4,037,100	$4,442,500	$16,472,500
Tigers	$7,301,400	$9,395,100	$3,742,000	$20,438,500
Astros	$7,275,530	$4,212,800	$6,544,500	$18,032,830
Rays	$7,150,800	$4,004,500	$9,921,000	$21,076,300
Royals	$6,697,000	$6,657,000	$11,148,000	$24,502,000
Cardinals	$6,692,200	$5,388,500	$5,542,000	$17,622,700
Yankees	$6,652,500	$7,564,500	$5,122,000	$19,339,000
Reds	$5,739,300	$5,855,400	$4,801,000	$16,395,700
Athletics	$5,022,400	$6,439,400	$6,522,000	$17,983,800
Mariners	$4,942,500	$10,945,600	$4,295,000	$20,183,100
Rockies	$4,785,700	$7,924,300	$4,157,000	$16,867,000
Cubs	$4,727,100	$4,044,200	$5,545,000	$14,316,300
Mets	$4,721,200	$3,134,300	$6,460,000	$14,315,500
Diamondbacks	$4,399,300	$9,328,200	$4,493,500	$18,221,000
Marlins	$4,380,500	$4,142,800	$5,377,000	$13,900,300
Padres	$4,262,000	$9,139,000	$5,449,000	$18,850,000
Giants	$4,102,900	$6,289,000	$9,080,000	$19,471,900
White Sox	$3,930,200	$4,178,600	$4,663,500	$12,772,300
Phillies	$3,927,900	$3,229,500	$6,740,500	$13,897,900
Braves	$3,925,100	$4,400,500	$5,091,500	$13,417,100
Twins	$3,511,300	$4,694,100	$7,330,498	$15,535,898
Brewers	$2,432,200	$6,759,500	$8,395,800	$17,587,500
Total	$195,782,830	$189,335,200	$188,297,598	$573,415,628
Average	$6,526,094	$6,311,173	$6,276,587	$19,113,854

Sorted by 2008-10 spending (see above for sorting by 2010 spending):

Team	2010 Bonuses	2009 Bonuses	2008 Bonuses	2008-10 Total
Pirates	$11,900,400	$8,918,900	$9,780,500	$30,599,800
Red Sox	$10,664,400	$7,095,400	$10,515,000	$28,274,800
Nationals	$11,927,200	$11,511,500	$4,761,500	$28,200,200
Orioles	$9,159,900	$8,730,200	$6,916,500	$24,806,600
Royals	$6,697,000	$6,657,000	$11,148,000	$24,502,000
Indians	$9,381,500	$4,943,000	$6,984,500	$21,309,000
Rays	$7,150,800	$4,004,500	$9,921,000	$21,076,300
Blue Jays	$11,594,400	$4,895,200	$4,359,500	$20,849,100
Rangers	$8,487,800	$4,684,200	$7,388,300	$20,560,300
Tigers	$7,301,400	$9,395,100	$3,742,000	$20,438,500
Mariners	$4,942,500	$10,945,600	$4,295,000	$20,183,100
Giants	$4,102,900	$6,289,000	$9,080,000	$19,471,900
Yankees	$6,652,500	$7,564,500	$5,122,000	$19,339,000
Padres	$4,262,000	$9,139,000	$5,449,000	$18,850,000
Diamondbacks	$4,399,300	$9,328,200	$4,493,500	$18,221,000
Astros	$7,275,530	$4,212,800	$6,544,500	$18,032,830
Athletics	$5,022,400	$6,439,400	$6,522,000	$17,983,800
Cardinals	$6,692,200	$5,388,500	$5,542,000	$17,622,700
Angels	$8,095,300	$6,792,900	$2,728,500	$17,616,700
Brewers	$2,432,200	$6,759,500	$8,395,800	$17,587,500
Rockies	$4,785,700	$7,924,300	$4,157,000	$16,867,000
Dodgers	$7,992,900	$4,037,100	$4,442,500	$16,472,500
Reds	$5,739,300	$5,855,400	$4,801,000	$16,395,700
Twins	$3,511,300	$4,694,100	$7,330,498	$15,535,898
Cubs	$4,727,100	$4,044,200	$5,545,000	$14,316,300
Mets	$4,721,200	$3,134,300	$6,460,000	$14,315,500
Marlins	$4,380,500	$4,142,800	$5,377,000	$13,900,300
Phillies	$3,927,900	$3,229,500	$6,740,500	$13,897,900
Braves	$3,925,100	$4,400,500	$5,091,500	$13,417,100
White Sox	$3,930,200	$4,178,600	$4,663,500	$12,772,300
Total	$195,782,830	$189,335,200	$188,297,598	$573,415,628
Average	$6,526,094	$6,311,173	$6,276,587	$19,113,854

Updated March 7 to reflect Mariners' signing of fourth-rounder James Paxton for $942,500.

MLB keeps talking about "hard slotting" during the next CBA to promote fairness in the draft. Doesn't anybody realize that this current system is the primary way for small market teams to more adequately compete with the Big Money teams? Based on the last 3 years, the small market treams are able to make their systems dramatically better and deeper by spending more money in the draft. By spending 50-100% more than the average on bonuses in an annual draft, the Pittssburgh's of the world make much better use of that additional 6 million dollar investment then they would on a .500 free agent pitcher. It's compelling to see the Pittsburgh's, Kansas City's and Washington's of the market spend significantly higher than larger market teams like the , Mets, Dodgers and Angels. Having a non-slotted system HELPS the small market teams.

Posted by Dan | August 20, 2010 at 2:37 pm | Shortcut

Great to see teams like the Twins spend their money wisely, "grow" and develop their own prospects, and still make the playoffs just about every year.
Look at some of the top teams on this list–what a waste! I know it's still early to determine their draft success from 08-10, but I don't see the Nats, Pirates, Indians, or Blue Jays making any World Series runs in the next 3-5 years!
GO TWINS!

Posted by MJ | August 20, 2010 at 5:06 pm | Shortcut

What jumps at me is the +200% the Jays spent this year going 4M$ to 11M$, we can see the change of mentality and baseball thinking under Anthopoulos as comparaed to Ricciardi. We we were unable to sign a lot of our picks last year, Anthopoulos is willing to spend and we feel he really wants this team to wins and he taking them in the right direction.

Posted by Marc Alexander | August 21, 2010 at 12:27 pm | Shortcut

MJ – So the Nats and Pirates should NOT be commended for spending as much as they have in the last two drafts? Also, saying neither will make a WS run in the next 3-5 years is foolish. It may be true, but do we really KNOW?

Posted by Dave Regan | August 23, 2010 at 8:48 pm | Shortcut

I’d be curious to see some figures of total money spent versus the percentage of picks signed (say overall, in the top 25 picks, top 10 picks, etc). For instance, I’m surprised the Yankees with all their resources are only in the middle of the pack in spending. I wonder if that’s because they’re more tightfisted on draft picks at the expense of signing them, or if they managed to sign guys for less, etc. So for instance did division rivals Jays and Red Sox spending so much more lock up a higher percentage of their picks than the Yankees? Would be curious to get a picture of that if anyone has any stats on percentage of picks signed.

Posted by Jabalong | August 26, 2010 at 7:52 pm | Shortcut

Here is a look at how teams drafted and developed players from 1999 to 2006 and how the teams performed. The A's really need to increase their revenue and the Red Sox are scary as they are really bringing their own kids up.
Have to wonder how many millions the owner of the White Sox had to fork over to payroll due to poor drafting.
The draft data suggests why the Indians, Baltimore, and Seattle have struggled in recent years.
http://tribetalk365.blogspot.com/

Posted by Steve Kinsella | October 7, 2010 at 9:41 pm | Shortcut

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