In the biggest above-slot signing to date, the Cubs signed Texas A&M lefthander Brooks Raley for $750,000. A sixth-rounder, Raley received $600,000 above the maximum the commissioner’s office recommended for all picks after the fifth round this year.

Raley was the best two-way player in college baseball in the first half of the season and projected as a possible supplemental first-round choice before dropping off down the stretch. The consensus among scouts is that he has a brighter future on the mound, where he commands an 87-90 mph sinker, a slider and a changeup. He also throws a four-seam fastball that peaks at 93 mph and a curveball. Raley is a quality athlete and competitor, though scouts wonder about his lack of an out pitch and how well he’ll hold up at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds. He was a draft-eligible sophomore, giving him extra leverage.