DRAFT BONUS POOLS RISE 8.2 PERCENT — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Assigned pick values for the first 10 rounds of the 2013 draft have increased 8.2 percent from last year’s numbers, according to documents obtained by Baseball America. The total value for those rounds is $202,501,600.

The Astros, who own the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year, have the largest bonus pool at $11,698,800. The Nationals, who choose last in each round and gave up their top choice to sign free agent Rafael Soriano, have the smallest pool at $2,737,200.

The bonus pools cover the top 10 rounds and any bonus money paid in excess $100,000 to players drafted in rounds 11-40. If a player doesn’t sign in the first 10 rounds, his assigned value is removed from the team’s pool total.

A team that exceeds its bonus pool by 0-5 percent must pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. The penalties get much harsher after that: the loss of a first-round pick and a 75 percent tax for blowing past a bonus pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; the loss of first- and second-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and the loss of two-first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent.

Last year, teams combined to spent 97 percent of their bonus pools and another $23.6 million on rounds 11-30. If they did the same in 2013, total draft spending would equal $220 million. That would be MLB’s second-highest draft expenditure ever, behind only 2011, which featured $228 million in bonuses and another $8.1 million in guaranteed salaries as part of major league contracts (which are no longer permitted for draftees).

The bonus pools for each of the 30 clubs:

2013 BONUS POOLS
Team	Picks	Team Total
Astros	10	$11,698,800
Cubs	10	$10,556,500
Rockies	11	$10,199,400
Marlins	12	$9,503,100
Pirates	11	$8,884,600
Royals	11	$8,290,700
Twins	10	$8,264,400
Yankees	12	$7,957,400
Diamondbacks	11	$7,229,600
Mets	11	$6,990,000
Cardinals	11	$6,907,900
Red Sox	10	$6,830,200
Padres	11	$6,808,900
Rays	11	$6,694,900
Rangers	11	$6,553,800
Tigers	11	$6,467,400
Blue Jays	10	$6,398,200
Orioles	11	$6,387,900
Indians	9	$6,188,800
Mariners	10	$6,132,700
Reds	11	$6,046,700
Phillies	11	$6,045,100
Athletics	12	$6,036,800
White Sox	10	$5,301,600
Dodgers	10	$5,211,700
Giants	10	$4,712,200
Braves	10	$4,522,300
Brewers	10	$3,944,600
Angels	9	$2,998,200
Nationals	9	$2,737,200
2013 Total	316	$202,501,600
2012 Total	338	$189,903,500