Nationals Announce Signings of Seven More MLB Draft Selections

The Washington Nationals signed seven more draft selections to bring their haul of signed players to 14 with a week to get everyone under contract.

Mar 28, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; A general view of a Washington Nationals Spring Training logo on a players hat during the eighth inning of the Spring Training game between the Washington Nationals and the New York Yankees at Nationals Park. | Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals signed seven more draft picks on Monday, all of which were taken in the final 10 rounds of the draft.

That’s important because of the MLB draft’s bonus pool system. Because they were selected in the final 10 rounds (Nos. 11-20), the Nationals can pay them up to $150,000 without that money counting toward their total bonus pool.

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The Nationals did not disclose the terms of the deals, and the MLB Pipeline draft tracker did not have the terms.

The selected players that signed included Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek (11th round), Old Dominion pitcher Ben Moore (12th round), Louisville pitcher Tucker Biven (13th round), UAB catcher Nick Hollifield (14th round), Oregon first baseman Jacob Walsh (15th round), Vanderbilt pitcher Levi Huesman (16th round) and FIU pitcher Owen Puk (18th round).

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Washington also signed an undrafted free agent, University of Tampa outfielder Jordan Williams.

On Saturday, the Nationals signed Fort Cobb-Broxton High (Okla.) shortstop Eli Willits, the youngest player in the draft. He signed an offer worth $8.2 million, per MLB Pipeline. The deal was well below the slot value for the selection, which was $11.08 million.

His bonus was the seventh highest in MLB draft history, per MLB. It was also the highest bonus ever paid to a prep player.

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Other players signed by Washington per the MLB Draft signings tracker or via other reports include Poly Prep Country Day School (NY) pitcher Miguel Sime Jr. (fourth round, $2 million), Wright State catcher Boston Smith (sixth round, $50,000), Arizona pitcher Julian Tonghini (seventh round, $10,000), Ole Miss pitcher Riley Maddox (eighth round, $10,000), Texas A&M third baseman Wyatt Henseler (ninth round, $10,000) and Mississippi State first baseman Hunter Hines (10th round, $5,000).

Among the picks that still haven’t been signed per the MLB Draft signings tracker are two players that are due a slot bonus of $1 million or more. South Carolina outfielder Ethan Petry, the No. 49 pick, is due a bonus of $1.98 million. East Union (Miss) Attendance Center High School pitcher Landon Harmon, the No. 80 pick, who is due a slot bonus of $1.01 million.

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