Chase Burns, the standout pitcher from Wake Forest, has inked a historic deal with the Cincinnati Reds for a $9.25 million bonus. This signing surpasses last year’s record held by Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had received $9 million.
The slot value for Burns’ position was actually $9.785 million, so the Reds managed to sign him for less than that amount. This means they can use the extra money saved on other players in their draft class.
Here’s a list of the top 10 highest signing bonuses in MLB draft history:
1. Chase Burns, 2024, Reds, $9.25 million
2. Paul Skenes, 2023, Pirates, $9.2 million
3. Dylan Crews, 2023, Nationals, $9 million
4. Spencer Torkelson, 2020, Tigers, $8.42 million
5. Jackson Holliday and Druw Jones (tie), 2022, Orioles/Diamondbacks respectively at $8.19 million each
6. Adley Rutschman, 2019, Orioles at $8.10 million
7. Jack Leiter (Rangers) and Bobby Witt Jr., (Royals) both from different years but around $7-8M range.
8 Casey Mize (Tigers), another high roller at around $7-8M too.
Record-Breaking Deal:
Before the draft began CBS Sports ranked Burns as one of the top prospects to watch out for this year ! They even compared him to last year’s sensation Paul Skenes due to his exceptional skills and potential.
Fans might think this is just another example of how much teams are willing to invest in future stars.
In February we asked if Burns could follow Skenes’ path with help from Wake Forest’s expert pitching team led by Dr Kristen Nicholson? Well guess what? He did! With almost two strikeouts per inning thanks largely due his blazing fastball complemented by an equally impressive slider & curveball combo; he’s definitely someone you don’t want facing your favorite team anytime soon!
Burns is currently holding onto that coveted number one spot but who knows how long it’ll last considering Travis Bazzana (#1 pick Guardians) & Charlie Condon (#3 pick Rockies) haven’t signed yet?
What do you think about these huge deals?
