Bryce Harper, Zach Lee and the MLB Draft Deals That Beat the Deadline

The MLB Draft signing deadline day had more close calls than any game.

Entering Monday, 17 first-round picks remained unsigned, and the teams had just 24 hours to agree to terms with these future stars.

Most negotiations came down to the wire, as 13 players had yet to sign contracts a mere 30 minutes before the midnight deadline.

When the clock struck 12, 10 teams had their picks signed, sealed, and delivered.

But for three teams, their Cinderella stories never happened.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres failed to lock up their first-round selections.

For the teams that did manage to beat the clock, the future forecasts some All-Stars in the making.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest signings from the MLB signing deadline day.

Los Angeles Dodgers: P Zach Lee (No. 28)

In one of the most surprising moves of the day, the Dodgers agreed to terms on a franchise-record $5.25 million, five-year deal with Lee.

The two-sport star from McKinney (Texas) High School had been taking snaps at quarterback with the Louisiana State University football team, and it was believed he was unsignable because of his demands for a huge signing bonus.

Lee’s contract is the biggest ever for a Dodger signing and dwarfs the $2.3 million the team gave to Clayton Kershaw in 2006.

If anything, the huge sum of money that Lee received comes with huge expectations.

Dodgers assistant general manager Logan White compared the 18-year-old right-hander to Nolan Ryan and Roy Halladay.

Lee is expected to follow in the footsteps of Kershaw and join the Dodgers relatively quickly.

Colorado Rockies: OF Kyle Parker (No. 26)

Much like Lee, Parker was a two-sport star who seemed unlikely to sign with his MLB team, but the Clemson quarterback signed for $1.4 million just minutes before the midnight deadline.

The first player to throw 20 touchdown passes and hit 20 home runs, Parker batted .344 with 64 RBI this past season.

He is the second two-sport star to sign with the Rockies, following the team’s fourth-round choice Russell Wilson—a quarterback and outfielder from North Carolina State.

Parker will still play football for the Tigers in the fall before reporting to spring training next season, so it’s likely that he’ll need a few years in the minors before he makes it to the big time.

Los Angeles Angels: 3B Kaleb Cowart (No. 18)

The 2010 Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year put together an astounding senior season.

Cowart batted .654 with 11 home runs and 64 RBI before signing with Florida State, but the Georgia prospect couldn’t turn down the $2.3 million signing bonus from the Angels.

The Angels are in no rush to bring Cowart up to the big leagues and will give him some time to develop.

The 18-year-old will join the Angels’ Arizona instructional league team in Tempe.

Tampa Bay Rays: OF Josh Sale (No. 17)

Just a year after missing out on a deal with first-round pick LeVon Washington, the Rays signed both first-round selections this season.

Sale, a top-eight high school prospect, was named the top high school outfielder and power hitter by Baseball America.

At only 18 years old and drafted by a team loaded with talent, Sale isn’t expected to join the Rays anytime soon.

But Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said that he could be a three, four, or five-hole hitter if he ever reaches his potential. 

Cincinnati Reds: C Yasmani Grandal (No. 12)

Indicating that fans could be seeing Grandal in the big leagues sooner rather than later, the Reds signed him to a four-year Major League contract and gave him a spot on the 40-man roster.

Grandal will head to the team’s rookie development complex for at least two weeks before joining the Reds’ rookie level team, where he will finish the season.

A 21-year-old catcher from Miami, Grandal batted .401 with 15 home runs and 60 RBI on his way to becoming a Golden Spikes award semifinalist.

As the team showed by giving him a spot on the 40-man roster, Grandal is a prospect that we should see rise through the ranks quickly.

New York Mets: P Matt Harvey (No. 7)

Harvey, a 21-year-old starter from North Carolina, is no stranger to being selected high in the draft.

He was drafted in the third round out of high school before ultimately deciding to head to UNC, where he compiled 22 wins and 263 strikeouts in three years at Chapel Hill.

Harvey’s fastball has been clocked in the high 90s, while he routinely hits the radar gun at the mid-90s.

Although he was once deemed the top high school pitcher in the nation, his numbers at UNC (3.73 ERA) weren’t jaw-dropping.

If Harvey can be the pitcher he was thought to be when coming out of high school, he could be one of the steals of the first round.

Baltimore Orioles: SS Manny Machado (No. 3)

Deemed one of this year’s few can’t miss prospects, Machado signed for $5.25 million, second in Orioles history only to catcher Matt Wieters in 2007.

The 17-year-old shortstop hit an astounding .639 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI during his senior season in high school.

Machado is expected to instantly become one of the Orioles’ top prospects, and the team hopes he will become a franchise-caliber shortstop in the mold of Cal Ripken Jr. and Miguel Tejada. However, a move to third base is possible.

Much like Wieters, Machado is expected to have a lightning-quick rise to the majors.

Pittsburgh Pirates: P Jameson Taillon (No. 2)

Taillon is expected to provide the Pirates with a top-flight starter in the future and has even drawn comparisons to Josh Beckett and Roger Clemens.

The 18-year-old right-hander registered 114 strikeouts in 62.2 innings as a senior and was ranked the No. 2 overall prospect by Baseball America. He also pitched a no-hitter.

As a power pitcher with some electric stuff, Taillon comes into the Pirates organization with incredible expectations that one would expect of the second overall pick.

Expect to see him in three to four years.

Washington Nationals: OF Bryce Harper (No. 1)

Once heralded as “Baseball’s LeBron,” Harper was chosen first overall by the Nationals at just 17 years old.

Harper skipped his final two years of high school before enrolling at the College of Southern Nevada, where his numbers were absolutely ridiculous.

Playing primarily as a catcher in a wooden bat league, Harper batted .442 with 29 home runs and 89 RBI during the regular season.

He is expected to play right field in the minors so that he can get to the majors quicker. When you think of Harper, a good comparison is Atlanta Braves outfielder Jason Heyward.

Heyward entered the big leagues at just 20 years old. Expect Harper to do the same, if he doesn’t reach it sooner.

Other Deadline Signings

Drew Pomeranz (Cleveland Indians)

Deck McGuire (Toronto Blue Jays)

Christian Yelich (Florida Marlins)

Gary Brown (San Francisco Giants)

Zack Cox (St. Louis Cardinals)