While the Red Sox were picking up a big win at Wrigley Field on Sunday, members of their front office were handling some draft-related business back home.
Boston announced its first batch of draft pick signings, with first-rounder Kyson Witherspoon — a right-hander from Oklahoma — headlining the group of players who have already put pen to paper. Witherspoon, the No. 15 pick, signed for a $5 million signing bonus, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis. That’s slightly under his slot value of $5,114,200.
Witherspoon’s bonus is tied for the second-largest in Red Sox history, tying 2024 first-rounder Braden Montgomery (who got $5 million before being traded to the White Sox). Marcelo Mayer’s $6.64 million commitment from 2021 is the highest. Witherspoon’s bonus is the largest the Sox have ever given to a pitcher. The previous record holder was the $3.65 million bonus the club gave to Jay Groome, the 12th overall pick in 2016.
Boston also got a deal done with its second pick (No. 33 overall), Tennessee righty Marcus Phillips, that’s reportedly worth $2.5 million (a bit less than the slot value of $2,898,300). Third-rounder Anthony Eyanson, a righty out of LSU, also got a seven-figure bonus of $1.75 million, per Callis. That exceeds his slot value of $907,200.
Boston also got deals done with its fifth round pick, Arkansas righty Christian Foutch, valued a bit under slot at $400,000, and its sixth round pick, Georgia righty Leighton Finley at slot value of $364,800. Ninth-rounder Jacob Mayers got $190,000 and 10th-rounder Maximus Martin received $191,300.
The Red Sox signed 16 of their 20 draftees. Notably, 11th rounder Barrett Morgan, a right-handed pitcher out of Cowley Community College in Kansas, got a big bonus of $500,000 to prevent him from honoring his commitment to Texas A&M.
It’s expected Witherspoon — and potentially Phillips, Eyanson and other top picks — will be at Fenway Park to be officially introduced as members of the Red Sox soon. There’s no word yet on where any of the signed players, who all reported to Fort Myers, will be assigned to start their pro careers.
The five unsigned draftees are second-round compensation pick Henry Godbout, fourth-rounder Mason White, seventh-rounder Myles Patton, eighth-rounder Dylan Brown and 20th-rounder Garrison Sumner. Because draft bonuses are often agreed upon before the draft, there’s little indication that the Red Sox don’t expect to get deals done with those players.
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