HOUSTON — In signing 18 of their 20 draft picks from last month’s amateur draft, the Rangers exceeded their bonus pool value by approximately $440,000.
The Rangers, who were assigned $10.219 million in bonus pool value, spent just under $10.73 million. Teams may spend up to 4.99% above their pool value, but must pay a 75% tax on the overage. Going higher than 5% above the threshold triggers more severe penalties that include the loss of a first-round draft pick. It is fairly common for teams to pay tax to squeeze in an extra player.
The Rangers spent the entirety of their allotted pool value on their first four draft picks: pitcher Gio Rojas ($4.6 million), infielder Connor Comeau ($2.5 million), pitcher Brody Bumila ($2.75 million) and pitcher Hudson Calhoun ($498,380).
The Rangers did use the rest of their overage tax money on four pitchers between rounds 11-20, when players can sign for up to $150,000 with no money applied to the pool. Anything above that is, however, applied. Those picks: No. 11 Jordan Hawkins of Midwest City, Okla. ($200,000), Jordan Nash of Longwood University ($167,500), Landon Brewer of Minden, La. ($197,500) and Collin Cobb of Williston State College in North Dakota ($177,500).
The signing period officially ended on Monday. The only two picks the Rangers did not sign were 19th-rounder Selden Kolkenbeck, who is committed to Columbia, and 20th-rounder Cody Arlington of Austin Peay.