It's been over a week since the conclusion of the 2021 MLB Draft, and 15 New England natives have signed pro contracts -- with several more expected in the coming days.
The recent draft picks have until Aug. 1 to negotiate before the signing deadline. If a team fails to come to an agreement with a selected player before that date, the team will lose the rights to the player.
A total of 31 players either from New England or attending New England schools were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft. Of those 31, 15 were selected in the first 10 rounds, eclipsing the previous record of 12 for the first 10 rounds, set in 1965.
In the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft, each pick is assigned a certain amount of guaranteed bonus money that teams are allowed to spend on signing a player without facing a penalty. Teams can opt to spend more or less than the allotted slot value, but may incur a penalty if they exceed the amount — or risk losing a player if it’s not the money he was looking for.
As a result, many teams sign their highest draft picks first to help determine their respective budgets for signing the remaining drafted players. Undrafted players who wish to pursue professional baseball also typically sign early since they are light on leverage in negotiations. Here is a look at 15 New England players who have signed pro deals.
