Photo Credit: Kentucky Athletics

With the 2019 Major League Draft less than two months away, Baseball America has reported the draft order, slot values, and bonus pool amounts for each franchise. According to the report, in Brodie Van Wagenen’s first ever draft, he will have $8,224,600 in bonus money available to sign the players the Mets draft in June. The pick values are as follows:

1st – $4,366,400
2nd – $1,370,400
3rd – $667,900
4th – $487,900
5th – $364,400
6th – $277,100
7th – $216,600
8th – $174,000
9th – $154,600
10th – $145,300

It should be noted the above is just a construct and not mandatory. For example, in last year’s draft, the Mets gave overslot bonuses to Simeon Woods Richardson and Carlos Cortes to entice them to forego college. The most important aspect of the assigned bonus pool money is if a team is unable to sign a player, that pool money is deducted from their allocated budget.

What is interesting about the allocated pool money is that while the Mets have the 12th overall pick, they only have the 16th most pool money to spend. That is partially a function of other teams having compensation picks from losing free agents and being assigned more pool money due to their being among the 10 smallest media markets. Perhaps what is more interesting than the bonus money is who exactly will be receiving the money from the Mets.

In Baseball America‘s latest mock draft, they predict the Mets will select Kentucky LHP Zack Thompson. Baseball America’s quick analysis of Thompson is:

Thompson has some injury history on his resume that might limit how high he goes in the draft, but he’s putting together an impressive season in the SEC. Through eight starts, Thompson has posted a 1.99 ERA with 74 strikeouts to just 14 walks in 49.2 innings.

If the Mets were to draft Thompson, he would be the third Mets left-handed starter pitcher drafted in the first round over the past four years. The other two pitchers, Anthony Kay and David Peterson began this season with Binghamton.