Top USC pitching prospect agrees to pro deal
Chad Holbrook expected to lose at least one piece of his recruiting class. He figured he could deal with not getting Nick Neidert – the No. 60 overall pick – if it meant Logan Allen would come to school.
He got bad news.
Allen slipped from his fourth-round projection, lasting until Boston picked him in the eighth round. While slot money for that spot is $175,100, a story in The (Asheville, N.C.) Citizen-Times within an hour after Allen was picked had him agreeing to a substantial upgrade.
Allen told the Citizen-Times that he and the Red Sox had agreed to a signing bonus between $725,000 and $750,000. Holbrook said that he heard Allen had received a deal.
Holbrook labeled Allen a critical part of the recruiting class last week. The left-hander could have provided an immediate answer to replacing Jack Wynkoop, who was drafted Tuesday by the Colorado Rockies.
Neidert also is expected to sign a pro contract.
“I’m still debating, but I think my clear choice is to play baseball for Seattle,” he told The Seattle Times.
Good news came when junior second baseman Max Schrock was not picked Tuesday. Projected as high as the fourth round, Schrock would receive little to no signing bonus if he were to leave. With Martin providing an example, Schrock could raise his stock next year.
Football commitment D.J. Neal, who has also expressed an interest in playing baseball at USC, was not selected Tuesday. He told The State that he would have to go in the first three rounds to be enticed to leave. Neal has already moved onto campus.
Right-handed pitcher Adam Hill of Anderson posted to his Facebook page that he turned down an opportunity to be drafted in the third round and will attend USC in the fall.
USC commitment L.T. Tolbert was considered a possible Top-300 pick, but Tolbert ended the suspense early Tuesday on twitter: “I would like to announce that after a lot of thought, I have decided to uphold my commitment to the University of South Carolina. Go cocks!!”
While he may be drafted on Wednesday, there shouldn’t be anything to convince him to go pro.
2015 MLB DRAFT
(Name, position, school, round (number), MLB team)
USC commit Nick Neidert, RHP, Peachtree Ridge (Ga.) HS, 2 (60), Mariners
Taylor Clarke, RHP, College of Charleston, 3 (76), Diamondbacks
Zack Erwin, LHP, Clemson, 4 (112), White Sox
Kyle Martin, 1B, USC, 4 (114), Phillies
Carl Wise, 3B, College of Charleston, 4 (122), Blue Jays
Tyler Krieger, SS, Clemson, 4 (124), Indians
Dylan Thompson, RHP, Socastee HS, 4 (125), Mariners
Jack Wynkoop, LHP, USC, 6 (167), Rockies
Steven Duggar, OF, Clemson, 6 (186), Giants
Matthew Crownover, LHP, Clemson, 6 (194), Nationals
Luke Leftwich, RHP, Wofford, 7 (204), Phillies
USC commit Logan Allen, LHP, 8 (231), Red Sox, SIGNED, June 9
Casey Schroeder, C, Coastal Carolina, 8 (232), White Sox
Sean Miller, SS, USC Aiken, 10 (290), Twins
James Reeves, LHP, The Citadel, 10 (303), Yankees
Kep Brown, OF, Wando HS, 10 (311), Cardinals
This story was originally published June 9, 2015 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Top USC pitching prospect agrees to pro deal."