Tigers 2nd-rounder Quintana announces signing

DETROIT -- The Tigers wasted no time getting top pick Riley Greene into their system. Their second-round pick, University of Arizona third baseman Nick Quintana, wasn’t far behind.

Quintana announced his signing Monday on Twitter with a photo of him putting his signature on the contract.

The Tigers have not officially announced the agreement.

Quintana received a signing bonus of $1,580,200, the full slot value assigned to the 47th overall selection, as MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo reported Monday afternoon.

Quintana was the first in a trio of college infielders the Tigers drafted after Greene, and he presents perhaps the most intriguing skill-set. Though Quintana isn’t a big third baseman at 5-foot-10, his listed 187-pound frame produces impressive raw power. At the same time, his size allows the former high-school shortstop to flash standout defense at the hot corner.

“I would say his height or physique is a little bit like Brandon Inge,” general manager Al Avila said of Quintana last week. “Not that tall, but he’s very strong. He’s got that quick-twitch, really strong arms and wrists. He does have power.

“He can play short or second, but right now his best position is third. At the end of day, we like his bat, and that’s the main key.”

The Tigers will have to decide where to fit Quintana in the farm system to begin his pro career. The typical timetable is for players to open in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, but player development officials showed a willingness to be more aggressive when they sent Kody Clemens, their third-round pick in last year’s Draft, directly to Class A West Michigan.

Though Tigers scouting director Scott Pleis said last week he didn’t have a timetable on signing their other picks, they’re not expected to face any major challenges along the way. Nearly all of their remaining picks are college players who will be weighing whether to sign or return to school for their senior seasons, as opposed to high-school players weighing college ball.