LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have apparently reached a bonus agreement with their last remaining Draft pick, as Texas Tech right-hander Clayton Beeter posted an Instagram photo Sunday with the message, “Officially signed.”
The club did not confirm the agreement.
Beeter was the last of six choices to reach an agreement, and the Dodgers had nearly $1.2 million remaining from their bonus pool to get it done without triggering a penalty. Beeter was taken 66th overall with a Competitive Balance Round pick the Dodgers obtained from Minnesota in the Kenta Maeda trade.
Beeter was a reliever in college after having Tommy John surgery in 2017, but Dodgers vice president of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said on the day of the Draft that the club viewed him as a starter.
“He surprised us,” Gasparino said. “Whether it was the extended time away from the Tommy John surgery, but everything improved. Curve strike percentage went up. Became more of a starter option than we ever thought he would be. Texas Tech coaches say he’s one of the strongest guys they’ve ever had as a pitcher there. It all came together for us on a guy we really like.”
The other picks the club reportedly has reached agreement with include Louisville pitcher Bobby Miller, East Tennessee State right-hander Landon Knack, California high school outfielder Jake Vogel, Virginia Tech catcher Carson Taylor and Central Arkansas right-hander Gavin Stone.
Ken Gurnick covered the Dodgers for MLB.com from 2001-2020.