Rangers agree to terms with top 3 Draft picks
ARLINGTON -- Just three days after the conclusion of the 2016 MLB Draft, the Rangers introduced, and announced the signings, of their top three picks Tuesday afternoon at Globe Life Park.
Left-hander Cole Ragans (No. 30 overall), right-hander Alex Speas (No. 63 overall) and third baseman Kole Enright (No. 99 overall) were all in attendance with their families as they donned Rangers jerseys and visited the field following a press conference.
• Rangers' 2016 Draft picks
Ragans ($2,003,400) and Speas ($1,024,900) received exactly slot value for their respective bonuses. The Rangers went over slot value for Enright's bonus at $675,900. The bonus value for the No. 99 pick was set at $602,400. All three will head to the team's facility in Surprise, Ariz., this week in preparation for the Arizona Rookie League.
"It's very important for us as an organization to get them into the fold right away," Rangers director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg said.
•2016 Draft signing and bonus tracker
Fagg compared the trio of 18-year-olds to the Rangers' top three picks in the 2012 Draft. That year they selected three prep players to open the draft as well, including the team's No. 1 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, Joey Gallo, and No. 2 prospect, Lewis Brinson.
"I think it's going to be neat to see these kids kind of grow together in our organization," he said. "And when they start showing up in the big leagues it's going to be neat for these guys along with us also, as they do it together."
Ragans, who had a commitment to Florida State out of North Florida Christian High in Tallahassee, Fla., said there was never a doubt on whether he would sign.
"I'm excited to start the journey," he said. "It's going to be tough obviously, leaving my family on the other side of the United States, but I'm ready to get started."
"I think Cole is an interesting mix of upside projection but also a little more polished from a high school standpoint," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "I don't know if he's ever going to throw in the upper 90s, but I don't know if he's ever going to need to."
Much has been made of Ragans' admiration of Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, and how he modeled his delivery after him. While the team is on a 10-game road trip, that meeting will come soon.
"We're going to get that done eventually," Fagg said of the meeting. "No timetable on that yet, but [Hamels] is more than willing to do it, and I think it's going to be a big moment for [Ragans]."
Speas and Enright will fly out to the team's facility Wednesday morning, and Ragans will make the trip in the next few days.
"It's a little nerve-wracking at first to know I'm leaving my family behind," said Speas, who attended McEachern High in Powder Springs, Ga. "At the end of the day, it's a job, and it's one thing I'm going to have to live up to and give it my best."
The Rangers announced that along with their first three picks, they have agreed to terms with 12 of their first 14 selections.
Of their top 10 picks, only left-hander Kyle Roberts (fifth round, Henry Ford CC) and Sam Huff (seventh round, Arcadia HS, Phoenix) have not yet reached a deal.