THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,479 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,479 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | Signing Bonuses | 5/12/2011

Draft Bonuses – Ten-Year Evolution

From 1965 to 2005, How Things Have Changed
 
How much has baseball’s signing-bonus structure changed through the years? Look no further than the evolution of first-round bonuses since 1965, the first year of Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft, to developments in the last several years.
 
No aspect of society as we know it may have seen a more-graphic case of runaway inflation.
 
We’ve identified signing bonuses to first-round draft picks over 10-year increments, beginning with the original draft 46 years ago, and concluding with the 2005 draft. Just comparing the $100,000 bonus that Arizona State outfielder Rick Monday received as baseball’s very first draft to the one that Virginia high-school infielder Justin Upton as the top pick in 2005, a cool $6.1 million, points out how bonuses have spiked through the years. Monday’s bonus was mere pocket change to Upton.
 
In addition to the signing bonuses paid out to first-round picks in 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2005, we’re also providing lists of bonuses paid to draft picks in the first 10 rounds from 2006 to 2010, which are more relevant to the 2011 process.
 
Not only is it interesting to review the evolution of bonus payments through the years, but we’ve conveniently picked some of the most noteworthy first rounds over the life of the draft.
 
Obviously, 1965 speaks for itself as it was baseball’s very first foray into the draft. The National Football League (1936), National Basketball Association (1947) and National Hockey League (1963) had already defaulted to a player draft as a systematic means to distribute amateur talent, and Major League Baseball finally decided to follow suit as the only way to curb escalating signing bonuses.
 
Both the 1985 and 2005 drafts are generally regarded as two of the most productive drafts in history, and a quick review of the bounty of talent taken in the first round in both years provides compelling evidence.
 
The 1975 draft, by contrast, may have been the weakest draft in history. Of the 24 first-round picks that year, only 12 went on to play in the big leagues. Four of the first five selections never made it, and even Southern University catcher Danny Goodwin, who was taken first overall in both the 1971 and 1975 drafts, was considered a bust, of sorts, as he never caught a single inning in the big leagues. How messed up was the 1975 draft? Future Hall of Fame outfielder Andre Dawson was an obscure 11th-round pick that year.
 
As for 1995, that hardly qualifies on the surface as one of the greatest drafts ever, though it did produce notable first-round picks like righthanders Kerry Wood (4th pick, Cubs) and Roy Halladay (17th pick, Blue Jays), and first baseman Todd Helton (8th, Rockies), who still remain active in the big leagues.
 
But that year is noteworthy in the evolution of the draft as it opened up a can of worms when righthander Ariel Prieto (5th pick, Athletics), a recent Cuban defectee, was included in the draft process. As a foreign player, Prieto had the right to sign with any club, but he inadvertently made himself subject to the much more restrictive draft process by taking up residency in the United States following his defection, and playing for an independent minor league club in the weeks leading up to the 1995 draft.
 
One year later, the fallout from Prieto’s ill-advised decision came to roost as it led to the infamous “loophole draft.”
 
Bonus payments in the mid-90s were already in the midst of a significant upward spiral and agents, mindful that Prieto, as a foreigner, didn’t leverage his unique situation to the fullest, began looking for other loopholes in the draft process to exploit. The 1996 draft subsequently saw four first-round picks take advantage of a little-known draft rule, regarding the proper tendering of contracts, and they ended up filing a grievance and were granted free agency.
 
They were free to sign with any big-league club, and the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays took full advantage of an unexpected windfall opportunity to sign some premium talent that was not otherwise afforded them.
 
When all the dust settled in the fall of 1996, the Diamondbacks handed first baseman Travis Lee a $10 million bonus (five times the largest bonus ever given to a domestic talent), and the Devil Rays trumped that a short time later by signing righthander Matt White for $10.2 million. The fallout from those unforeseen developments was significant, and it has not been lost on baseball officials that White never played a single game in the big leagues.
 
So while it is interesting to explore the increase in signing bonuses in drafts 10 years apart, from 1965 to 2005, the more intriguing storylines might actually be the twists and turns of those drafts themselves.

Draft | Rankings | 6/19/2026

PG Draft: Top 500 Update

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Rk. Name Lvl Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 7 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 8 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 9 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 10 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Tyler Bell* C SS S-R Kentucky Frankfort IL 13 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 14 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 15 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 16 Derek Curiel* C OF L-R LSU West Covina CA 17...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

14u WWBA Returns to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
One of the most anticipated events on the summer travel baseball calendar returns this week as the 2026 Perfect Game 14U WWBA National Championship gets underway in Hoover and the surrounding Birmingham area. Now in its 19th year, the tournament has established itself as the premier event for 14U players across the country, annually attracting some of the top young talent in amateur baseball. This year’s championship will feature 129 teams competing for a national title, continuing a tradition that has seen organizations such as East Cobb Astros, Team Elite, USA Prime, SBA Bolts National, and defending champion ZT National Prospects take home the trophy. As always, the field is loaded with elite prospects, many of whom are already becoming familiar names within the Perfect Game community. Starting off strong with Christopher Cabrera, the No. 1 overall player and No. 1 third baseman...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

Road to the 2026 17U BCS Title

Emily Hicks
Article Image
This weekend, 11 teams will take the field for the 2026 17U BCS Challenge, a three-day event that brings together programs from across the country for a full slate of pool play and bracket action. With games beginning Friday and a champion crowned Sunday, the format leaves little room for slow starts, making every inning important from the opening pitch. The field features a mix of established programs and rising teams. With so many evenly matched rosters, there’s not much separation heading into the weekend, which puts importance on pitching depth, defensive consistency, and timely hitting. Pool play will quickly determine seeding, and even one loss can shift a team’s path heading into bracket play. One of the teams expected to be in the mix is Hawaii Elite 2G 17U National, a group that is 6-3 overall and ranked as “Honorable Mention” on the Perfect Games...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Softball Stars Over Florida Showcase 14U Division

Erica Beach
Article Image
PG Stars Over Florida Showcase Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 14U division where we had teams representing three states.     14U Division   Zoey Salas (2030, RHP/1B Windsor, CO) of the Colorado Angels 14U Breed was a standout player all weekend. She was a strong two-way player who proved to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, this left-handed hitter starts...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/18/2026

PG Aggieland Showcase

Article Image
PG Aggieland Showcase College Station, Texas June 13-14, 2026 Scouts: Brynn Baca & Karlie Milburn COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS- Perfect Game Softball was excited to return to College Station for the second annual Aggieland Showcase last weekend.. Some great competition was seen over the three age groups. We had two scouts on site to evaluate and highlight some of the athletes who caught their eyes. Thank you to all teams and players who competed so hard! Below we highlight those athletes who impressed our scouts. 18U Division Elizabeth Posada- Elizabeth Posada is a 2028 two-way player from Houston, Texas, competing for Aztecs Premier who brings an intriguing combination of offensive upside and athletic versatility. At the plate, Posada recently went 4-for-8 on the weekend, continuing to show consistency and offensive awareness. She sets up with a slightly open, wide stance and does a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

Big Talent on Display at City of Palms

Alyssa Golden
Article Image
The fifth annual PG City of Palms Championship is set to take place in Fort Myers, Florida, from June 19-22, featuring teams from the 15U-18U age divisions. The four-day event will showcase some of the top talent in the state, including several nationally ranked prospects who have already made their presence felt this summer season. Before tournament play begins, here’s a look at some of the highest-ranked players expected to compete this weekend. Leading the group is catcher Nico Ayars in the 16U division. Ayars enters the weekend as the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 3 catcher in Florida and the No. 20 catcher in the country. Through 22 games this summer with Turn 2 Garcia, the right-handed hitter owns a .887 OPS while batting .306 with a .438 OBP and a .449 SLG. Ayars has collected 15 hits while driving in 12 runs and scoring 13 times. Ayars’ teammate, right-handed...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 6/17/2026

Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase

Dave Durbala
Article Image
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase, June 13-14, 2026. Twenty-Seven teams, representing the 14u and High School Divisions, arrived at the newly opened all turfed Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, for the opportunity to showcase their talent in a five game guarantee format. As with anytime we bring a group of players together for competition, there will be those players that rise to the challenge and turn in performances that earn them a place on our Top Performers list.  Below are some of the players, from both divisions, that were recognized as top performers. 14U Division Kinley Abrams (2030 Bloomington, IL) is a RHH for Texas Glory IL-2030 (Wyatt). Setting up in a slightly wide parallel stance, into her back leg, Abrams gains separation with a  push back to transfer weight, and then utilizes a small stride to launch her swing. Abrams works a...
Juco | Story | 6/18/2026

PG JUCO Awards & Final Top 25

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Leffel - RHP - Fresno City College 2026 Stat Line: 89.1 IP | 12-1 | 1.91 ERA | .83 WHIP | 118 K An outstanding individual pitching season in California JUCO baseball this spring. A model of consistency on the mound making starts in January through May for Fresno City. Worked over 89 innings on the mound and made 14 starts where he threw at least 5 innings. Ranked in the top 5 of California JUCO in wins, ERA and strikeouts. And one of the only pitchers in all of JUCO to reach the benchmarks of 10+ wins (12), a sub 2.00 ERA (1.91 ERA) and 100 strikeouts (118 K). A consistent and dominant presence on the mound for a team that went 40-5 this past spring. Congratulations to Nathan Leffel, 2026 Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Bradford | FR | OF@JCCCBaseball Everything I have from this spring starting with HR’s 31 & 32 today. This is...
Tournaments | Story | 6/18/2026

150 Teams Set to Battle at SE Select

Will Dembo
Article Image
As summer travel season continues to ramp up, more than 150 teams from 13-17u from all over the nation will meet in East Cobb as they look to showcase their talents and compete for a trophy in the PG Southeast Select Championship. The tournament will kick off with pool play on Thursday, June 18th, and champions will be crowned following bracket play on Monday, June 22nd. The 13u division will host 23 teams from four different states in the major style tournament. The East Cobb Astros and Ninth Inning Royals will share the spotlight as the only nationally ranked teams in the field as the Astros enter the weekend as the No. 45 ranked squad and Ninth Inning falls at the No. 31 spot. 14u will also play as a major tournament for the weekend and contains 31 teams looking to compete for a trophy. Although there are currently no nationally recognized teams in the pool, PFA Regional will be a...
Tournaments | Story | 6/17/2026

UBC Midwest Scout Notes

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Braydon McMillen (2029, Downers Grove, IL) an athletic MIF with a top of the order skill set at the plate. Reached base in all 5 games played at UBC this week. Including a 3 hit game in bracket play. Shows a balanced and compact swing at the plate with quick wrists and the ability to get the barrel to the baseball regularly. A quick first step defensively with clean glove actions and a quick release from the shortstop position. Made several athletic plays defensively this past week. Lot of promising impact traits and a real skill set to build on.  Paris Head | IF/OF/RHP | 2029 | IL@WhitesoxAce FB: 86-90 | CB: 73-75 SL: 77-79 | CH: 78-82 One of the best pitching performances of the tournament so far. High level athlete with an advanced pitch mix for the age. #UBC @PG_Scouting | @WhitesoxAce https://t.co/V3leWaCBSM pic.twitter.com/EDBvjpgI3p — Perfect Game Illinois...
Loading more articles...