LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers agreed to a deal with their second first-round pick of the 2019 Draft, second baseman Michael Busch of the University of North Carolina, for a bonus of $2,312,000 on Thursday night, a source told MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis.
The bonus was the full slot value for the 31st overall pick. The Dodgers have not confirmed the agreement.
Busch is 21, 6-foot, 207 pounds and scouting director Billy Gasparino called him “an elite” left-handed hitter who was compared to Dodgers slugging infielder Max Muncy during the Draft by MLB Network analysts, which Gasparino said “I don’t think is a crazy idea. … The similarity is very real."
Busch, a first baseman/outfielder in college, was taken as a second baseman, his position in last year’s Cape Cod League. He was a shortstop in high school.
“Michael is a guy who we thought was one of the better bats in the Cape, both in terms of performance and swing, as well as overall defensive versatility,” Gasparino said. “He’s been a staple in the UNC program. They rave about his makeup and his character, and we’re excited to add him to our organization. We’re going to challenge Michael and start at second base.”
Busch played three years of varsity high school football and hockey, leading his team to a state final as a quarterback. He had 16 homers, 57 RBIs and hit .290 for the Tar Heels.