ARLINGTON -- The Mariners wasted no time signing the majority of their top selections from this week's MLB Draft, as the club announced on Sunday that 26 of their 40 picks are now under contract, including first-rounder Evan White.
White, an athletic first baseman from the University of Kentucky, will take part in a minicamp with the other signees from Sunday through Wednesday in Peoria, Ariz. He will then head to Seattle on Thursday for an introductory news conference and a chance to take batting practice with the Mariners at Safeco Field prior to that night's game against the Tigers. White, the 17th overall selection, signed a $3.125 million bonus, according to Jim Callis of MLBPipeline.com. That is just under the assigned slot figure of $3.333 million for that spot. The club did not confirm terms of the deal.
The Mariners have signed 11 of their Top 12 selections -- with the only exception being second-rounder Sam Carlson, who just finished his high school season in the 4A state playoffs in Minnesota. Carlson, who was the 55th overall selection in the Draft on Monday, gave up seven runs over two innings in a quarterfinal loss on Thursday -- the worst outing of his senior season, after entering the contest with a 0.67 ERA.
The rest of the Top 12 have signed: right-handed relievers Wyatt Mills from Gonzaga (third round) and Seth Elledge from Dallas Baptist (fourth); catcher David Banuelos from Long Beach State (fifth); left-handers Oliver Jaskie from Michigan (sixth) and Max Roberts from Wabash Valley (seventh); center fielder Billy Cooke from Coastal Carolina (eighth); prep left-hander Jorge Benitez from Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico (ninth); right-hander Randy Bell from South Alabama (10th); left-hander J.P. Sears from The Citadel (11th); and right-hander Darren McCaughan from Cal State Long Beach (12th).
Also signing were shortstop Kevin Santa from the University of Tampa (19th); catcher Troy Dixon from St. Johns (20th); shortstops Connor Hoover from North Georgia (21st) and Johnny Adams from Boston College (22nd); right-hander Sam Delaplane from Eastern Michigan (23rd); shortstop Louis Boyd from Arizona (24th); and right-handers Bryan Pall from Michigan (25th), Austin Hutchison from Mount Olive (26th) and Collin Kober from McNeese State (27th).
The late-round selections who signed include right-handers David Gerber from Creighton (28th) and Scott Boches from Marist (29th); third baseman Ryan Costello of Central Connecticut State (30th); first baseman Ryan Garcia from Point Loma Nazarene (31st); and left-hander David Hesslink from MIT (34th).
White and many of the collegiate Draft picks will open their pro careers at Short-Season Class A Everett, while the high school picks are more likely to get started in the Arizona Rookie League.