Tigers strike deals with pair of first-rounders
Club agrees to terms with high school righty Burrows, Tennessee outfielder Stewart
DETROIT -- A week after the Tigers wrapped up the first part of their work in the Draft, they got to business on getting players into their system. Both first-round picks -- high school right-hander Beau Burrows and University of Tennessee outfield Christin Stewart -- agreed to terms on deals Tuesday, as did Michigan State outfielder and fifth-round pick Cam Gibson.
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The Tigers announced the Burrows signing, in addition to others, on Wednesday.
The team has announced deals with five other draft picks: University of Houston right-hander Kyle Dowdy (12th round), University of Missouri third baseman Josh Lester (13th round), University of Akron right-hander Joseph Havrilak (18th round), Tennessee Wesleyan right-hander Logan Longwith (20th round), Princeton catcher Tyler Servais (27th round), Central Michigan second baseman Patrick Mackenzie (28th round) and Michigan State first baseman Blaise Salter.
Burrows, the 22nd overall selection, announced his agreement Tuesday on Twitter. He had previously committed to play college ball at Texas A&M, but instead agreed to terms to turn pro. He'll get $2,154,200, the exact slot value of the pick, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com.
Burrows traveled from his Texas home to Florida on Monday, he tweeted. The hard-throwing teenager is expected to report to the Tigers' Gulf Coast League affiliate and begin his pro career there.
Stewart, the 34th overall selection, will also make slot value -- $1,795,100 -- according to Callis.
Gibson, the son of former Tigers great Kirk Gibson, made no secret of his likelihood to turn pro from the day he was drafted last week. He tweeted a photo of himself signing his contract at the Tigers' player-development offices in Lakeland, Fla.
The Tigers are expected to convert Gibson from a left fielder, where he played at Michigan State, to a center fielder.