There were reports last night that Lonnie White Jr, who was selected 64th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, was signing with the team today, passing on a commitment to Penn State to play baseball and football. Today we hear from Jim Callis that he has signed for $1,500,000, which is $449,700 over his slot price.
Supplemental 2nd-rder Lonnie White signs w/@Pirates for $1.5 million (pick 64 value = $1,050,300). Pennsylvania HS OF, plus raw power, plus-plus speed, good CF instincts. Penn State WR recruit. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 26, 2021
The Pirates selected four players with their first four picks who all ranked among the top 32 draft prospects for Baseball America and now all four have signed. White Jr is a bit raw because he was a three-sport star in high school, but his baseball skills show plus raw power, plus-plus running and center field instincts according to the tweet above by Jim Callis. BA called him one of the fastest runners in the entire draft class, with an above average arm.
Here’s his player page
The Pirates still need to add fourth round pick Owen Kellington before finishing all of their top ten picks. He agreed to a deal before being drafted, but noted that the signing process (bonus pool related) meant that he had to wait a little bit before he actually signed, so he should be next.
The Draft Pick Signing Tracker has been updated.
