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This year's MLB Draft kicks off...throws the first pitch?...at 5:00pm central, on June 5. We'll see the first two rounds as well as the supplemental rounds, while rounds three through ten pick up at noon on June 6, and rounds eleven to forty will begin at noon on June 7.
The most interesting day, and the day that most fans care about, is Day One. Minnesota has two picks that day, at number five and, because of the teams forfeiting their first round pick due to free agent signings (Braves, Orioles, Rangers, Yankees) and because of the first supplemental round, at 46.
Minnesota ranks tenth in terms of how much money they've been allotted to sign their picks, coming in at $7,525,600. It's about $750,000 less than what they were given last year, but they're also picking later in every round. Here's a look at where the Twins will pick in each of the first ten rounds, as well as the recommended signing bonus at each slot.
| Round | Overall Pick | Recommended Slot Bonus |
| 1 | 5 | $3,851,000 |
| 2 | 46 | $1,218,800 |
| 3 | 79 | $703,900 |
| 4 | 110 | $476,100 |
| 5 | 140 | $356,400 |
| 6 | 170 | $266,900 |
| 7 | 200 | $199,900 |
| 8 | 230 | $161,300 |
| 9 | 260 | $150,600 |
| 10 | 290 | $140,700 |
It's the overall budget that each team needs to stay within, so going a little over on one or two players isn't a big deal provided you can sign other guys under slot. This is why we hear rumors of teams like Houston and Miami not taking the consensus top players - they'd sometimes rather have a pretty good pick that they know they can sign, as opposed to one of the blue chip players who might hold out for more money and either A) not sign, or B) blow the budget and essentially lose a number of other players in the first ten rounds.
The Twins don't have that issue, and whether it's the popular choice Nick Gordon or one of the big pitchers they should be just fine. Penalties for exceeding the draft budget remain the same as the last two years.
| % Over Budget |
Corresponding Maximum
Twins Spend
|
Penalties Leveled |
| 0% | $7,525,600 | None |
| Up to 5% | $8,184,090 | 75% tax on overage |
| Up to 10% | $8,842,580 |
75% tax on overage,
loss of next season's 1st round pick
|
| Up to 15% | $9,783,280 |
100% tax on overage,
loss of next season's 1st and 2nd round picks
|
| > 15% | $9,783,281+ |
100% tax on overage,
loss of 1st round pick next two seasons
|
Just looking at the penalties themselves, which are already included in the above totals:
- Each amount in the "corresponding maximum spend" column includes the maximum overage as well as the tax on that overage.
- The cash penalty on up to 5% for the Twins this year would be as much as $282,210.
- The cash penalty on up to 10% for the Twins this year would be as much as $564,420.
- The cash penalty on up to 15% for the Twins this year would be as much as $1,128,840.
- If you go over your bonus pool by up to 10%, every $1.00 you spend becomes $1.75. If you go over 10%, every $1.00 you spend becomes $2.00. I find it unlikely that a team would ever blow their budget so severely, but if they do you know they'll think it's worth it.