The Rangers announced Friday that they have agreed to terms with right-hander Dillon Tate, who was selected No. 4 overall out of UC Santa Barbara in this week’s 2015 First-Year Player Draft. The first three picks in the draft were shortstops, so Tate was the first pitcher off the board.
According to Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest, Tate will receive a bonus of $4.2 million. The pool value for the No. 4 pick was $5,026,500, so the savings will allow the Rangers to spend extra on their other picks.
Tate, 21, checks in at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and possesses a mid-90s fastball. He just converted to a starter as a junior this year, but Baseball America notes that “he has adjusted to the role well, though, establishing a routine and holding his stuff deep into games and the season.”