The Yankees agreed to terms with their first round pick and would-be-shortstop-of-the-future Cito Culver. He’ll receive a signing bonus of $940,000, which is reportedly the Bud Selig-recommended slot.
Why are the Yankees suddenly paying slot? A couple of reasons. The main one is that the 17-year-old Culver wasn’t projected as a first-round pick by many scouts and he’d probably accept whatever you threw at him.
If that doesn’t explain it all this might: right after the draft Culver went to his high school prom in a white tux with Yankees-blue pinstripes. I’m guessing after that show of enthusiasm Brian Cashman knew that Culver had no intention of taking that scholarship from the University of Maryland and thus not much in the way of negotiation leverage. Never let them know what you’re thinking, Cito.
In other news, the current Yankees shortstop is old enough to be Culver’s father.