Elliott: Manoah sits atop all-time Jays list of signing bonuses
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
RHP Alek Manoah wore No. 47 this spring for the West Virginia University Mountaineers.
Yet, Manoah was No. 1 in the eyes of the Blue Jays ... in more than one way.
Toronto selected Manoah in the first round -- 11th over-all -- and then scouting director Steve Sanders gave him the largest signing bonus in franchise history. To forego his senior year at West Virginia the Jays gave Manoah $4,547,500 US. That was the assigned slot value for the 11th pick.
Now, at class-A Vancouver with the Canadians, Manoah received a larger bonus than the Texas Rangers pick (eighth over all) 3B Josh Jung of Texas Tech, who signed for $4,400,000, Atlanta Braves C Shea Langeliers from Baylor (ninnth) given $3,997,500 and San Francisco Giants choice of Arizona State Hunter Bishop, who signed for $4,097,500.
Manoah is the first player in West Virginia program history to be named to more six All-America teams in a single season.
The 6-foot-6, 260 pounder has a short list of major league starters who have had success at his size: CC Sabathia, Aaron Harang, Justin Masterson and Michael Pineda, according to Baseball America.
”Of all the guys I saw last spring, his fastball had the best finish,” said one veteran evaulator. “He was 94-94 MPH start to finish when I saw him in Morgantown and again in the playoffs at Oklahoma City. I know he has been starting, but think he’ll be a great reliever.”
The Manoah bonus puts atop the list, ahead of SS Adeiny Hechavarria, a free agent signed in 2010 for $4 Million. The previous highest amount given a drafted played was INF Jordan Groshans, a Magnolia Tex. high schooler who was selected 12th over-all. The Jays gave him a $3.4 Million bonus.
The Jays dipped into the Canadian talent pool giving third round pick former Ontario Blue Jays OF Dasan Brown (Oakville, Ont.) a $797,500 bonus … $2,500 more than former first rounder RHP Aaron Sanchez.
A partial list ...
Top dollars to Jays bonus babies
(Includes year, round drafted (over-all pick) and free-agent status (FA)
RHP Alek Manoah 2019 1st (11th) $4,547,500 US
SS Adeiny Hechavarria 2010 (FA) $4 M
INF Vlad Guerrero, Jr. 2015 (FA) $3.9 M
INF Jordan Groshans, 2018 1st (12th) $3.4 M
RHP Jeff Hoffman 2014 1st (9th) $3,080,800
C Max Pentecost 2014 1st (11th) $2,888,300
SS Logan Warmoth 2017 1st (22nd) $2,820,200
RHP Adonys Cardona 2010 (FA) $2.8 M
RHP Nate Pearson, 2017 1st (28th) $2,452,900
RHP Adam Kloffenstein, 2018 3rd (88th) $2.45
LHP Ricky Romero 2005 1st (6th) $2.4 M
RHP T.J. Zeuch 2016 1st (21st) $2.175 M
SS Felipe Lopez 1998 1st (8th) $2 M
RHP Deck McGuire, 2010 1st (11th) $2 M
LHP Daniel Norris, 2011 2nd (74th) $2 M
LHP Matt Smoral, 2012 1st (50th) $2 M
RHP Jon Harris , 2015 1st (29nd) $1,944,800
OF Gabe Gross 2001 1st (17th) $1.865 M
SS Russ Adams 2002 1st (14th) $1.785 M
OF D.J. Davis 2012 1st (17th) $1.75 M
OF Travis Snider 2006 1st (14th) $1.7 M
SS Aaron Hill 2003 1st (13th) $1.675 M
RHP Kevin Comer 2011 1st (57th) $1.65 M
OF Vernon Wells 1997 1st (5th) $1.6 M
LHP David Purcey 2004 1st (16th) $1.6 M
RHP Kendall Williams 2019 2nd (52nd) $1,547,500
1B David Cooper 2008 1st (18th) $1.5 M
C Hagen Danner, 2017 2nd (61st) $1.5 M
RHP Roberto Osuna 2011 FA $1.5 M
SS Dickie Joe Thon 2010 5th (156th) $1.5 M
RHP Billy Koch 1996 1st (4th) $1.45 M
3B Kevin Ahrens 2007 1st (16th) $1,440,000
RHP Eric Pardinho 2017 (FA) $1.4 million
RHP Chad Jenkins 2009 1st (20th) $1.359 M
OF Griffin Conine, 2018 2nd (52nd) $1.35 M
C J.P. Arencibia 2007 1st (21st) $1.3275 M
3B Balbino Fuenmayor 2006 (FA) $1.2
INF Bo Bichette 2016 2nd (66th) $1.1 M
LHP Zach Jackson 2004 1st (32nd) $1.017 M
OF Jake Marisnick 2009 3rd (104) $1 M
OF Jacob Anderson 2011 1st (35th) $990,000
RHP Roy Halladay 1995 1st (17th) $975,000
OF J.B. Woodman 2016 2nd (57th) $975,000
OF Miguel Negron 2000 1st (18th) $950,000
RHP Dustin McGowan 2000 1st (33rd) $950,000
SS Joe Lawrence 1996 1st (16th) $907,500
OF Alexis Rios 1999 1st (19th) $845,000
RHP Asher Wojciechowski 2010 1st (41st) $815,400
LHP Brett Cecil 2007 1st (38th) $810,000
LHP Griffin Murphy 2010 2nd (61st) $800,000
C Guillermo Quiroz, 1998 FA $800,000
RHP Peter Bauer 1998 2nd (45th) $800,000
OF Dwight Smith Jr. 2011 1st (53rd) $800,000
SS Christian Lopes 2011 7th (229th) $800,000
OF Dasan Brown 2019 3rd (88th) $797,500
RHP Aaron Sanchez 2010 1st (34th) $775,000
SS Joesphang Bernhardt 1997 FA $770,000
SS Miguel Hiraldo, 2017 FA $750,000.
3B Matt Dean 2011 13th (409th) $737,500
LHP Diegomar Markwell 1996 FA $705,000
RHP Jose Pett 1992 FA $700,000
BOLD indicates played in majors