Clemson’s top baseball signee heard his name called on the second day of the Major League Baseball Draft, though it was much later than expected.
Now the question is will Brock Porter suit up for the Tigers?
Porter was taken in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers, who selected the St. Mary’s Prep (Michigan) School pitcher with the 109th overall pick Monday. Should Porter elect to sign with the Rangers and start his professional career early, he would receive a signing bonus of approximately $560,000, according to MLB.com, which is much less than many expected for what many considered a first-round talent.
The fact that Porter, ranked by MLB.com as the No. 11 overall prospect heading into the draft, fell past the first three rounds could mean his asking price was too high for teams. But teams, particularly those with larger bonus pools, could mix and match their allotted draft money to offer certain players more than slot value, meaning Porter could potentially get more than the 109th pick is generally worth.
A power arm capable of touching 100 miles per hour with his fastball, Porter has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Tigers. As a senior, the 6-foot-4 right-hander threw five no-hitters en route to Gatorade National Player of the Year honors.
The Clemson Insider has learned that Porter has some degree of desire to follow through on his commitment to Clemson, meaning it’s almost certainly going to take an amount far exceeding his slot value to convince him to skip out on college. Now Porter has to make that decision.
Photo credit: Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal/USA Today Network
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