Here’s an overview of MLB first-round signing bonuses, focusing on the 2025 draft and recent trends: Every pick in the MLB Draft (Rounds 1–10) has a slot value—a recommended signing bonus—set by MLB each year.
🎯 What Are Slot Values & Bonus Pools?
Every pick in the MLB Draft (Rounds 1–10) has a slot value—a recommended signing bonus—set by MLB each year.
Teams have a bonus pool, the sum of all slot values for their picks, which they can spend without penalties.
Exceeding the pool triggers taxes or forfeiture of future picks:
0–5% over → 75% tax
5–10% over → lose a first-round pick + 75% tax
And so on.
📊 2025 Draft: Slot Values for Top Picks
The 2025 No. 1 overall pick (Eli Willits) carries a slot value of $11,075,900, up from $10.57 M in 2024.
Morning reports confirm the Nationals likely signed him for slightly less, saving room in their bonus pool.
Other slot values drop roughly $300–$400K per pick through the first round. For example:
Around 31st overall: approximately $3.04 M (Wehiwa Aloy to Orioles).
Competitive Balance picks in the 40s range near $2.33 M (Brendan Summerhill at 42nd).
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💰 How Bonuses This Year Compare to Past History
In both 2023 and 2024, underslot deals were common: 16 of the first 30 picks signed below slot in 2024.
Only a few signed over slot values, typically overslot dealks to high school prospects or signability challenges.
The highest-ever bonus so far: $9.25M by both Chase Burns and Charlie Condon in 2024 (Nos. 2 & 3 overall).
Note: 2025’s slot for the No. 1 pick ($11.08M) is higher than any bonus paid so far—suggesting the record might be broken soon.
🧾 2025 First-Round Summary
| Draft Position | Slot Value (Approx.) | Expected Bonus Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1st overall | ~$11.08M | Slightly below slot |
| ~13–15 | ~$5–6M | Possibly underslot |
| ~31 (e.g., pick 31) | ~$3.04M | Likely at or near slot |
| Early 40s (CB-round) | ~$2.3M | Generally near slot |
Teams continue to balance underslot major picks to free bonus pool funds for overslot offers to players later in the first or high demanding picks, especially high schoolers.
⚾️ Notable Historical Deals (for context)
Paul Skenes signed for $9.2M as the No. 1 pick in 2023 (highest ever).
Jackson Holliday, taken No. 1 in 2022, got $8.19M, the largest for a high schooler to date.
Other big early-round bonuses: Spencer Torkelson ($8.42M), Druw Jones ($8.19M), Adley Rutschman ($8.1M).
✅ Takeaways
First-round slot values fluctuate year to year; in 2025, the top pick has about $11.08M in slot.
Most top picks sign for less than slot, while high-demand prospects or signees later in Round 1 may get overslot deals.
The most recent signing-bonus records (~$9.25M) remain below the top slot values, indicating potential for new records.
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