Braves Sign Ninth-Round Pick To Above-Slot Bonus

by gondeee on Jun 12, 2010 6:49 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves used some of the extra cash they had on hand by not having a high first-round pick to sign one of their under-drafted players from this year's MLB First Year Player Draft. David Rohm is a pure hitter. He was a red-shirt freshman at Fresno City College, ending up there after suffering an arm injury in 2009 and being released from his scholarship at Fresno State.

He was expected to get drafted anywhere from the fifth to the eighth round, but fell to the ninth-round where the Braves drafted him. He had expressed a willingness to return to school (he had a scholarship to USC) if he didn't go higher in the draft, so to sign him the Braves gave him a bonus almost twice the recommended slot bonus for his draft position. Rohm received a $245,000 bonus, and the Braves apparently knew what they were doing drafting him and signing him:

"Not a lot of people get a chance to follow their dream, but with this decision, I can," Rohm said. "Negotiations went real well. The Braves knew before drafting me the amount I was asking. They went above the slot money just as I asked. So I agreed." [...]

Rohm played first base for the Rams, but will start out in right field in the Braves' farm system.

"We think David has a chance to be a good offensive player," said Tom Davis, the Braves' West Coast crosschecker. "He has one of the most compact swings I've seen this season. He can put the barrel of the bat on the ball quickly. He's very strong from the elbows to the hands and has very large hands. He's a good athlete who works hard.

"We're tickled to death we got him."

Read more here. It looks like the Braves got a real steal and great value with this pick, which seems to be emerging as a major theme for the Braves 2010 draft.

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Comments

Tickled to death?

Wow. That happy? This kid must be pretty good.

by blitzerlover on Jun 12, 2010 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

I’m tickled to death at his choice of the words tickled to death.

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by PWHjort on Jun 12, 2010 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Why was he asking for money to cover his scholarship? It isn’t as if he lost out on any cash—he decided to forego all of that when he went pro. Unless this is common protocol…

by hoboken_wood on Jun 12, 2010 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

But if he decides to go back to school after his career is over he’ll have to pay for it. That could be one way of justifying asking for the extra money.

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by cbwilk on Jun 12, 2010 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions

word.

[only built for cuban linx]

by Mighty Healthy on Jun 13, 2010 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Can someone clear up what a "cross checker" is?...

are they a scout? Follow up scout double checking guys who are initially identify by lower scouts? Do they do background checks?

by Mr. Sanchez on Jun 12, 2010 7:48 PM EDT reply actions

Crosschecker's are...

Scouts, yes. The regional crosschecker is responsible for double checking as well as comparing the talent throughout his region. The national crosschecker does the same thing except, of course, it’s for the nation. The crosschecker helps because you are able to compare and rank all the prospects that area scouts probably can’t see because they are outside of their “area”. Like Stefan Sabol in Cali and Zach Alvord in GA.

by UMass12 on Jun 12, 2010 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

thank you

by Mr. Sanchez on Jun 12, 2010 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Sweet. I think this might be our best draft since the Heyward/Freeman draft of 2007. Especially if we can find a way to sign 1 or 2 more of these above-slot guys.

"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson

by Jacob Peterson on Jun 12, 2010 8:50 PM EDT reply actions

I agree. The best part is that it seems that so many picks are signing or eager to sign early. The only guy in the first 9 picks that I havent read anything about signing or wanting to sign is the Joseph Terdoslavich guy.

by chopc on Jun 12, 2010 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Braves should make a serious effort to sign one of those guys. Without a first round pick this year, they have some extra bonus money. I don’t know what they’re doing internationally, but it seems unlikely they’ll spend as much there as they did last year when they signed Salcedo, who got the biggest international deal I’ve ever seen the Braves give out. So there should be some cash to spread around for prospects.

by Bronn on Jun 12, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I really hope the Braves sign

One or both of Alvord or Sabol that would make this draft class even better. I absolutely love our 1st 10 picks tons of potential there and adding one or both of those guys would be sweet! But the Rohm signing is a great signing as well.

by Jay212033 on Jun 12, 2010 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Not as excited about Rohm

Wasn’t sure if he was worth going over-slot for. I think the Braves see something in him, but his ceiling seems to be something like a Greg Norton, with plenty of down side.

by Bronn on Jun 12, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions

How do you figure......

His upside is nothing more than GREG NORTON?!?! Have you seen the kid in person? Cause from all i’ve read on him almost every scout is saying his bat is his biggest tool.

by Jay212033 on Jun 12, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we should be happy if he turns out to be another Greg Norton, as long as he isnt the 2009 version that is. Norton was a useful player for several years in the bigs, we can’t say that for most 9th round picks.

by chopc on Jun 13, 2010 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions