Kansas City, Mo. — The Tigers have now locked up their top three draft picks.
On Friday, the club announced the signings of No. 3 overall pick right-handed pitcher Jackson Jobe and No. 39 overall shortstop-third baseman Izaac Pacheco. Last week the Tigers signed No. 32 pick right-hander Ty Madden.
According to Jim Callis of MLBPipeline, Jobe signed for $6.9 million which is under the slot value for a third overall pick ($7.22 million). The Tigers went over slot value to sign both Madden ($2.5 million, over $2.26 million) and Pacheco ($2.75 million over $1.9 million).
The Tigers needed to sweeten the pot for Pacheco, who was set to start his college career at Texas A&M. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound 18-year-old projects to hit for power from the left side of the plate. According to Callis in MLB.com, who ranked him as the 30th best prospect in the draft, Pacheco had the most power potential of any left-handed hitter in the draft.
Jobe, regarded as the best high school pitching prospect in the draft, was ranked as the seventh best prospect in the draft by MLB.com.
The Tigers aren’t sure yet how much Madden will pitch, or where, for the rest of this season coming off a long college campaign. Both Jobe and Pacheco are reporting to Lakeland.
Fourteen of the 21 players drafted have been signed. Here’s the list:
RHP Jackson Jobe (R1 — third overall), RHP Ty Madden (Competitive Balance A Round — 32nd overall), INF Izaac Pacheco (R2), RHP Tyler Mattison (R4), RHP Tanner Kohlhepp (R5), 1B Austin Murr (R6), LHP Brant Hurter (R7), RHP Jordan Marks (R8), RHP Garrett Burhenn (R9), C Mike Rothenberg (R12), RHP Blake Houb (R15), RHP Aaron Haase (R17), OF Ben Malgeri (R18) and OF JD McLaughlin (R20).
Among the draftees still unsigned are 11th-round catcher Josh Crouch from Florida State, 13th-round third baseman Chris Meyers from Toledo and 14th-round right-handed pitcher RJ Petit from Charleston Southern.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky