Nationals Sign Twenty-Three Draft Selections

Just a week after the completion of the 2012 Draft, the Washington Nationals announced mid-Tuesday afternoon that they have signed contracts with 23 of their 40 selections, according to Chase Hughes of CSNwashington.com. With these signings the team has now inked six of their first ten picks.

First round selection Lucas Giolito, considered a possible #1 overall pick before an elbow injury kept him off the mound all season, is expected to be seeking a significant bonus and could be a challenge to sign given the organization’s limited (roughly $4.4 Million) bonus cap thanks to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The two sides will continue to negotiate as the deadline stands one month from today.

Third round pick Brett Mooneyham was still competing up until Sunday, when his Stamford Cardinals were eliminated by seventh round pick Robert Benincasa and the Florida State Seminoles. Mooneyham, a left-hander, can now focus on negotiations with the team. The team will likely be patient with Benincasa, a right-hander, during negotiations while his team is still in the running for the College World Series title.  Eighth round pick Stephen Perez, a shortstop from the University of Miami, also remains unsigned among the team’s Top 10 selections.

The full list of players to sign is as follows:

• 2nd Rd. – 2B Anthony Renda, California
• 4th Rd. – OF Brandon Miller, Samford University
• 5th Rd. – C Spencer Kieboom, Clemson
• 6th Rd. – CF Hayden Jennings, Evangel Christian Academy (LA)
• 9th Rd. – RHP Derek Self, Lousiville
• 10th Rd. – C Craig Manuel, Rice University
• 11th Rd. – RHP Brian Rauh, Chapman Univ. (CA)
• 12th Rd. – 3B Carlos Lopez, Wake Forest
• 13th Rd. – LHP Elliot Waterman, Univ. of San Francisco
• 14th Rd. – RF Jordan Poole, Chipola College (FL)
• 16th Rd. – RHP Ronald Pena, Palm Beach State College
• 17th Rd. – RHP Blake Schwatz, Oklahoma City Univ.
• 18th Rd. – RHP David Fischer, Connecticut
• 19th Rd. – 1B Bryon Lippincott, Concordia Univ.
• 20th Rd. – SS James Brooks, Utah
• 21st Rd. – C Austin Chubb, Florida Southern College
• 22nd Rd. – RHP Will Hudgins, Notre Dame
• 23rd Rd. – OF Casey Selsor, Univ. of Texas San Antonio
• 24th Rd. – RHP Kevin Dicharry, Texas
• 28th Rd. – SS Hunter Bailey, Oklahoma State
• 29th Rd. – RHP Leonard Hollins, Chipola College (FL)
• 31st Rd. – RHP Michael Boyden, Maryland
• 33rd Rd. – 2B Mike McQuillan, Iowa