Kansas City Royals and Sean Manaea Agree to $3.55 Million Deal

Jim Callis of Baseball America reported that the Royals and supplemental first round pick (competitive balance round) Sean Manaea have agreed to a $3.55 million signing bonus.

Bob Dutton later tweeted that there will be a press conference 2:30 at Kauffman Stadium where Manaea will be introduced to the Kansas City media, indicating the signing is official.

It’s a bonus that’s nearly double the slot amount for the selection ($1.623 million for 34th overall), but the lefty from Indiana State University had been projected in the top 10 in some mock drafts. The Royals selected Hunter Dozier with the eighth overall selection and signed him a couple days after. Manaea, a Boras client, was nearly their first selection, according to Callis.

Manaea, as has been reported previously, has a small labrum tear in his right hip that will require surgery, but the Royals weren’t concerned about it being a long-term issue.

The bonus puts the Royals over their draft bonus pool for 2013, but they have signed all but one pick. Cody Stubbs, first baseman for North Carolina, is still in the College World Series and cannot sign yet. Once his team is eliminated, he should sign shortly, and, being a college senior, doesn’t have much leverage to require a big bonus. For reference, Kyle Bartsch, taken one round ahead of Stubbs, signed for $10,000 as a college senior.