With Monday's deadline to sign draft picks getting closer by the minute, the Cardinals struck a deal with their first-round pick that not only beat the clock but accelerated the clock for the young third baseman.
University of Arkansas sophomore Zack Cox, the 25th overall pick, and the Cardinals agreed to a major-league deal minutes before the 11 p.m. (St. Louis time)deadline imposed by Major League Baseball to sign this year's draft picks. The team also completed a deal with second-round pick Jordan Swagerty, a reliever from Arizona State.
The Cardinals signed their top four high-profile picks in the draft, and they are expected to have spent more than $5 million in bonuses to those four.
"The way we looked at this year's draft, by getting Cox signed, (Tyrell) Jenkins signed, (Seth) Blair and Swagerty, we really feel we've changed the look of our minor-league system in a lot of ways," Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said about 30 minutes after the clock struck on his negotiations. "It will change the look (of the top-tier) prospects."
Cox, 21, had significant leverage as a sophomore because he could return to college and be eligible for the draft next spring. Considered one of the finest college hitters available, he made it clear to the Cardinals early that he would require a major-league contract. That means that he is added to the 40-man roster when his deal is completed, and that moves him several years closer to commanding a spot in the majors. Mozeliak said the major-league contract was not problematic for the club.
What took time was coming to an agreement on the total worth of the contract. The club does not confirm financial figures, though Mozeliak did concede that it was larger than the team had done in several years. According to a baseball source, Cox received a raw bonus of $2 million, though the total guaranteed value of his four-year contract is $3.2 million when his salary for those seasons is included. Last year's first-round pick, pitcher Shelby Miller, received $2.875 million.
"The deal took a lot of patience," Mozeliak said.
Cox will be assigned to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League club. Swagerty will be assigned to short-season Class A Batavia.
The Cardinals pursued 12th-round pick Austin Wilson late into the process and even had initial optimism that they could sign the California prep outfielder. Wilson, a high-round talent, slipped in the draft because of a commitment and baseball scholarship to Stanford. The Cardinals hosted Wilson on a recruiting trip to Busch Stadium and met with the family recently out in the Los Angeles area. Optimism for a signing faded in the past week, and Mozeliak said the two sides never exchanged numbers once it became clear that Wilson intended to follow his commitment to Stanford.
Cox hit .429 with a .609 slugging percentage for the Razorbacks this past season. He had nine home runs and 48 RBIs. Swagerty, a sophomore-eligible pick taken 70th overall, had a 2.19 ERA and 14 saves for Arizona State. He struck out 48 and walked 10 in 37 innings.
