SF Giants sign top 2 picks from 2023 draft

The SF Giants went with high upside at the top of the draft and the good news is that they were able to sign their top two picks. Both pitcher/first baseman Bryce Eldridge and infielder Walker Martin agreed to signing bonuses on Monday according to Jim Callis of MLB.Com.

SF Giants sign top 2 picks from 2023 draft

Callis, who works tirelessly to report these deals, confirmed that Eldridge agreed to a signing bonus of $3,997,500. The No. 16 pick held a slot value of $4,326,600, so the Giants saved approximately $329,000 in bonus pool allotment.

The expectation was that they would reallocate those savings to the rest of the class. And, shortly thereafter, Callis indicated that Martin agreed to a signing bonus of $2,997,500. The No. 52 pick held a slot value of $1,620,800, meaning that the infield prospect signed a deal that was roughly $1.3 million over slot value.

Teams often have an understanding of terms with players before the draft, so there were not any big surprises with either of these signings. Heading into the draft, Eldridge was projected to go in the back half of the first round by many outlets, but the Giants took him with the 16th overall pick.

As a result, it was a slight overdraft on the Giants' part. Plus, San Francisco appealed to Eldridge due to the fact that he could continue working out as a two-way player. The 18-year-old prospect does not have to look too deep in the Giants organization to see that last year's first-round pick Reggie Crawford is also working out as a two-way player.

So, the fact that Eldridge was a slight overdraft meant that the Giants would be able to realize bonus pool savings, which they did. Those savings were immediately applied to Martin as it was reported that the Giants had a verbal agreement with him prior to the draft. Martin had been considered a first-round talent by many.

The good news is that both of the top picks are reportedly signed. They both had college commitments, so they carried leverage in talks. Eldridge had a commitment to the University of Alabama, whereas Martin had a commitment to the University of Arkansas.

The front office still has a lot of work to do as they have nine picks still left to sign within the first 10 rounds. They hold a bonus pool allotment of $9.9 million, but nearly $7 million of that allotment has already been used up with the signings from their first two picks.