Find out how much Paul Skenes, Wyatt Langford, Dylan Crews, and other top prospects stand to make in signing bonuses at this year’s MLB Draft.
Starting Sunday, July 9, the next generation of diamond dogs will realize their professional dreams with the arrival of the 2023 MLB Draft. And while LSU Tigers pitcher and newly minted national champion Paul Skenes is a virtual lock to go No. 1 overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates, there will be no instant anointment of superstardom on par with Victor Wembanyama or Bryce Young.
This is because baseball is really, really hard.
When an amateur enters the MLB pipeline, the biggest wad of dough coming his way takes the form not of base salary, but that sweet, sweet signing bonus. Since the draft is so long, the league keeps negotiations from becoming too protracted and arduous by keeping a cap on how much each team is able to spend on these bonuses, however, through MLB Draft slot values assigned to each pick in the event’s first 10 rounds.
In other words, we already have a solid estimate of how much top prospects like Skenes, LSU teammate Dylan Crews, Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford, and Wake Forest pitcher Rhett Lowder are due to make from their first big professional bag.
Let’s get into the numbers — check out the full list of 2023 MLB Draft slot values, pick-by-pick, as well as the pool for signing bonuses each club is working with.
MLB Draft Slot Values 2023: First Round
Salary data via MLB.com. Teams are able to offer above or below draft slot values at their discretion, but must pay a penalty if a signing within the first 10 rounds of the draft exceeds their total signing bonus allotment — scroll down to see each team’s bonus pool number.
| PICK | TEAM | DRAFT SLOT VALUE |
| 1 | Pirates | $9,721,000 |
| 2 | Nationals | $8,998,500 |
| 3 | Tigers | $8,341,700 |
| 4 | Rangers | $7,698,000 |
| 5 | Twins | $7,139,700 |
| 6 | Athletics | $6,634,000 |
| 7 | Reds | $6,275,200 |
| 8 | Royals | $5,980,100 |
| 9 | Rockies | $5,716,900 |
| 10 | Marlins | $5,475,300 |
| 11 | Angels | $5,253,000 |
| 12 | Diamondbacks | $5,043,800 |
| 13 | Cubs | $4,848,500 |
| 14 | Red Sox | $4,663,100 |
| 15 | White Sox | $4,488,600 |
| 16 | Giants | $4,326,600 |
| 17 | Orioles | $4,169,700 |
| 18 | Brewers | $4,021,400 |
| 19 | Rays | $3,880,100 |
| 20 | Blue Jays | $3,746,000 |
| 21 | Cardinals | $3,618,200 |
| 22 | Mariners | $3,496,600 |
| 23 | Guardians | $3,380,900 |
| 24 | Braves | $3,270,500 |
| 25 | Padres | $3,165,400 |
| 26 | Yankees | $3,065,000 |
| 27 | Phillies | $2,968,800 |
| 28 | Astros | $2,880,700 |
| 29 | Mariners | $2,800,700 |
| 30 | Mariners | $2,732,500 |
| 31 | Rays | $2,670,600 |
| 32 | Mets | $2,607,500 |
| 33 | Brewers | $2,543,800 |
| 34 | Twins | $2,481,400 |
| 35 | Marlins | $2,420,900 |
| 36 | Dodgers | $2,362,700 |
| 37 | Tigers | $2,309,500 |
| 38 | Reds | $2,255,100 |
| 39 | Athletics | $2,202,500 |
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2023 MLB Draft Signing Bonuses: Pool Money by Team
| RANK | TEAM | BONUS POOL MONEY |
| 1 | Pirates | $16,185,700 |
| 2 | Tigers | $15,747,200 |
| 3 | Nationals | $14,502,400 |
| 4 | Twins | $14,345,600 |
| 5 | Athletics | $14,255,600 |
| 6 | Reds | $13,785,200 |
| 7 | Mariners | $13,170,900 |
| 8 | Marlins | $12,829,600 |
| 9 | Royals | $12,313,500 |
| 10 | Rockies | $11,909,800 |
| 11 | Diamondbacks | $11,084,300 |
| 12 | Brewers | $10,950,600 |
| 13 | Rays | $10,872,100 |
| 14 | Orioles | $10,534,800 |
| 15 | Red Sox | $10,295,100 |
| 16 | Rangers | $9,925,300 |
| 17 | Giants | $9,916,900 |
| 18 | White Sox | $9,072,800 |
| 19 | Cubs | $8,962,000 |
| 20 | Guardians | $8,736,700 |
| 21 | Mets | $8,440,400 |
| 22 | Braves | $8,341,700 |
| 23 | Angels | $8,328,900 |
| 24 | Dodgers | $7,274,600 |
| 25 | Astros | $6,747,900 |
| 26 | Blue Jays | $6,529,700 |
| 27 | Cardinals | $6,375,100 |
| 28 | Padres | $5,416,000 |
| 29 | Yankees | $5,299,400 |
| 30 | Phillies | $5,185,500 |
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