Sox sign two more picks, make Denney official

The Red Sox announced the signings of two more 2013 draft picks on Friday, sixth-round pick Jordon Austin (pictured), a high school outfielder from Florida, and 12th-round pick Jake Drehoff, a left-hander out of Southern Mississippi. In addition, the club officially signed its third-round pick, catcher Jon Denney. It had been previously reported that Denney had agreed to sign for $875,000. The release also announced the signings of Corey Littrell and Gabe Speier, which had become official on Thursday.

Austin was one of just three high school players selected by the Red Sox in the first 12 rounds. An excellent athlete, he received offers to play football in college as well, but was committed to Seminole State College (Fla.) to play baseball. He possesses a strong arm in the outfield and a short, hard swing at the plate. He will almost certainly report to the Gulf Coast League, about three hours down the Florida coast from his home in Ocala.

Baseball America had previously reported Drehoff as signing for $175,000, but retracted that report as being premature. The draft-eligible sophomore has a good sinker, and is also expected to report to the team's Gulf Coast League affiliate in Ft. Myers.

Total, the Red Sox have now officially signed 16 of their 40 draft picks, including 11 of their top 15 picks. In addition, right-handers Teddy Stankiewicz and Jalen Williams have agreed to terms, but have not yet become official. Stankiewicz, in particular, is presently with the Lowell Spinners waiting for his deal to become finalized.

The updated figures below will assume, until more accurate numbers become available, that Austin signed for slot and that Drehoff signed for the previously-reported $175,000. It appears that the club still has a good deal of space under its bonus pool to sign players to above-slot deals, with more than $1 million in space before the team would lose draft picks.

1. Trey Ball, LHP - $2,750,000 (slot: $3,246,000)

2. Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP - $1,100,000 (slot: $1,229,600)

3. Jon Denney, C - $875,000 (slot: $671,200)

5. Corey Littrell, LHP - $300,000 (slot: $340, 700)

6. Jordon Austin, CF - ?? (slot: $254,900)

8. Forrestt Allday, CF - $10,000 (slot: $152,200)

9. Kyle Martin, RHP - $10,000 (slot: $142,200)

10. Taylor Grover, RHP - $10,000 (slot: $137,400)

11. Carlos Asuaje, 2B

12. Jake Drehoff, LHP - $175,000 ($75,000 counts against cap)

14. Jake Romanski, C

15. Bryan Hudson, OF

16. Jalen Williams, RHP - reportedly for "slightly over slot"

18. Joe Gunkel, RHP

19. Gabe Speier, LHP - $200,000 ($100,000 counts against draft cap)

21. Reed Gragnani, 2B

24. Jantzen White, 3B

34. Danny Bethea, C

Amount over/under bonus pool based on reported signings: $689,300 under

Amount over/under bonus pool+5%: $1,030,810 under

(NOTE: figures assume the club signs its picks from the first 10 rounds)

Photo credit: Jordon Austin by Perfect Game.

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