I got a question via Twitter this evening from @mrmgwilson that goes as follows:

“Are you surprised Michael Wacha signed for slot?”

The question is totally understandable. Wacha, a right-hander from Texas A&M, was seen as a potential pick in the 10-15 range. That said, I had problems finding a home for him in my final mock draft and slipped him to No. 18 overall, and he ultimately landed one pick later to the Cardinals. Now, as a player expecting to go much higher than 19, it would be logical to expect Wacha to ask for more money than was provided in the bonus pool for the pick, right? Not really, as Wacha signed quickly and, as per Jon Heyman, for exactly the budgeted amount for that pick at an even $1.9 million.

The pool amounts for each pick were designed to provide flexibility to teams—at least on a minor level—so these are not slots, as actually are quite above previous slots. Last year's number 19 overall pick, Matt Barnes of the Red Sox, signed for $1.5 million, which was actually over the slot for that pick, which was just under $1.4 million. In 2010, No. 19 overall pick Mike Foltynewicz signed for just under slot at $1.305 million. With a $1.9 million bonus, Wacha did not sign for slot as much as he received the full bonus pool amount for that pick, which is actually looking like a bit of a rarity.

Of the six players taken prior to Wacha in the first round who have signed, none received 100% of the pool amount, and one of them (Toronto's D.J. Davis at $1.75 million) got less. In this new system, these aren't slots as much as they are portions of a bigger pie that teams are forced to work with. Wacha got his full piece of the pie, with the second highest bonus at No. 19 in draft history, trailing only new system-mate Shelby Miller.

Wacha's $1.9 million bonus is in line with an average of the 2011 slots of the No. 9 and 10 overall picks, so in the new reality, Wacha not only settled, but he did quite well for himself, maximizing his value in a way that no pick ahead of him has yet.  

Marcel Ozuna, OF, Marlins (High-A Jupiter): 3-for-5, 2 HR (15), 2 R, 6 RBI.

It's hard to call someone the hottest hitter in the game based on two nights, but how about five home runs and 12 RBIs over that stretch? That was enough to raise the 21-year-old Dominican's OPS 90 points to .261/.332/.513, and he certainly has an intriguing tools combination of

When Jorge Soler was declared a free agent last week, agent Barry Praver sent an email to all teams to inform them that the deadline for initial bids was June 7. That indicated a quick negotiation window, and that window closer on Monday afternoon with Soler closing a nine-year, $30 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.

Without getting into the dynamics that went into such a deal, and future dynamics such as the potential for arbitration outs, let's focus on Soler the player. On a scouting level, Soler has a classic right-field profile. He's athletic, with at least average speed, and has decent instincts in center, which should serve him well in right, as well as a plus or better arm. His calling card offensively is raw power that has earned 70+ scores from scouts, but opinions are his pure hit tool are quite varied. There is clearly some swing and miss in his game, but he's shows the ability to make adjustments in international play. There is some stiffness to his swing, but it clearly has worked for him so far.

In the 2011 draft, Soler could have been a top ten pick. In the 2012 draft, he certainly would have been among the top eight, and likely top five. As for Soler's development, he will likely get acclimated to beisbol en Estados Unidos by spending some time at the Cubs complex in Arizona before getting shipped out to play somewhere in the neighborhood of six weeks in the minors before instructional leagues begin. A big league debut in 2014, while not out of the question, would be the most optimistic of scenarios. He has easy impact potential, but there are plenty of potential speed bumps between Soler reporting to camp and him reaching the big leagues.