The White Sox announced the signing of high school right-hander Jared Kelley, their second-round pick in the draft, to a $3 million signing bonus Saturday.
Kelley, rated by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 12 prospect overall, slipped to the 47th pick and signed for more than $1.4 million above slot value. The Sox invested the bulk of their draft pool on Kelley and No. 11 overall pick Garrett Crochet ($4.5 million), a left-hander from the University of Tennessee.
“This is a moment I’ve been dreaming about for as long as I can remember and still can’t believe it’s real,” Kelley said in a statement released by the Sox. “None of this would be possible without the love and support from my mom, dad, brother and the many coaches and teammates I’ve had along the way. I’d like to thank the Chicago White Sox for taking a chance on me and I promise to give you, and White Sox fans everywhere, everything I’ve got.”
The Sox have also signed right-hander/infielder Adisyn Coffey of Wabash Valley ($50,000, third round), right-hander Kade Mechals of Grand Canyon University ($10,000, fourth round) and left-hander Bailey Horn of Auburn ($150,000, fifth round).
Kelley, 18, is from Refugio, Texas, birthplace of Hall of Fame right-hander Nolan Ryan.
