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Nationals report Date published: 6/8/2006
By TODD JACOBSON High school outfielder Chris Marrero and prep right-hander Colton Willems, the Nationals' two first-round draft picks in this year's First-Year Player Draft, say they are eager to sign contracts and quickly start their careers. But it'll cost the Nationals. The 15th pick, like Marrero, has received an average signing bonus of $2.39 million in the last three drafts, a number skewed by the $4 million Stephen Drew received in 2004. The 22nd pick, like Willems, has gotten an average of $1.36 million the past three years. Washington could have a tougher time signing its third pick, second-rounder Sean Black. Though Nationals scouting director Dana Brown said he didn't see any problems in signing Black, the right-hander told the Philadelphia Inquirer he planned to attend Seton Hall in the fall after he dropped out of the first round of the draft to the 59th pick in the draft. He backed off those comments yesterday in a phone interview with The Free Lance-Star, but it will likely take more than the average of what the 59th pick has received to sign in the last three drafts ($585,000). "Pro ball has been a dream of mine," Black said. "If everything works out I am hoping to play pro ball. I am definitely not totally committed to Seton Hall." It was a different message than what was reported in the Inquirer. "The money was still good, but we just didn't think it was enough for me to miss out on college," Black told the Inquirer Tuesday. "I'm going to school, and hopefully I'll be going through this in three years in the first round." It would likely take a signing bonus approaching $1 million to sign Black, and the Nationals might be willing to pay that much as the team tries to rebuild its minor league system. Washington viewed Black as a potential first-round pick and Brown was thrilled to be able to grab him in the second round. "Money is definitely a big part of this but I just love playing baseball so I want to get started as soon as I can," Black said. "I want to get down there."
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