re: Casey Mize signs

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Mize's leverage would be that Detroit wasted their first round pick this year, if he chose to come back. While the MLB draft is deeper than any other sport, nobody wants to miss out on their first round pick.....especially the #1 pick.

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There is protection for MLB teams in that Detroit would receive the 2nd overall pick in next year's draft had they not signed Mize. While that sounds like a "loss" (going from 1st to 2nd), its important to note that Mize is NOT a generational talent, simply the best player in a draft class that was very average at the top end, which means that he is NOT a must-sign player like a Bryce Harper. Having the 2nd overall pick next year plus another likely Top 10 pick from their performance this season would set Detroit up for an absolutely massive bonus pool in 2019, which means that they would hold the power to dominate that draft class and completely offset not signing Mize this year. Bonus pool strength is what dominates the MLB draft: the more money you have to spend, the more power you hold to push players to your own picks and away from other teams.

None of this really matter at all because Detroit and Mize came to an agreement BEFORE the pick was even made. MLB teams hold power in that they can shop their selection to numerous players, which means that if Mize wants to ask for more money than Detroit is willing to give him, they will just come to an agreement with someone else who will gladly cut a deal to go #1 overall. Nobody in the MLB just randomly drafts players that high without having an agreement in principle in place. In Mize's case, it is in his best interest to take #1 overall money, even if its not the full amount, because playing his chances next season holds literally zero upside. As you can see, his bonus ($7.5 mill) is still the new record under the new system, so in what sense did it make sense for him to do something absolutely retarded like going back to school? He's a guy who has already had shoddy medicals (two injuries), hence $7.5 mill is the best he will do and its an offer that his agent would slap him over the head for trying to better.