By Rob Biertempfel

Published: Thursday, June 14, 2012, 7:50 p.m.
Updated: Friday, June 15, 2012

BALTIMORE — Outfielder Barrett Barnes, the compensation-round pick whom the Pirates drafted 45th overall last week, is slated to be in Pittsburgh today to have a physical and then sign for a $1 million bonus. His bonus is roughly $136,000 below the slot amount.

On Thursday, the Pirates signed their third-round pick, right-hander Jon Sandfort. Baseball America reported that he received a bonus of $462,900, the full slot amount. He was assigned to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League team in Bradenton, Fla.

The Pirates have signed seven of their top 11 picks, and general manager Neal Huntington is not surprised there have been a lot of quick signings under the new draft rules. Huntington said he expected top pick Mark Appel and 15th-rounder Jonathan Youngblood would be “challenging” to sign.

Huntington said the Pirates still have cash to spend on Appel, who's slotted for a $2.9 million bonus as the eighth pick.

“With (picks) 1 through 10, every dollar you go over (slot), you've got to create a dollar somewhere else,” he said. “We've been able to create some dollars, so it isn't taking away from the allotted $2.9 million that's sitting there for (Appel). If we start chipping away at some guys beyond the 10th round for more than $100,000, then we do start losing money we've got available (for Appel). It's all part of the exercise.”

• Huntington said first baseman Jeff Clement, who's batting .294 with seven homers for Triple-A Indianapolis, is bothered by mild inflammation in his surgically repaired knee. “It's going to be something he has off and on for the rest of his playing career,” Huntington said.

• Reliever Daniel McCutchen (strained oblique) began a rehab assignment with High-A Bradenton last night. Against Fort Myers, he allowed a double and posted one strikeout in two scoreless innings.

• At 7 p.m. Monday, reliever Jason Grilli will take questions during a one-hour “town hall meeting” at concert-oh.com.

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4. Pirates minor league notebook: Former 5th-round pick Glasnow shining in rotation
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9. Biertempfel: Pirates lefty Locke settles into rotation
10. Rodriguez, Walker push Pirates past Brewers
11. Pirates notebook: Alvarez sits against righty Gallardo

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