Report: Pirates draft pick Lonnie White Jr. chooses pro baseball over Penn State football

Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick Lonnie White Jr. has chosen to play professional baseball and bypass a football scholarship to Penn State, according to a report by PhillyVoice.com.

The Malvern Prep outfielder, selected No. 64 overall in the MLB Draft in the Competitive Balance B round, was reportedly torn between the two sports but elected to sign with the Pirates on Monday for above the slot value of $1,050,300 plus a college stipulation. A source confirmed the report to the Tribune-Review.

MLB Pipeline senior writer Jim Callis reported that White signed for $1.5 million, which is $449,700 above slot.

Supplemental 2nd-rder Lonnie White signs w/@Pirates for $1.5 million (pick 64 value = $1,050,300). Pennsylvania HS OF, plus raw power, plus-plus speed, good CF instincts. Penn State WR recruit. @MLBDraft

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 26, 2021

“I am happy and this decision wasn’t about any type of money, it was more about the happiness of doing something I love to do, even though I still love football,” White told PhillyVoice.com. “Baseball has always been in my heart. The contract is over the slot value, and it also involves my future education.”

The 6-foot-3, 212-pound White was ranked No. 32 by Baseball America, No. 39 by ESPN and No. 72 by MLB Pipeline. He batted .395 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 25 RBIs as a senior at Malvern Prep, near Philadelphia, and received a 70 run grade on the scouts’ 20-80 scale.

In its scouting report, Baseball America called White “physically mature for his age, but he has the strength, bat speed and swing conducive to tapping into what should consistently be plus raw power.” Baseball America also noted that while White “is built like a corner outfielder, but he’s a plus runner now with good instincts in center field.”

White had 23 scholarship offers in football and signed to play wide receiver at Penn State. He informed Nittany Lions coach James Franklin of his decision on Sunday.

White is the third Pirates draft pick to skip college and sign for an over-slot bonus. Second-round pick Anthony Solometo, a left-handed pitcher from Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, N.J., who was a North Carolina recruit, signed for $2.8 million, going $800,700 above slot value for the No. 37 pick. Third-rounder Bubba Chandler, a right-hander and switch-hitting shortstop from North Oconee High in Bogart, Ga., who was going to play quarterback at Clemson, signed for $3 million. That’s $2,130,000 above slot value for the No. 72 pick.

The Pirates were able to spend above slot value on those prospects after saving $1,915,300 by signing No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis to an under-slot deal and an additional $913,600 on their picks in rounds 5-10, all college players with less leverage than the high school selections.

The Pirates had $1,521,500 remaining from their $14,394,000 draft pool to sign White and fourth-round pick Owen Kellington, a right-handed pitcher from U-32 High in Vermont whose slot value at No. 102 is $571,400. The Pirates expected to spend all of their draft pool, and could even use the 5% overage that allows them to exceed that amount.