Pirates lock up entire draft class, signing pitchers Carmen Mlodzinski, Jared Jones, Nick Garcia

The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed their entire 2020 draft class, locking up right-handed pitchers Carmen Mlodzinski, Jared Jones and Nick Garcia, the team announced Thursday.

Jim Callis of Baseball America reported Mlodzinski, a competitive-balance round pick, signed for a $2.05 million bonus, which was less than the slot value for the No. 31 overall pick ($2,312,000).

Supplemental 1st-rder Carmen Mlodzinski signs with @Pirates for $2.05 million (slot 31 value = $2,312,000). South Carolina RHP, lively mid-90s fastball reaches 99, slider & changeup both have plus potential as well, dominated @Official_CCBL last summer. @MLBDraft #WearAMask

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 2, 2020

Callis reported the Pirates signed Jared Jones, a second-round pick from La Mirada (Calif.) High School, for $2.2 million. It took the Pirates paying well above slot value for the No. 44 pick ($1,689,500) — and $150,000 more than it took to sign Mlodzinski — to convince the University of Texas recruit to skip college.

2nd-rder Jared Jones signs with @Pirates for $2.2 million (slot 44 value = $1,689,500). California HS RHP, sits in the mid-90s, solid slider too, also two-way guy with big raw power. Texas recruit. @MLBDraft

— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 2, 2020

Garcia, a third-round pick from Division III Chapman University, signed for $1.2 million, Callis reported. That’s more than his $780,400 slot value.

The Pirates previously announced the signings of first-round pick Nick Gonzales, a shortstop from New Mexico State; fifth-rounder Logan Hofmann, a right-hander from Northwestern State; and fourth-rounder Jack Hartman, a right-hander from Appalachian State.

After taking a redshirt as a freshman, the 6-foot-2, 232-pound Mlodzinski had two seasons at South Carolina shortened by injury. Mlodzinski was 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 25¹/₃ innings over four starts before the coronavirus crisis ended his season this spring. He pitched only three games before a broken foot ended his redshirt freshman season in 2019.

But Mlodzinski shined in the Cape Cod League last summer. Pitching for Falmouth, Mlodzinski boasted a 1.83 ERA with 43 strikeouts and five walks in 34¹/₃ innings. What the Pirates loved was his competitive nature and the movement on his pitches.

“He has a variety of pitches that can move in different directions,” Pirates amateur scouting director Joe DelliCarri said. “That’s first and foremost. He’s worked on a little bit of cutter, as well as a slider, curveball and makes his fastball move to both sides of the plate. It’s simple for us: competitor, strong and he can really make the ball move.”

Jones agreed to his deal with the Pirates on June 15, so his signing was more of a formality. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander was 2-1 with a 0.82 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 17 innings this spring before his season was stopped because of the coronavirus crisis. Jones was 7-1 with a 0.77 ERA as a junior and 7-2 with a 0.80 ERA as a sophomore. He had a career record of 20-6 with an 0.89 ERA, 255 strikeouts and 78 walks in 180¹/₃ innings, with seven complete games and a perfect game.

“Unique athleticism, arm speed, pitches, competitor,” DelliCarri said of Jones. “A lot of really good traits to like and have liked for a long time.”

Garcia, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, is a converted infielder who joined the bullpen as a sophomore and became a starter this past season as a junior. He went 4-1 with a 2.00 in 2020.

The Pirates also announced Thursday the signing of one of Garcia’s college teammates, catcher Joe Jimenez, as an undrafted free agent. Jimenez, 5-10, 185 pounds, hit .348 with five doubles and two home runs in 12 games this season. Last year, he threw out 17 of 68 runners (25%) attempting to steal on him.