Cubs, top pick Almora reach agreement
The Cubs and No. 1 draft pick Albert Almora reportedly have agreed to terms.
Although the Cubs are not confirming that a deal is done, a report by Baseball America draft expert Jim Callis says Almora gets a signing bonus of $3.9 million. Almora is a high school center fielder out of Florida. He had been using a scholarship offer to the University of Miami as leverage to get the best deal possible out of the Cubs.
The 18-year-old Almora batted .603 (44-for-73) this past season at Mater Academy Charter in Hialeah Gardens, Fla. He had 13 doubles, 5 triples, 6 homer runs and 34 RBI. The Cubs took him with the sixth overall pick in the draft.
There are still some details to be worked out, but once the Cubs announce the deal, they will have signed 19 of their first 20 picks. Remaining to be signed is second-rounder Duane Underwood, a right-handed pitcher out of Pope High School in Georgia. He recently worked out at Wrigley Field.