The professional careers of five Florida State junior baseball players figure to be starting very soon.
Catcher Cal Raleigh (3rd round), pitchers Cole Sands (5th) and Andrew Karp (6th), outfielder Jackson Lueck (8th) and pitcher Tyler Holton (9th) were all selected on Tuesday during Day 2 of the Major League Baseball Draft.
Raleigh, who bounced back from an injury-plagued sophomore season, was the Seminoles' leading hitter and RBI producer in 2018. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 9oth overall pick. According to Major League Baseball numbers, his draft slot value is $632,400.
Sands was the next Seminole off the board. The hard-throwing right-hander was drafted with the 154th overall pick by the Minnesota Twins. His draft slot value is $330,400. Sands left his last start for the Seminoles - the regional opener last Friday against Samford - in the third inning with shoulder tightness.
Karp, another hard-throwing righty, was taken by the Washington Nationals with the 191st overall pick. His slot value is $239,600.
Lueck, who led the Seminoles with 15 home runs in 2018, was the next FSU player off the board. The switch-hitting junior was taken in the eighth round by the Kansas City Royals. He was the 242nd pick overall. He is slotted to get a $163,800 signing bonus.
And then finally there was Holton.
The All-American from Tallahassee was injured in the first game of the season and required Tommy John surgery. He likely won't be able to throw full speed until April. But that didn't keep the Arizona Diamondbacks from selecting him in the ninth round with the 279th overall pick. The slot value for that pick is $144,800.
Remember, though, MLB teams aren't tied down to those bonus figures. They can fluctuate. The Diamondbacks might offer less. They might offer more. Holton was asking for much more than that last summer when he was a draft-eligible sophomore - which is why the FSU ace wasn't selected until the 35th round.
More FSU players - including seniors Steven Wells and Rhett Aplin - could be selected on Wednesday when the Major League Baseball Draft continues.
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