Cubs Sign Draft Pick to Record-Breaking Deal

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly signed sixth round draft pick Josiah Hartshorn to a record-breaking deal. According to MLB prospects analyst Jim Callis the Cubs were able to pry Hartshorn from his commitment to Texas A&M with a $2 million signing bonus for the 181st overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Hartshorn, a switch-hitting outfielder out of southern California, now has the highest ever signing bonus for a sixth-round pick in MLB history. His slot value was set at $355,800, meaning the $2 million bonus is a little more than 5.5x the original value. The Cubs are more than happy to pay way above the slot value to get Hartshorn in their minor-league system.

Here's the scouting report from MLB.com on Hartshorn.

Via MLB.com.

When healthy, Hartshorn is a talented switch-hitter with ability from both sides of the plate. A left-handed thrower, he actually hit only right-handed for nearly all of his first three years in high school because an issue in his left elbow made it hard for him to swing lefty. But then a back issue made hitting right-handed, a more consistent and easier swing, too difficult near the end of his junior season, so he brought the lefty swing back. It was clunky at first, but while you don’t want to put too much stock in a home run derby, the fact he found his lefty swing enough to share in the MLB High School Derby win was impressive. He’s back to hitting from both sides now, with a solid overall approach and some feel for it, an understanding of the zone and raw power he can get to from either side.

It will largely be the run-producing potential of Hartshorn’s bat that will get him drafted, though he was moving around better than expected in the outfield during his senior season. He moves well for someone his size with a little sneaky speed, with more conviction he can handle an outfield corner, even though his arm that used to throw up to 94 mph off the mound is still coming back from that elbow issue. 

MLB Pipeline writer Sam Dykstra named Hartshorn as the biggest steal of the sixth round in this year's draft.

The 18-year-old wasn't the only draft pick out of high school that the Cubs paid over slot this year. In the fourth round the Cubs selected right-handed pitcher Kaleb Wing and gave him a signing bonus worth $1.5 million to lure him away from Loyola-Marymount. With their 14th round pick the Cubs went with Kaemyn Franklin, another righty who was committed to Oklahoma.

Not to be forgotten, the Cubs officially announced the signing of 10 draft picks, including first-rounder Ethan Conrad. The 21-year-old outfielder out of Wake Forest agreed to a $3,563,100 signing bonus, which was about $1.2 million below slot value for the No. 17 overall pick.

Conrad was limited to 21 games at Wake Forest this past season, missing time because of a dislocated shoulder. Prior to the injury the left-handed slugger hit seven home runs in 97 plate appearances and posted a 1.238 OPS.