The Pioneers have signed their top 4 draft picks in the 2042 draft. Chris Thomas, their top selection, signed a contract with a $3.2 million bonus, the other 3 signing for bonuses ranging from $500K - $1 million. The team has not yet signed their 3rd or 4th round picks. Here is a look at the top four.
#1 Chris Thomas CF - The Pioneers have been searching for a good starting CF since HOFer Mario Soriano left the team. They are hoping Thomas fills the bill. A power hitting right hander with good defensive skills, Thomas will never hit for Soriano’s average, but will make up for it with more homers. The other thing the team liked is that Thomas won’t need to be platooned if projections hold. The 18 year old will start out in Rookie ball and the team expects him to move up through the system quickly with a possible appearance in Calgary as early as 2044.
#2 Gabe SandersonGabe Sanderson C/1B - While Sanderson has played his entire career at 1B, but the team is hoping to transition him to catcher. A right handed contact hitter, Sanderson is also well suited to hitting the gaps in The Stockyard. While it is a reach that he can make the position change, this is the part of the draft where it is okay to reach a bit.
#2 Sup Juan Rubio SP - The team went pitching with their next pick choosing the 18 year old Mexican lefty. Like Thomas, he has great intangibles and is known for his work ethic. A latecomer to the mound, Rubio only had 7 starts in high school. While this is an extremely small body of work the team apparently liked what they saw. He already has 3 decently developed pitches and the team thinks he will keep the ball in the park. He will take more time to develop than Thomas and it will take time to determine if his future is in the rotation or the bullpen.
#2 Sup Juan LopezJuan Lopez CF - Notice a pattern? The 21 year old college grad could go directly to Calgary and the team has indicated that is a real possibility. A lefty that would probably need to play as part of a platoon, Lopez has a borderline CF glove. Which means better than Figueroa, but not a Zimmer winner. He is a threat to steal whenever he is on base. He won’t hit for power, but that is why the team drafted Thomas.
