Diamondbacks sign 2019 first-round pitching prospect Drey Jameson

The Diamondbacks have agreed to a deal with 34th overall pick Drey Jameson, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports.  Jameson was one of two compensatory first-rounders awarded to the D’Backs after Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock rejected qualifying offers and left in free agency.  High schooler Brennan Malone was taken with the other compensation pick (33rd overall) and agreed to his own contract with Arizona earlier this week.

Jameson, a right-hander out of Ball State, inked a deal with a $1.4M bonus.  This is significantly below the $2,148,100 assigned slot price for the 34th overall pick, though Callis notes that “issues had to be ironed out after [Jameson’s] physical.”  These savings will help the Diamondbacks navigate their enormous draft class.  While Arizona’s $16,093,700 bonus pool was the largest of any team, the Snakes also had five extra picks beyond their allotted 10 choices in the draft’s first 10 rounds.

Jameson is relatively undersized at 6-foot, 165 pounds, and he also has what Fangraphs’ scouting report describes as “high-maintenance delivery” that “may make it hard for him to start.”  Some scouts believe Jameson could ultimately end up in the bullpen, though his overall stuff certainly merits a look as a starter.  MLB.com and Baseball America rank Jameson 49th in the draft class, and Fangraphs has him 50th, all citing his plus fastball that can hit 97 to 98 mph and regularly sits in the 93 mph to 96 mph range.