Two South Jersey pitchers headed for potential first-day selections in MLB draft

Both are recent high school graduates and pitchers - lefthander Anthony Solometo of Bishop Eustace and righthander Chase Petty of Mainland.

Both have scholarships to high profile Atlantic Coast Conference schools, Solometo has committed to North Carolina and Petty to Florida. 

If both are selected as high as expected, it would be hard for them to pass up signing with an MLB team.

According to MLB.com, the suggested slot payment for the first pick in the draft is $8,415,300. That doesn’t mean a team has to pay that amount but players drafted often get near or even above the range.

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That means if players are drafted on the first night, they are likely to receive a bonus of at least $2 million. 

So it would be difficult for anybody to turn down a bonus of that size, especially since the players drafted who sign also get an education allowance if they do use it. 

In a recent Mock draft by cbssports.com, Solometo is projected to be selected 23rd overall and Petty 37th, which would be the first pick in the second round, which takes place on Monday.

The suggested slot payment for No. 23 is $2,926,800. The suggested slot payment for No. 37 is $1,999,300. 

While both players could go before these projected spots, or later, each is likely to command a strong bonus.

MLB teams don’t want to draft high school players in the first or second round and then not sign them, so the play has some leverage.

Then again, teams do their best to attempt to get to know how much it would cost to sign certain prospects. Some price themselves out of the draft. 

There is no telling where Solometo and Petty will be drafted, but to be considered among the top prospects in the country, which includes college players, is quite a feat.

Petty is among the hardest throwers in the draft, having eclipsed 100 MPH consistently.

Solometo has thrown in the 90’s, and he has great deception on his pitches. 

The draft should be interesting and it shows the talent in South Jersey when two players could hear their name on the first day.