Draft day hype is one thing. Signing bonuses are where teams actually put their money where their mouth is, and the Twins just backed up their pick on Carson Tinney in a big way.
Jim Callis broke the signing details, including the bonus figure and Tinney's spring numbers at Texas.
Per Callis, Tinney's $1,897,500 bonus actually comes in under the assigned slot value of $2,333,200 for pick 43, but it's still a serious commitment for a college catcher who wasn't even a household name a year ago.
That's because Tinney's breakout came fast. He transferred to Texas from Notre Dame and immediately took over as the Longhorns' starting catcher, turning in one of the best offensive seasons by a backstop in the country. The.326/.483/.688 slash line with 22 home runs wasn't just a hot streak, it made him the highest-drafted Texas catcher since Brian Johnson went 32nd overall back in 1988.
The power is the headline, but scouts have pointed to the whole package. Tinney led the SEC in walks, showed an advanced approach for a college hitter and still handled his business behind the plate, winning the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove while helping Texas allow the fewest stolen bases in the conference.
For a Twins organization that's been searching for impact bats to pair with pitching depth, landing a 6-foot-4, 240-pound catcher with legitimate raw power and a glove that plays is exactly the kind of value swing you want out of the second round. The arm strength Callis flagged only adds to the profile behind the plate.
Getting him signed and into a Twins uniform this quickly matters too. Tinney can start logging pro at-bats right away instead of sitting in draft limbo, and given how quickly he adjusted to SEC pitching after transferring from Notre Dame, there's real reason to think the power and patience translate fast in the minors.