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The Atlanta Braves found a way to get quite creative with their savings during the 2026 MLB Draft.
They signed three players in the middle rounds to bonuses of just $500 apiece.
Not $500K. Just $500.
Because each MLB team has a pre-defined bonus pool, saving on some picks can create additional money to be spent to ensure other players sign.
In this case, the Braves saved $653,300 by dishing out $500 apiece to their picks in the eighth, ninth and tenth rounds.
Those picks? Jacob Jarrell, Parker Brosius and Ben Zeigler-Namoa.
The Braves signed each of their college seniors in rounds 8-10 as well. They used these picks to create $653,300 in savings for their overslot HS players:
8th round Jacob Jarrell, $500
9th round Parker Brosius, $500
10th round Ben Zeigler-Namoa, $500
MORE: How Jordan Walker overcame the bust label
Those three college seniors get a chance at professional baseball. That's why they'd take such a small bonus.
Jarrell is a catcher who played at Clemson and had a huge 2026 season, blasting 18 home runs in 54 games.
Brosius is an outfielder from Georgia Tech who hit 13 homers this season.
Zeigler-Namoa played at Hawaii and is more of a contact hitter who limited his strikeouts with a little bit of pop and a little bit of speed.
It's certainly an extreme example of moving bonus money around, but the Braves found a way to make it work, and they'll hope the entire draft class pans out in a collectively positive way.
More MLB news:
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- CC Sabathia's son gets drafted by one of his former teams
- After 9 years in the minor leagues, a magical moment for Tigers catcher
- How Rays turned Tim Beckham bust draft pick into Junior Caminero
- Barry Bonds' nephew has a chance to be key pick in 2026 MLB Draft
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