Bader debuts with a bang as Cards near spending cap - STLtoday.com
Second-round pick Bader, 21, finalized his contract with the Cardinals on Monday and on Tuesday hit two home runs, scored twice, and drove in three RBIs in his first game for Class A short-season State College. His signing brought the Cardinals closer to all the spending pool they have in the draft. The Cardinals finalized deals with third-round pick Bryce Denton and second-rounder Bader this week and, by doing so, nosed up against their bonus cap for the draft. The Cardinals entered the draft with a limit of $7,387,600, as assigned by the commissioner’s office. Minus the assigned bonus for the Cardinal’s 10th-round pick, the Cardinals have spent $7,214,400 and that puts them right against their cap. Bader, a college player with less leverage, agreed to a bonus below assigned slot ($570,300). He received a bonus of $400,000. The Cardinals went over the assigned bonuses for four of their first 12 picks. As a result, the Cardinals do not expect to be able to sign their 10th-round pick, South Carolina prep slugger Kep Brown. The club, however, has been willing to spend beyond the cap and will pursue some of the high school players taken in rounds 11 through 18. Any bonus given those players counts. Source: www.stltoday.com
