Washington Monument

Strasburg Signs With Nats For Record $15.1M

Nationals fans can breathe easy -- Stephen Strasburg is finally an official member of the franchise. The Nats sign the No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft just seconds before last night’s midnight deadline to a deal worth a record $15.1M. The figure far exceeds the previous top contract for a draft pick, but is well below the whispers of $50M that were being thrown out this spring. The agreement is generally seen as a positive for both sides -- the WASHINGTON TIMES’ Mark Zuckerman notes the Nats "took an important step toward re-establishing their good name," while Strasburg avoids having to play in an independent league before returning for the ’10 Draft. A total of 29 of the 32 first-round picks agree to terms before the deadline, though the commissioner’s office cannot be pleased with the number of teams that went above the recommended slot figures.

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