As first reported by Jon Heyman, the Kansas City Royals have inked 19-year old center-fielder Bubba Starling to a deal, the specifics of which are not yet available. Starling was selected fifth overall by the Royals and had a commitment to play quarterback at the University of Nebraska.
The fact that he did not sign until the final day is no surprise, especially considering his agent - like Anthony Rendon's and Gerrit Cole's - is Scott Boras. Boras also represents Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, both of whom waited to sign until minutes before the midnight deadline the respective years that they were drafted.
However, the fact that he did actually sign is not too much of a surprise, as Justin wrote about earlier. Peter Gammons sent a tweet that the Nebraska football coach was threatening Starling, leading Justin to believe that this would push him to sign with the Royals
What sets Starling apart from the other draftees this year are his tools. This is what Kevin Goldstein said about him in May:
No position player in the draft can match his tools. In fact, nobody can come anywhere close. Tall, rangy, strong, and ultra-athletic, Starling has D-I football opportunities as a quarterback and has well above-average power, speed, and arm strength, leaving some to project him as a potential 30-30 player with impact defense in center field.
However, Goldstein does also state that his swing needs some work and is far from a can't miss prospect. This signing will add to the plethora of talent in the Royals system, leaving them in a very good position to field a very competitive team in the near future.