Reds prospect Chase Barnes signed his first professional contract on Thursday, surpassing the MLB draft record set last year by Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.
As part of the deal, Barnes will receive a $9.25 million signing bonus, which is more than the $9.2 million Skenes received in 2023 when he agreed to a contract with Pittsburgh. Jim Callis of MLB.com reports..
The Reds announced the deal in a social media post, featuring a photo of the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft sitting at a desk with a smile and a pen in hand.
Barnes is a product of Wake Forest University, where he posted a 2.70 ERA and 0.92 WHIP and was named the 2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year.
The 21-year-old posted a 10-1 record last season with 191 strikeouts in 100 innings.
“He’s the best college pitcher I’ve ever seen,” Wake Forest University head coach Tom Walter told MLB.com after the draft, “and this is not a knock on Paul Skenes, who pitched eight shutout innings last year.” [in the College World Series] “He was amazing, and Matt Harvey from North Carolina. … Chase Barnes is the best I’ve ever seen.”
Reds Scouting Director Joe Katuska told the Cincinnati Enquirer. Barnes heads to the Reds’ spring training facility in Arizona on Sunday, and the hope is to get him on the field on Monday.
“The biggest thing is to figure out where he is in his pitching,” Katuska told the outlet. “He still needs to get some innings in, but it’s been a while since he’s been on the mound in a game. We’re going to keep an eye on him long-term and see what the future holds for him.”
Barnes was ranked sixth in MLB’s 2024 pre-draft rankings.
Meanwhile, Skenes has been dominant since being promoted from Triple-A in May, earning a starting spot in this year’s All-Star Game and clearly worthy of a spot.
