FanHouse

While most teams around baseball had already started signing some of their draft picks following the draft a few weeks ago, most have been waiting to see what the Rays would do with Tim Beckham before negotiating with their own first round picks.

Well, let the negotiating begin, as the Rays have signed the #1 pick.

Tim Beckham used one word to describe how it felt to walk into the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse and spot a jersey with his name on the back hanging in a locker next to established major leaguers.

"Sweet," the talented high school shortstop from Griffin, Ga., said Thursday.

Yeah, I'd probably say sweet too if I'd just signed a contract that included a $6.15 million signing bonus. The bonus is more than the Rays gave to their top pick last season, pitcher David Price, who got $5.6 million last season, though overall the deal will pay Beckham less than Price's $11.25 million total.

The Rays don't mind giving Beckham a larger signing bonus than Price because agreeing to a deal with him this early guarantees that Tim can join the Rays minor league system right away. They didn't sign Price until mid-August last season, preventing him from pitching in the minors until this season.