According to Jim Callis of Baseball America, the Rockies signed first-round draft pick Kyle Parker, an outfielder from Clemson.
The deadline to sign draft picks was Monday night at midnight eastern time. The Rockies apparently got the deal done in the final minutes.
Parker, a two-sport athlete and Clemson’s starting quarterback, used playing football as leverage with the Rockies, but the strategy seemed to fail. According to reports, Parker turned down the Rockies’ offer last month of $2.2 million. He signed on Monday for a reported $1.4 million.
According to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, Parker’s family took out an insurance policy which allowed the quarterback to return to football for at least one season. If he is hurt, the Rockies will not have to fulfill his contract.
If the Rockies had failed to sign Parker it would have marked the second time in club history that they failed to sign their first-round pick. In 2000 Matt Harrington turned down the Rockies $4 million offer and is currently changing tires at a Southern California Costco.
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