2014 MLB Draft: Ervin Santana signings shakes up draft order

With the signing of Ervin Santana, the Kansas City Royals now find themselves in the driver’s seat of the “sandwich” round between the first and second for this June’s MLB Player selection draft.

This will change if someone other than the Mariners signs Kendrys Morales, last seen being shopped around to the Blue Jays -- who were also pursuing Santana and have been told shortstop Stephen Drew would be willing to play second for them. Whether or not that will be 28th or 27th pick will be determined by which team signs him, with any team who has already signed a player signed to a qualifying offer losing a pick in a later round instead of the first. Morales is on top of the sandwich round compensation structure, and any team that signed him would end up surrendering a pick to the M’s.

It’s this catch that has snagged several players caught the upper middle class of the salary structure. And it’s why many agents and those unable to find a spot on a team because of their rights being attached to the loss of a drat pick for the team that signs them are so uneasy about the new system.

Drew in particular has been vocal about it, calling for it to be reevaluated, a sentiment that has been given at least a soft show of support by the MLBPA new executive director, Tony Clark who told reporters at a meeting with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, ‘We believe it’s in everyone’s best interests that the teams who want the best players have an opportunity to access those best players. The idea that there is a climate right now that doesn’t appear to afford everybody an opportunity to do so for whatever reason is a concern. How we change that going forward, we’ll have to see.”

Ironic that it was the Red Sox that Clark was speaking with, as they along with the Yankees, had the most player stuck in limbo, with three. The Yankees, after signing former Braves catcher Brian McCann -- whose team would have drawn a lower compensatory pick than Santana’s -- and Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury -- a pick even farther back than either -- saw their potential draft picks for Cano and Granderson washed out by the signings. The other potential pick for the team was rescinded when No. 2 starter Hiroki Kuroda resigned with the team.

The Red Sox also resigned one of their picks, Mike Napoli, and saw their first round pick for Ellsbury came to fruition. They are still waiting on Drew to be signed, and if it ends up with the Blue Jays it will take away one of the two picks the team has in the first round proper, as they were awarded an additional pick after they were able to sign last year’s first round pick Phil Bradford.

As for the rest of the league, the Reds, Rangers, Indians and Cardinals will receive compensation for Shin-Soo Choo, Nelson Cruz, Ubaldo Jimenez and Carlos Beltran, respectively (from the Rangers, Orioles, Orioles and Yankees, respectively.) All of this is being done to prevent the 29-pick sandwhich rounds that occurred after the 2012 qualifying offer period nearly exploded the process. It’s unlikely that this somewhat quirky system will stay forever, but it’s here for at least this season and will only be confusing us for one or two more signings.