High school pitcher Jack Conlon made headlines around MLB in the past week for failing a physical with the Baltimore Orioles and becoming a free agent despite being drafted in the fourth round last month. It appears the Giants decided they weren’t fazed by the failed physical however, as Ken Rosenthal has reported they’ve come to an agreement with the Texas native.
Source: #SFGiants in agreement with RHP Jack Conlon, who became a free agent after #Orioles failed to sign him as their fourth-round pick.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2017
It’s unclear exactly why Baltimore failed Conlon on his physical, but they have been known to be strict with their health assessments in the past. Several years ago they failed reliever Grant Balfour and he went on to sign a multiyear deal with the Rays. Conlon was ranked as the 239th prospect on Baseball America’s top 500 ahead of the 2017 draft. He is a Texas A&M commit, and CBS Sports labeled him as a “power pitcher” with a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s.
Conlon became an unrestricted free agent this month by virtue of a draft rule that says teams must offer at least 40 percent of the slot value for a signing bonus to a player if they want to receive a compensation pick should that player not sign. But the Orioles made no offer whatsoever to Conlon, thus putting him on the open market.
Rosenthal said the Giants have yet to do a physical with Conlon, but it’s hard to imagine they’d go through the trouble of negotiations if they had major concerns. If the physical goes smoothly, the Giants have secured another top-notch draftee in a time when they’re in desperate need of talented prospects. It has not yet been reported how much the Giants signed Conlon for, but there is no limit on the amount as there would be if he had been drafted.
Conlon is from Clements HS in Sugarland, Tx. His deal with #SFGiants is pending a physical. The #Orioles did not pass him on their physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 18, 2017
