Sykora received a $2.6 million signing bonus from the Nationals on Monday, well above the $1.02 million slot value for the 71st overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports.
The tall high-school right-hander had a commitment to the University of Texas, but he will forego college to begin his pro career. The Nationals went with a top-heavy approach to their draft class, giving both Sykora and second-round pick Yohandy Morales bonuses well above slot to buy them out of college commitments while essentially punting on later picks by taking college seniors who would accept minimal bonuses to make up the difference. The 19-year-old Sykora likely won't be pushed aggressively through the system, but he was in the conversation as the best prep right-hander in this year's draft class -- his fastball touches triple digits while coming from a compact delivery that offers some deception, and his slider and changeup have each flashed the potential to be plus offerings down the road.