Phillies' Spencer Howard: Signs deal Wednesday

The Phillies signed Howard, their second-round pick in the 2017 first-year player draft, to a $1.15 million bonus Wednesday, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.

Howard's bonus is $373,800 under slot. Those savings mostly went to cover the over-slot deal for Adam Haseley, their first-round pick. Johnny Almaraz, the Phillies' director of amateur scouting, told Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer that his scouting department had Howard rated as the draft's top right-handed pitcher. The 6-foot-3 righty went 8-1 with a 1.95 ERA and a 97:23 K:BB in 87.2 innings this season for Cal Poly.