Red Sox sign two Wisconsin draft picks, one above slot and one below
· Yahoo Sports
A flurry of signings across Major League Baseball in the aftermath of the 2026 draft include several Wisconsin-connected players.
The Atlanta Braves already signed Muskego's Tyson Grulkowski and Fond du Lac's Jack Brenner, their sixth- and seventh-round draft choices, respectively, last week.
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This week, it was the Boston Red Sox who signed a pair of Wisconsinites.
It started with first-round pick Jake Schaffner, formerly of Janesville Craig and then selected 20th overall out of the University of North Carolina.
The shortstop signed for $2 million according to MLB.com's Jim Callis, well below slot value of $4.3 million. Schaffner was a bit of a surprise first-round pick on the first day of the draft July 11.
Schaffner began his career with two years at North Dakota State, then batted .356 with the Tar Heels in 68 games last year as UNC reached the College World Series final.
Some of Boston's savings could be applied to another Wisconsinite later in the draft.
Hudson's Jace Mataczynski, a strong defensive shortstop with "20/20 upside" according to Callis, signed for $2 million, as well. The 96th pick in the draft (third round) had a slot value of $815,700, but Boston went over-slot to woo Mataczynski away from his commitment to Auburn University.
Mataczysnki was a second-team all-state choice by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association.
Kenosha St. Joseph standout Dominic Santarelli, regarded perhaps the best prep prospect in the state, was drafted in the 18th round by the Seattle Mariners but appears prepared to honor his commitment to LSU.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Red Sox sign two Wisconsin draft picks, one above slot and one below