As the early rounds of the 2025 MLB Draft unfolded, it was abundantly clear that the Atlanta Braves were wanting to save some draft bonus pool money for something. That is not to say that the Braves didn't get real talent by picking Tate Southisene in the first or Alex Lodise in the second, but most agreed that it wouldn't require full slot to sign either of the shortstops.
The Braves strategy became clear when they picked Briggs McKenzie in the fourth round and Conor Essenburg in the fifth round as both players were high school players with tough college commitments that were going to need to get real money to forgo heading to campus. The only question was exactly how much each player would cost and if they would actually be worth it.
Well, we now have Essenburg's signing bonus number now and it is actually pretty interesting. Given what we know about the deals that have already have been agreed to by the Braves as well as making some assumptions about other Braves picks' bonuses that are not announced, it appears as though the Braves placed a massive bet on McKenzie.
5th-rder Conor Essenburg signs w/@Braves for $1,197,500 (slot 157 = $438,600). Illinois prep OF/LHP, Braves announced as hitter, HR off 99-mph Jack Bauer fastball in April, stands out w/bat speed & power potential. A few clubs preferred him on mound. Kentucky recruit. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/fnviRK1uaq
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 17, 2025
Braves sign draft Conor Essenburg, but his bonus reveals that Briggs McKenzie is about to get paid
The way draft bonus pools work is that each pick a team has in rounds 1-10 is assigned a slot value. Add all of those slots up and you have a team's draft bonus pool which is how much a team can spend to sign their draft picks other than rounds 11-20 which are different, but not relevant here. Teams can spend that money however they want, but only picks that are signed give them that slot's bonus pool.
The Braves had already "saved" a good bit of money given that Southisene agreed to a deal that was worth about $1.3 million under his slot in the first round, Lodise is taking a little more than $200K less with is agreement, and third rounder Cody Miller is expected to take a good bit less as well despite his bonus being unknown for now. Essenburg required a bonus a little more than $750,000 over his slot that was originally $438,600. See where this is going?
Given that the Braves only gave half of the known savings to Essenburg and that doesn't account for savings from Miller as well as their rounds 7-10 picks (probably), Atlanta still has a good bit of money left. Presumably, most of that money is going to go to McKenzie, a high level prep pitching prospect who is committed to LSU.
There were some whispers that McKenzie was going to command a hefty seven figure bonus to forgo school despite his slot's value being a touch short of $589,000 and it looks like the Braves are giving it to him. One just hopes that he is worth it.