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The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly signed their top selection in the 2026 MLB Draft, going above slot for high school shortstop Bo Lowrance.
The Dodgers selected Lowrance out of Christ Church Episcopal High School in South Carolina with the 40th overall pick in the draft. He was ranked No. 21 on the top 250 Draft prospects list by MLB Pipeline and had been committed to the University of Virginia.
According to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, the Dodgers secured Lowrance’s commitment to forego college with a $3 million signing bonus. The slot value for pick No. 40 was $2,504,200.
Lowrance’s signing eats up a significant portion of L.A.’s total draft pool of $3,951,900, which was the lowest figure among all 30 teams for this year.
The 40th overall pick is the fifth reported signing the Dodgers have made since the 2026 MLB Draft, and came on the heels of fourth-round pick Russell Sandefer reportedly agreeing to terms this week as well. Devin Bell, Gavin Van Kempen and Zach Bates have also joined the organization.
Sandefer joined Bell as the second player to sign an under slot deal with L.A. The 132nd overall pick saved the Dodgers $141,300 with his agreement.
Bell signed his contract with the Dodgers on July 13 at a deeply discounted rate, saving $184,400 in bonus pool funds.
Because the Dodgers entered the 2026 MLB Draft without their second-, third-, fifth- and sixth-round picks, it was important not only that they swing big with their opening selection but also that they sign him.
By selecting the No. 21 prospect in the Draft and going over slot to address signability concerns, the Dodgers executed their plan to perfection.
Dodgers bonus pool after Bo Lowrance signing
The reported of the deals for Lowrance, Sandefer and Bell leave the Dodgers with $510,400 remaining in their bonus pool. An additional $45,000 is subtracted because of over-slot deals for the 12th- and 20th-round picks. That leaves a grand total of $465,400.
These unallocated bonus pool funds will have to be divided amongst the three remaining players with pick values and the two other prep players in this draft class. Every pick through the first 10 rounds has a slot value and any signing bonus amount more than $125,000 for draft picks after the 10th round also count against pool money.
The Dodgers’ seventh-, eighth- and ninth-round picks remain unsigned and the two high schoolers drafted outside the first 10 rounds will likely demand more than the $125,000 signing bonus limit.
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