Washington Times: Picks still unsigned

With just more than a month to go before the Aug. 15 deadline, the Nationals still do not have any of their first five picks from the June draft in the fold. And according to a source close to one of those picks, the team could have trouble signing several of them.

The source said the Nationals front office has been given a directive by ownership not to give any of the picks a larger signing bonus than MLB’s slot system recommends. All of those picks are believed to be looking for above-slot signing bonuses.

“I spoke with [scouting director] Dana Brown recently, and he sounded absolutely devastated,” the source said. “I’m actually kind of stunned they’re doing this.”

According to the source, the team is prepared to take “a hard line” with first-rounder Aaron Crow. “It’s ‘If he doesn’t want to play for this, we’ll take the 10th pick next year,’” the source said, referring to the compensatory selection Washington would get if it did not sign Crow, who was taken ninth in this spring’s draft.