Schrock Signs With Washington Nationals

Gamecock second baseman Max Schrock is officially a professional baseball player, signing a contract with the Washington Nationals Thursday. According to MLB.com, the 13th round pick got a $500,000 signing bonus, most of anyone outside the top ten rounds. The usual maximum bonus for picks later than the 10th round is $100,000. Before the draft, USC head baseball coach Chad Holbrook said he hoped Schrock would return for a senior season at Carolina. After Schrock was drafted the Gamecocks coach expected his second baseman to turn pro and get paid more than a typical 13th round pick. Thursday afternoon, Schrock (@mschrock94) tweeted out a picture of the signing with the caption, “Could not be more excited to start my career with the Washington Nationals!” The junior tied for the second-highest batting average (.328) and home run total (6) for the Gamecocks in 2015. He also drove in 34 runs, fourth most on the team, despite missing six games because of injury.