ANAHEIM -- The Angels brought their first-round pick to the ballpark today, officially signing catcher Taylor Ward to a contract that includes a $1.67-million signing bonus, according to a team source.
Ward, the 26th overall pick held a press conference this afternoon. He'll take batting practice tomorrow, and soon after that he'll report to Orem, Utah, where the Angels' rookie-league team will begin play Thursday.
Ward said he and the Angels began negotiating on a possible signing bonus the day before he was drafted. That led to him agreeing for $364,000 below MLB's recommended value for the pick.