The decision paid off.
Three years ago, Texas Longhorns right-handed pitcher Ty Madden took a calculated risk when he decided to play college baseball instead of signing with the Kansas City Royals as a 34th-round draft pick.
After earning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors in 2021, Madden was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft with the 32nd pick in the first round by the Detroit Tigers and signed on Monday for a reported $2.5 million, about $250k over the slot value for the pick.