A few of southwest Missouri's top baseball prospects are headed to the professional ranks after signing their contracts.
The most notable of which is former Kickapoo standout Mason Auer.
Auer signed a $315,000 signing bonus with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to MLB.com's Jim Callis. The number comes $6,100 below his draft position's value, which allows the Rays to distribute the money to other draft picks.
Auer was selected with the 161st overall pick in the fifth round of July's MLB Draft. The outfielder played high school ball at Kickapoo before playing a year at Missouri State and transferring to San Jacinto College (Texas) for the 2021 season.