COLUMBIA — For the second straight year, the Seattle Mariners have taken a South Carolina baseball signee on the opening day of the Major League draft.
Thursday night it was Joe Rizzo, a third baseman from Vienna, Va. Seattle took Rizzo in the second round with the 50th overall pick. The signing bonus slot value for that draft positon is $1.252 million, though Rizzo would not be guaranteed that much.
Seattle last season took another Gamecocks prospect, pitcher Nick Nidert, in the second round with the 60th overall pick. The signing value of that slot was $1.