Wyatt Langford to sign with Texas Rangers for fifth-highest signing bonus in MLB history

To some MLB Draft experts, Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford should have been the No. 1 overall pick over a week ago. Instead, he fell to the Texas Rangers at No. 4 behind the LSU duo of Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews plus high school outfielder Max Clark. Even so, the checkbook will be coming out in order to sign Langford.

Texas is expected to formally introduce Langford on Monday and give him a signing bonus of $8 million. Not only is that number just over $300,000 over slot value but it marks the fifth-highest signing bonus in MLB history. A huge payday coming Langford’s way to play professional baseball.

“1st-rder Wyatt Langford will officially sign w/ @Rangers for $8 million tomorrow (pick 4 value = $7,698,000),” Jim Callis on MLB.com said via Twitter. “@GatorsBB OF, best power in @MLBDraft, quality hitter too, batted .373/.498/.784 with 21 HR & 28 2B, athleticism to possibly play CF. Ties for 5th-highest bonus ever.”

No specific outline for the beginning of Langford’s career has been outline. He has played plenty of baseball in recent months, leading Florida to the College World Series championship series. While the Gators fell short of a national title, Langford still made plenty of headlines.

Langford hit three home runs in Omaha, including a monster one against Virginia. Tieing the game was an added bonus for what an absolute blast out of Charles Schwab Stadium.

WE. ARE. TIED!#MCWS x 🎥 ESPN / @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/dbJ1F03KpB

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 17, 2023

His overall numbers for the 2023 season are eye-popping as well. Langford had a batting average of .373 with an OPS of 1.282. As Callis mentioned, the power is something Texas is really going to love after watching his 21 home runs.

Wyatt Langford latest SEC player selected by Texas Rangers

For the fourth consecutive draft, Texas selected a player out of the SEC with their first-round pick. Langford has the potential to be the best of them all, even before wearing a Rangers uniform.

Flashing back to the 2020 MLB Draft, Mississippi State‘s Justin Foscue was the pick. He currently resides in AAA Round Rock and is considered Texas’ No. 6 overall prospect by MLB.com. The Rangers could call him up at some point this season or be considered a valuable piece in the upcoming trade deadline.

Back-to-back Vandy Boys were then taken in 2021 and 2022. Jack Leiter was at No. 2 before Kumar Rocker at No. 3 the previous year. Both have struggled, with Leiter still working on things in AA Frisco and Rocker recently undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Langford will wind up being the highest-rating of them all once MLB.com updates its top 100 prospects list. An exciting future ahead of the former Florida star and everyone in the Rangers organization.