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2016 MLB Draft: Dodgers reportedly sign catcher Will Smith, No. 32 overall pick

Will Smith converted from shortstop to catcher while at Louisville
Will Smith converted from shortstop to catcher while at Louisville
Photo: University of Louisville Athletics

The Dodgers have had a flurry of draft signings in the last few days, and on Friday also reportedly reached agreement with first-round supplemental pick Will Smith, the catcher from Louisville taken with the 32nd pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.

Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reported the agreement with Smith with a signing bonus of $1.775 million, under the allotted slot value of $1,940,700. Jim Callis of MLB.com confirmed the agreement on Saturday.

This was the draft pick the Dodgers received when Zack Greinke signed with Arizona as a free agent.

Smith hit .382/.480/.567 with seven home runs in 55 games as a junior in 2016.

"After converting from shortstop to catcher when joining Louisville, it took him a while to sync in at that position in the college level," Dodgers director of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said when Smith was drafted. "But we think he is a great athlete with a plus arm, and he can really receive and throw the ball well. He has always had a short compact swing with good bat speed and controls the zone very well. He is a great leader on the field, and his intangibles are off the chart."

Smith's college season and career ended last weekend when Louisville was eliminated by UC Santa Barbara in the super regional round of the NCAA Baseball Tournament.

With Smith in the fold, the Dodgers are now a reported $44,200 under slot with the eight known signing bonuses. Ten of their top 12 picks have reportedly signed, with only Jordan Sheffield (Competitive Balance Round A, pick No. 36 overall) and Devin Smeltzer (fifth round) remaining to sign among picks in the first 10 rounds.

D.J. Peters (fourth round) and Anthony Gonsolin (ninth round) have officially signed, and Kevin Lachance (10th round) has reportedly signed, but their bonuses aren't yet known.

The Dodgers have signed 22 of their 42 draft picks, with 18 officially announced by the club.

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