**Phillies Overpay to Sign Second-Round Draft Pick Griffin Burkholder**
The Philadelphia Phillies selected high school outfielder Griffin Burkholder 63rd overall in this year’s MLB Draft and have signed him to a contract significantly above his slot value. The 2024 MLB Draft began last Sunday during the All-Star break, and the Phillies chose two high school outfielders in the first and second rounds: Dante Nori at 27th overall and Burkholder at 63rd.
Burkholder, an 18-year-old from Freedom High School in Virginia, had committed to West Virginia University before the season. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 195 pounds, Burkholder is a speedy outfielder whom the Phillies had been targeting. The team announced Monday that they had signed Burkholder.
