Kolbrin Vitek said he wanted to work out a deal quickly with the Boston Red Sox when he was drafted with the 20th overall pick June 7.
It took just nine days for the All-American to sign with the Red Sox and forego his senior year at Ball State University.
Vitek made his contract with the Red Sox official Wednesday, after agreeing in principal to a deal last week. His signing bonus is for what MLB commissioner Bud Selig recommends for the 20th pick, according to agent Joe Bick. The bonus is reported to be for $1.359 million.
"Everything was very smooth," Bick said. "Kolbrin agreed to the slot 10 minutes before the pick. Boston called and informed him of their intent to pick him and told him what slot was. They asked if he was agreeable, and he indicated he was."
There won't be any big purchases for Vitek with his seven-figure signing bonus. Given his unassuming personality, his plans for the money aren't surprising.
"I'm going to be smart with it and not buy anything big," Vitek said. "I'm going to invest and save it for the long run."
Vitek will be assigned to the Class A Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League. He will transition back to third base, after spending the spring pitching and playing second base for Ball State University. Vitek played third base for the Cardinals as a sophomore, but coach Greg Beals moved him to second base this year to help rest his arm in between pitching.
After having to sit while his contract was being finalized, Vitek is happy he was able to practice with his teammates Wednesday.
"Sitting around the past couple of days, I was hungry to get back out there," he said. "It's good to be back."
Unlike center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker, who Boston picked in the fourth round last year, Vitek's stay at Lowell is not expected to be brief. Hazelbaker played three games at Lowell to get his swing back before being promoted to Greenville.
Vitek said the Red Sox want him to be comfortable at third base before they consider moving him to Greenville. Bick expects Vitek to stay with the Spinners for much of the summer.
"We're under the assumption he's at Lowell for an extended period," Bick said. "If it works out differently, that's fine."
Bick now wants his client to focus on getting used to playing the demanding schedule of professional baseball. Lowell begins its season Friday and plays 19 consecutive games without a day off.
Bick said most young players don't realize how physically demanding playing every day of the week can be.
"What I tell all my guys going in is stay at home at night after games, get plenty of rest and eat good," Bick said. "It might sound like their mothers when they hear it from us, but they understand really quickly we're right."
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