Draft Deadline: Graves & Mach to MU; Platts to . . . ?

♦ As we reported last week, Brett Graves, RHP, will be enrolling at Mizzou and joining the Tigers. Graves was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals organization as the 800th overall pick in the 26th round of the MLB Draft

♦ We learned this weekend that Conner Mach, OF/IF, will be returning to Mizzou for his senior year. He was drafted by the New York Yankees organization as the 1409th overall pick in the 46st round of the MLB Draft, but chose to return as an everyday starter for Mizzou rather than compete for playing time in the Yankees low minors, which are heavy laden with outfielders and infielders.

♦ The one remaining question-mark at this time (4 PM Monday)is Brandon Platts, RHP. Platts was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization as the 392nd overall pick in the 13th round of the MLB Draft. He posted on Twitter Sunday evening that he was looking forward to today because it will "be great to finally know what I'm doing."

Most observers of the Pirates are saying that if they are unable to sign their top 2 picks, they will then have more money to offer some of their lower picks. Their 2nd round pick, Josh Bell, is said to be asking more than the Pirates may want to offer him. Bell may turn down their highest bid and head to the Texas Longhorns.

It's very likely that Platts will have to wait until the final hours before the midnight deadline to find out if Pittsburgh will offer him enough to lure him away from Mizzou.

Kendall Rogers of PerfectGame.com posted this on Twitter at around 3:30:

Also, was told just now that the #Pirates aren't expected to sign 13th-rdr Brandon Platts, a #Missouri signee. We shall see

We'll keep watching and waiting. And waiting. As someone said on Twitter, who's bright idea was it to make the deadline at midnight? (11:00 PM Central time)