Mariners sign top draft pick

SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners signed Phillippe Aumont, the 11th overall selection in June’s draft, to a contract with a $1.9 million signing bonus Wednesday – hours before the team would have lost him to a new major league deadline.

Aumont, an 18-year-old right-hander from Gatineau, Quebec, is 6-foot-7 and weighs 225 pounds. He has a 96 mph fastball and experience starring for the Canadian national junior team.

Canada doesn’t have high school baseball, but the M’s equate Aumont’s experience pitching for the Canadian junior team to a player with community college or rookie-level minor-league experience in the U.S.

Under a new rule, teams had until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday to sign draft choices, or they would become ineligible to sign.

The signing bonus figure was confirmed by a person with knowledge of the negotiations who requested anonymity because the Mariners do not provide salaries for contracts.

The Mariners are likely to send Aumont to their rookie league facility in Peoria, Ariz., for late summer work. He is unlikely to pitch in the minor league season that ends early next month.

The Mariners also agreed to terms with 16th round pick Colin Buckborough, 27th round choice Brooks Mohr and 32nd rounder Blake Trinkler.