How much will South Carolina standout Will Sanders earn as part of his 2023 MLB draft contract? Exploring his salary structure

The 113th overall selection in the 2023 MLB draft had the Chicago Cubs getting South Carolina Gamecocks pitcher Will Sanders. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-hander can really make a difference for the Chicago pitching staff in the next few years as he goes through the minor leagues.

But why did the Chicago Cubs select him here and what does that mean for his signing bonus and salary? Let's take put Sanders under the lens.

What will Will Sanders get as his 2023 MLB draft signing bonus?

The Chicago Cubs have $591,800 allotted for the 113th overall pick. That does not mean Will Sanders will sign for that much though as the Cubs have paid more than the allotted sum in the draft every year since the allotment began. He and his representation could use that as leverage for a larger contract and signing bonus.

What made the Chicago Cubs select Will Sanders?

Will Sanders has shown the ability to do well throughout his three seasons with the South Carolina Gamecocks as primarily a starting pitcher. He appeared in 51 games (36 starts) and had a 17-10 record with a 4.08 ERA over 205.1 innings. He threw 68 walks compared to 222 strikeouts and gave up 34 home runs.

Sanders has a four-pitch mix with a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup in his arsenal. However, his mechanics begin to struggle a bit as the season progresses. He needs to get some more movement throughout his pitches.

Chicago Cubs have a nice core of starting pitchers at the moment with Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele at the top of the rotation. If he can figure out how to get some control, he could be part of a young rotation with guys like Hayden Wesnski in the future.

Sanders does need to figure out how to keep the ball inside the park. The Cubs can have a gigantic youth movement as they have some solid prospects that can take them to the next stage of Chicago baseball.

Sanders also needs to get stretched out a bit more as he has never reached the 90 innings mark in a season. If the Gamecocks star can continue to improve, he has the ability to be a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher for years to come.