The Free Press is reporting that the Tigers and first round pick Cameron Maybin are still over a million dollars apart. What’s surprising is where the Tigers offer and Maybin’s demands are slotted. The common belief was that the Tigers were offering about $2 million – which is a reasonable number for a number ten pick. According to Baseball America #7 selection Troy Tulowitzki received $2.3 million, and number 11 selection Andrew McCutchen received a $1.9 million deal.

According to the report, the Tigers have offered $2.75 million. That falls in between what the number 4 ($2.975 million) and 5 ($2.45 million) picks received.

However, Maybin was rated among the top players in the draft and is asking to be paid like one of them. According to the Freep report he is asking for $4 million which is substatially more than the $3.4 million that #3 pick Jeff Clement signed for. The top two picks, Justin Upton and Alex Gordon have yet to sign.

I don’t see the Tigers increasing their offer by more than a quarter million so for a deal to get done, Maybin and his advisors are going to have to be more reasonable in their demands. That said, I don’t see a high schooler walking away from $3 million to go to college.