“If you look at the big picture, this draft is just chump change. It’s all about getting to the big leagues. That’s where you make the real money.” - Jon Sandfort, Pittsburgh Pirates 2012 Third Round Draft Pick
Quite a quote there, not one you normally here from athletes. But it's all so true now with the new CBA. Draft picks, especially early picks, simply aren't making nearly as much money as they were in the past. Appel will get $4 million max this year, he would probably gotten close to double that a year ago. Teams can longer afford to go way over slot, because if they do they lose future picks and there aren't players out there that are worth doing that for.
So yeah, Sandfort is dead on when he says that Appel would be silly not to sign now. By waiting a year, he's taking a huge risk to make at most and extra million dollars. The rules aren't changing next year, and it's a better draft class - chances are he would get less money rather than more.
It's in Appel's best interest to sign now and work his butt off to get to the major leagues as soon as possible, that's his best chance for a bigger payday. He's a smart kid, I'm sure he realizes this, and the Pirates are going to once again beat the system in the draft and get what is quite possibly the best player available despite not even having a top five pick.
If they gave World Series rings away for the team that does the best job in the draft (without having the benefit of seeing into the future), the Pirates would have just won their third consecutive title.