Countdown is on for D-backs to sign Archie Bradley

When the Diamondbacks selected pitcher Archie Bradley out of Broken Arrow High School they were getting a guy with great stuff — and an offer to play quarterback at Oklahoma.

There was some thought that the D-backs may have a somewhat difficult time signing the 6-foot-4 right-hander, a task the team has until Monday to complete.

According to the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, that fast-approaching deadline should be no cause for concern among D-backs fans. At least, that’s what D-backs vice president Jerry Dipoto told him.

“We’re making progress,” Dipoto said. “We’ve had substantive conversations in the last few days. We believe Archie wants to be a Diamondback and we want to make him a Diamondback and we’re going through the process.”

Dipoto’s confidence makes sense.

This isn’t like last season, when the D-backs let the deadline come and go without signing top pick Barret Loux. The team didn’t want to complete a deal with the pitcher, and thus let him go.

In this case, the team had to know what it would take to get Bradley to sign on the dotted line, and Piecoro says it’s not unusual for top picks to wait until the final moments to ink their contracts.

Besides, at this point it’s difficult to argue with the job the D-backs’ front office has done, so it’s best to give them the benefit of the doubt.

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