The Kansas City Royals reached a last-minute agreement with first round draft choice Bubba Starling, the fifth overall selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Starling signed for a bonus of $7.5 million which will be paid over three years.

“We are ecstatic and relieved to have this process behind us and have Bubba in the fold,” said Dayton Moore, Royals’ Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager. “I’m also thrilled that we were able to come to an agreement with a fine young man from this area who put being a Royal among his priorities in this process. It’s now time to get his professional playing career underway.”

From nearby Gardner (Kan.) Edgerton High School, the 18-year-old Starling, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound centerfielder, was ranked by Baseball America as the number one high school prospect and the best high school athlete in the draft.

He had been spending time in Lincoln, Nebraska where he committed to play quarterback for the Cornhuskers before being drafted by the Royals. He was sitting out of practices but was on campus. He’ll report to Arizona to work with the Instructional League.