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Texas Rangers sign first round picks Kevin Matthews and Zach Cone

By Adam J. Morris
HOUSTON - MAY 14: A concessions worker sells snow cones on a hot day at Minute Maid Park on May 14, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON - MAY 14: A concessions worker sells snow cones on a hot day at Minute Maid Park on May 14, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
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The Texas Rangers have signed Kevin Matthews and Zach Cone, their first round draft choices in the 2011 MLB Draft.

Matthews, the #33 pick in the draft, reportedly has agreed to a $936,000 bonus, and Cone, the #37 pick in the draft, has reportedly agreed to an $873,000 bonus. 

Those are the same bonuses that the #33 and #37 picks, respectively, signed for last year.

Both picks were received as compensation for Philadelphia signing Cliff Lee as a free agent.

Matthews, a lefthanded pitcher out of high school in Georgia, will likely be with the Arizona Rookie League complex team to start 2011.  Cone, an outfielder out of Georgia, is expected to join the Spokane Indians in the Northwest League when their season kicks off.

Cone's junior season was marred by an incident when he collided with fellow outfielder Johnathan Taylor, which resulted in Taylor becoming partially paralyzed.  The Rangers drafted Taylor in the 33rd round this June.