2025 MLB Draft: Dean Curley contracts details revealed for Cleveland Guardians second-rounder

Cleveland Guardians rookie shortstop Dean Curley has officially signed his contract with the team, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis. The second-round pick will make roughly $1.77 million, which is above the pick value of $1.38 million.

Curley played the past two seasons at Tennessee after committing to Tony Vitello and the Vols out of Northview High School in La Verne, California. He was named a second team Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman team in 2024 while helping Tennessee to its first national championship in program history.

That included recording two hits in all three games of the College World Series final against Texas A&M. Overall for his freshman season, Curley batted .285 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI.

He then returned for his second season in Knoxville where he improved slightly on all of those numbers. He posted a batting average of .315 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI this past year as Tennessee bowed out in Super Regional action against Arkansas.

If there was any negatives about Curley, it’s that his fielding percentage dipped quite a bit. Going from .935 in 2024, this season saw it at .906. A total of 32 errors were committed by Curley as he played in multiple infield spots. Maybe something to look for as he transitions to the next level.

Prior to the draft, a scouting report on Dean Curley was provided by MLB.com. They ranked him as the 60th overall prospect in the draft, grading him as a 50 overall on the 80-grade scale. Curley’s arm at 65 came in as his best trait, followed by power, run, and field at 50.

“More physical than most shortstops at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Curley has solid-to-plus raw power and lets it come naturally,” the scouting report said. “He understands the strike zone and works from gap to gap with a quick, controlled right-handed stroke. But he has gotten overly selective at times this spring and hasn’t done as much damage against non-fastballs as he did as a freshman.

“Curley possesses average speed and shows good instincts on the bases. Though he doesn’t have typical shortstop quickness, he compensates with good positioning and a finely tuned internal clock, and he possesses one of the strongest infield arms in college baseball. His defensive consistency and throwing accuracy have declined this year, prompting Tennessee to move him around the infield, and his future defensive home is now more uncertain.”