Clark Signs With Tigers for Estimated $500,000

The Detroit Tigers say they have signed their No. 1 draft pick, Tony Clark, for a bonus estimated at $500,000.

Clark, drafted second in the nation out of Christian High School in the June free agent draft, will be able to honor his basketball scholarship at the University of Arizona and still would collect his bonus if he is injured playing that sport, team officials said Tuesday.

In the deal, he will play three seasons with the Wildcats and can enter the NBA draft after any season at Arizona. He will be able to play for a Tigers’ minor league team in mid-May, missing the next three spring trainings.

“After three years, we hope Tony will be able to move up to the majors,” said his father, Arthur Clark.

The bonus was the largest ever given to a high school player, said Tigers General Manager Bill Lajoie.

Clark hit .500 with 11 home runs in 44 games his senior year at Christian.

FOOTBALL

The Chargers have come to contract terms with wide receiver Nate Lewis, a seventh-round draft choice from Oregon Tech, General Manager Bobby Beathard said Tuesday.

No details of the agreement were released.

Lewis, 5-feet-11 and 197 pounds, was the third of four Charger picks in the seventh round and the 187th player selected overall. He caught 27 passes for 434 yards in eight games. He transferred to Oregon Tech after being dismissed from Georgia for academic reasons.

He is the third of 17 Charger draft choices to agree to terms. The others are outside linebacker Jeff Mills, a third-round choice from Nebraska, and wide receiver Elliott Searcy, a 12th-rounder from Southern.