Munson, Tigers Agree to Terms

Eric Munson, the Detroit Tigers’ No. 1 draft pick and the third player taken in this month’s amateur draft, agreed to a $6.75-million, four-year contract.

The Tigers said they would decide this weekend on a minor-league assignment for the former USC catcher.

Munson took batting practice with the Tigers before Friday night’s game against the Oakland A’s. He hit one ball into Tiger Stadium’s right-field upper deck.

The deal was the third-largest for a player who signed with the team that drafted him, trailing only first baseman Pat Burrell’s $8-million, five-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies and J.D. Drew’s $7-million, four-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Tiger General Manager Randy Smith said he expects Munson, 21, to make rapid progress in the minors. Each of the Tigers’ last two draft picks, right-handed pitchers Matt Anderson and Jeff Weaver, were in the majors less than a year after signing.

“Obviously I’d love to be here as fast as I can,” Munson said. “But I understand there are things I need to work on.”