First-round pick Cole chooses not to sign

The Yankees first-round draft pick Gerrit Cole has chosen to go to college instead of signing with the Yankees, according to Tyler Kepner.

According to a person involved in the negotiations, the Yankees have learned that Cole intends to go to college, no matter what they offer. The person was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly before Friday’s deadline for teams to sign drafted players.

Cole is represented by the agent Scott Boras, who is known for asking for lucrative bonuses. But the Yankees have reached deals with first-round Boras clients the last two seasons, and the person said the failure to sign Cole had nothing to do with him.

Instead, Cole and his father had a change of heart and decided to go to college rather than negotiate with the Yankees.

“It was not a negotiating issue,” the person said. “It was not a number issue.”

The deadline for signing Cole is at noon today, so anything can happen between now and then. That said, things in the Yankees Universe have not been going well the last couple of years. This is just par for the course.

The Yankees will receive a compensatory pick in next year's draft if they are unable to sign Cole.