Central Bucks East's Chase Harlan signs with LA Dodgers; to have hip surgery

Chase Harlan won't be playing baseball at Clemson, after all.

Harlan, the No. 98 overall pick in the third round of the MLB Draft, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for $1,747,500, Jim Callis of mlb.com. reported. The projected value for No. 98 is $745,000, according to mlb.com.

"Super pumped," said Harlan on Wednesday.

The former Central Bucks East star third baseman signed the contract at the Dodgers' Arizona complex in Phoenix with parents Kate and John Harlan in attendance.

Harlan is scheduled to have right hip labrum surgery Aug. 1 in Los Angeles and will rehab it in Arizona, then he'll be ready for 2025 spring training.

"Tore it my sophomore year of high school and finally getting it fixed," said Harlan, a Doylestown resident. "I'm so excited to get it fixed."

Harlan had committed to Clemson 13 months ago and was enrolled in summer classes there upon being drafted July 15. If he didn't sign with the Dodgers, he wouldn't have been eligible for the MLB Draft again until after his junior college season.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Harlan hit the longest home run (453.4 feet) among all of the prospects at the mid-June MLB Draft Combine in Phoenix, as well as tied for the second-highest exit velocity (112.4 mph).

A second-team All-American selection by Baseball America after his senior season at CB East, Harlan batted .414 over his final three high school seasons, helping the Patriots to the school's trip to the PIAA state playoffs in 2024. He had a total of 13 home runs and 63 RBIs, along with 18 doubles and 58 runs scored, and an OPS of 1.220 during those three years.

CB East grad Harlan picked by Dodgers:In 3rd round of 2024 MLB Draft

"I'm excited to see what the future has in store for me," said Harlan, 18, prior to the draft. "They told me I'm not even close to my ceiling yet. I have all the tools now. I want to expand on them and make myself the best player possible."

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly is a sports columnist forPhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.