Auburn baseball slugger Edouard Julien will sign with the Minnesota Twins for a $493,000 signing bonus, head coach Butch Thompson told AL.com.

Julien had pledged via Twitter and in a statement through Auburn Athletics in June that he would return to the Plains, and decline to sign with the Twins, who had drafted him in the 18th round.

“It was an honor to hear my name called by the Minnesota Twins, and I want to thank them for the opportunity,” Julien said in a statement on June 24. “However, my teammates and I still have some work to do at Auburn. Coach Thompson talks about leaving a legacy, and our story isn’t over yet.”

After playing six games in the Cape Cod Baseball League, Minnesota made another offer, Thompson said.

Julien called Thompson on Monday to tell him that he would sign. Julien’s Tweet announcing his return was deleted. The deal hasn’t been made official, but it’s expected to be soon.

The $493,000 is significantly above slot value for 18th round. Only one player currently drafted in the 18th round this year has accepted more than $125,000. The value Julien received is for that of a fourth-round pick.

It probably has a lot to do with his offensive performance since being drafted following the NCAA Tournament regional in Atlanta. He hit .563 in the Super Regional and College World Series, and was hitting .348 in the CCBL — the nation’s top summer league.

The signing leaves a hole at third base for Auburn. And though the team will still be expected to be competitive, it is a huge loss in the middle of the Tigers’ order.