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What a difference a year makes.

A season ago, the Milwaukee Brewers had to wait more than two months to sign their two first-round draft picks, pitchers Taylor Jungmann and Jed Bradley.

On Friday, four days after picking Clint Coulter 27th and Victor Roache 28th in the first round of the amateur draft, the team announced it had come to terms with both players and introduced them to the media at Miller Park.

Coulter, a high-school catcher from Camas, Wash., received a $1.675 million signing bonus, according to MLB.com. Roache, an outfielder from Georgia Southern, received a signing bonus of $1.525 million according to Baseball America.

Coulter’s bonus was right at the slot suggested by Major League Baseball under terms of its new draft money pool setup. Roache’s was under slot, with $1.65 million being suggested by MLB.

“It’s important,” said general manager Doug Melvin of the team reaching such swift agreements with both players.

“Last year with Taylor and Jed, we had to wait until Aug. 14. The system was put in place this year, and it really does benefit the clubs. But most important, it benefits the players. The players that didn’t sign until Aug. 14 last year really never put a Brewers uniform on until late in instructional league, and then spring training.

“Both these players sitting here today are officially Brewers.”

Coulter, 18, and Roache, 20, both passed physicals earlier in the day.

Coulter will start out playing for the rookie-league Arizona Brewers. Roache’s case is a little more complicated, as he continues to recover from surgery to repair a badly broken left wrist suffered in February.

While the decision has yet to be made whether Roache will rehabilitate the wrist under the team’s supervision in Maryvale, Ariz. or back home in Ypsilanti, Mich., Brewers director of director of amateur scouting Bruce Seid said he’s expected to be ready for fall instructional league.

Both players indicated their quick signings were a sign of their wish to get going as quickly as possible.

“He was injured, so he didn’t get to play a lot,” Coulter said. “Me, being from the Northwest, it was raining so much I didn’t to play a lot, either. I think we’re both itching just to get out there on the field. We wanted to get this done and start getting to work.

“We’ve got a lot to learn and a lot to grow on, and we’re just excited to get going.”

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Coulter hit .405 (17 for 42) with three home runs, 14 runs batted in and 18 stolen bases at Union (Wash.) High School this past season. The 6-1, 225-pound Roache played only six games this season, but hit .326 with 30 home runs – tops at the college level – and 80 RBI in 62 games in 2011.

Both players were presented with hats and jerseys for the news conference, with Coulter’s jersey sporting a No. 15 and Roache’s No. 28.

The last player to wear that numer for the Brewers, of course, was Prince Fielder. But it’s a number that has several meanings for Roache.

“Actually 28 was my jersey number in college, I was picked 28th and that’s what I’m wearing now,” Roache said.

Added Melvin: “He’s got big power. He was one of the top power bats in the draft. I got calls from a couple GMs that were ready to take him if we wouldn’t have when we did. When you hear that from clubs on both these players, that makes you feel good.”

Both players spent the rest of the night at the ballpark, doing interviews, watching the game and even getting a cheer from the crowd of 32,759 when they were shown sitting together on a shot on the scoreboard.

"That's some big boys right there," said manager Ron Roenicke. "They came in before the game and seemed like nice young men. I think Bruce Seid and his crew were very happy with the draft picks they got this year. First three guys, really happy with.

"I like when they come in. I think it's a great thing for the club to bring in those guys, and let them see what it's all about. Bring them in, let them meet some of the guys. That's a good thing to do."

Also, Roenicke said the club signed his son, Lance, on Thursday. An outfielder from UC-Santa Barbara, he’ll start his professional career in advanced rookie ball in Helena.

"He's pretty excited about that," said Roenicke of his son.