Early tomorrow morning, he'll hop a flight to Florida and then get started on his pro career with the Bosox' team in Fort Myers, Fla., in the Gulf Coast (rookie) League.
"I'm as happy as can be," he said last night, after returning from Boston and receiving the OK to comment from Red Sox officials. "I was pretty hopeful all summer that this was going to work out. And it did. Perfectly."
Had he not signed, Coyle soon would have started classes at the University of North Carolina. That's where his brother, Tommy, also a GA grad, is a rising sophomore who's already making an impact (starting second baseman).
"He's excited for me," Sean said. "It's kind of sad that we won't be together, but we haven't seen a whole lot of each other this past year anyway. Tommy wants the best for me. Just like his coaches at North Carolina. This couldn't have happened without their support."
Sean continued to play this summer with the Philly Bandits' 20-and-under travel team. Last week he performed with that squad in a major tournament in Johnstown, Pa.
"That was when the talks with the Red Sox began to get serious," he said. "It was headed in the right direction."
Baseball America reported that $1.3 million is way above MLB's recommended bonus of $279,000 for someone selected No. 110 overall. BA's Jim Callis wrote that Coyle "plays bigger than his size and projects as a second baseman in the mold of [the Orioles'] Brian Roberts. He has plus speed and good instincts on the bases, as well as surprising power and a competitive makeup."
The scout who most followed Coyle was Chris Calciano, a Philly native and former star at Robert Lamberton High.
Coyle said his newfound riches have yet to truly hit him.
"It's pretty cool, though," he added. "I'm in the real world now. My parents have been coaching me all summer on some of the things I'll need to know - taxes, bank accounts, checking. Even if I'd gone to North Carolina, I would have needed to get started on some of that stuff."
