Boras: Keuchel drew so many scouts, 'we had to open up the hot-dog stand'

It looks like the New York Yankees will have company if they indeed pursue free-agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel. Agent Scott Boras said there were plenty of scouts in attendance to watch his client's latest workout in Newport Beach, Calif.

"Dallas threw a number of sim games," Boras told MLB Network Radio. "We had so many scouts show up, we had to open up the hot-dog stand."

Boras also criticized the value attributed to draft picks. Since Keuchel rejected a $17.9-million qualifying offer from the Houston Astros after last season, any team that signs him would have to forfeit a draft pick to Houston.

"Our crazy rules of the game that keep the best talent out of the game," Boras said. "Dallas is going to have a certain level of interest and demand. Again, it just shows how teams value draft picks. It's something that's very important to them. They're worth a lot of money. And if they're worth a lot of money to teams, then the players that are in the fold should be receiving bonuses proportionate to the demand for the draft pick."

With the compensatory pick attached to Keuchel, he likely won't sign until after midnight June 2, since this year's draft kicks off June 3.

Keuchel, 31, is a two-time All-Star with the Astros. He won the 2015 AL Cy Young Award after going 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 232 innings across 33 starts. He's eclipsed 200 innings in three separate seasons, including 2018.