Bobby Evans, the Giants' vice president of player development, said Wheeler, a high school pitcher from Georgia, gets a 2010 contract, which means he will not pitch in the minors this season. He will train in Arizona, then report to the fall instructional league there.

Wheeler, a right-hander taken sixth overall in the June draft, was 9-0 with an 0.54 ERA in 13 games for East Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga. Last year, the Giants went to the deadline before signing Buster Posey to a $6.2 million bonus. He was the fifth pick in the 2008 draft and got more money because of his college experience.

Also Monday, the Giants announced the signing of their second-round pick, Thomas Joseph, a catcher from Horizon High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

- Henry Schulman

This article appeared on page B - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle