PITTSBURGH - Neil Walker hasn't played a day of professional baseball yet, but already has something few other Pittsburgh Pirates players have: a multimillion-dollar contract.

Walker, the No. 11th pick in the June draft, was given a $2 million bonus after signing his first professional contract Thursday. It's more money than even his former big-league father can comprehend - though it's unlikely either of them will see much of it soon.

Walker, a catcher, reports to the Pirates' rookie league team in Bradenton, Fla., this weekend, and his father said he needs to get accustomed in a hurry to the low-money minor league lifestyle.

"He still wants to borrow $20 from me, and I hope it continues that way," said Tom Walker, who pitched for four teams, mostly the Expos, from 1972-77. "If the zeros go any higher, we've got a problem. But he's a pretty normal kid, he's 18 years old and never had a lot of money in his hands to deal with ... and a lot of it (his bonus money) will be invested in his future."

The Pirates obviously think Walker has a future with them, even if they've already invested $60 million in another catcher, Jason Kendall. Walker is the first position player drafted by the Pirates in the first round in seven years and the first hometown player they've ever taken in the first round.

Walker is considered the top high school catcher in the country, batting .657 with 13 homers, 42 RBI and nine doubles in 67 at-bats for Pine-Richland High in Gibsonia. He also was an all-state wide receiver in football, leading his team to the state championship game.

"Did we mention he's from right here in Pittsburgh?" Pirates scouting director Ed Creech said, smiling, at a news conference introducing Walker. "It wasn't a matter of where he was from, this guy was the talent we wanted this year."

Walker didn't want to waste the summer trying to squeeze a few more dollars out of the Pirates, so he signed more than a month earlier than last year's first-rounder, pitcher Paul Maholm, and 4½ months faster than 2002 first-round pick Bryan Bullington.

No doubt Tom Walker played a role in the quick signing. He also was a first-round pick, by the Orioles in 1968.

"Neil has the potential to be an impact bat in the major leagues, and we're happy to come to terms quickly," Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said.

Before he left town, Walker first wanted to put on a Pirates' uniform. He took batting practice before Thursday night's game with the Angels, lining first base coach Rusty Kuntz's final pitch off the top of the right-field wall.

For now, he should plan on Bradenton being his home for a while. Littlefield doesn't envision him moving past rookie ball this summer, although, he said, "You turn it over to the players. They'll show you where they belong."

Walker obviously hopes that's in Pittsburgh someday soon. He has talked with No. 1 pick Matt Bush of the Padres about the pressures of being drafted in the first round by their hometown team.

"But any additional pressure isn't going to affect us; you have to deal with it," Walker said. "If you can't deal with it, you're going to have to get out of the game."

Walker's signing, remarkably, was the third in his very athletic family this week.

Older brother Matt Walker, 26, signed Monday with the Orioles' Class AA Bowie farm club after previously playing in the independent Northern League. Older sister Carrie Walker, 21, a 1,000-point basketball scorer at Wagner College, signed with Killarney of the Women's Irish Super League.

At least for a few minutes, though, younger brother Neil was the richest of the bunch.

"Minor league salaries are pretty poor, about $850 a month, and Neil can eat more than that in a month," his father said. "We'll enhance some of that (salary) for him."