Major League teams increased their spending on draft picks 1.5 percent from a similar point last summer, but the total dollars spent remained below the record set in 2011 before restraints were put in place.

Fifteen teams went over their bonus pool allotments, up from 11 last year and 10 in 2011, and will pay $2.68 million in tax.

However, for the third straight year none exceeded their pools by more than 5 percent, which would mean forfeiting a first-round pick in 2015.

Teams committed $223.2 million in signing bonuses through the July 18 deadline, which applied picks who had not exhausted college baseball eligibility, up from $219.9 million at the deadline last year and $207.8 million at a similar point in 2012. The record of $233.6 million spent on amateur draft picks was set three years ago.