The Central Georgia Sports Report

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Will the first day of the MLB draft be a fairly quiet one for the state?

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

 

          Normally, the state of Georgia is all over the first day of the Major League first-year player draft, from high schools to colleges.

          This year might not be all that normal.

          There appear to be only two consensus first-round picks from Georgia, Blessed Trinity shortstop C.J. Adams in the top 15 and Georgia Prep Academy pitcher Daniel Espino (mid to late first).

          The first two rounds, including supplemental and competitive balance picks, are Monday starting at 7 p.m., on the MLB Network and MLB.com.

          Rounds 3-10 are Tuesday starting at 1 p .m., and rounds 11-40 starting at noon on Wednesday.

          Atlanta has two first-round picks, at No. 9 and 21.

          Georgia Tech catcher Kyle McCann and Georgia third baseman Aaron Schunk are otherwise the highest rated prospects, in the 80s.

          Houston County grad Tony Locey of Georgia is on lists, currently projecting in the second round at best.

          Those three in particular have a shot at the second round, although assorted performances over the weekend in regionals will slide a player up or down.

          MLB.com has a draft tracker that lists its ranked players from each state as well as scores more who have any remote chance to get picked at some point during the three-day event, including scores who are eligible underclassmen.

          Georgia State pitcher Hunter Gaddis is the last ranked player, at 189.

          Others of note listed, with no ranking, in alphabetical order: Tech pitcher Andy Archer, Georgia pitcher Ryan Avidano, Tech pitcher Wade Bailey, Jones County outfielder Dawson Barnes, Georgia catcher Austin Biggar, Tech pitcher Dylan Biumi, Georgia outfielder Tucker Mitchell, Georgia catcher John Cable, Tech pitcher Micah Carpenter, Mercer pitcher Kevin Coulter, Tech pitcher Zxavion Curry, Mercer infielder Kyle Dockus, Georgia pitcher Tim Elliott, Georgia outfielder Kaden Fowler.

          Also: Tech pitcher Keyton Gibson, Mercer pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long, Georgia pitcher Justin Glover, Georgia pitcher Adam Goodman, Tech pitcher Jonathan Hughes, Tech outfielder Kel Johnson, Georgia infielder Riley King, Georgia pitcher Zack Kristofak, Tech pitcher Jake Lee, Gordon State pitcher Adam Leverett of Mount de Sales, Georgia outfielder Tucker Maxwell, Georgia catcher Mason Meadows, Georgia pitcher Logan Moody, Tech outfielder Chase Murray.

          Also: Georgia Southern pitcher Joe Nahas, Kennesaw State outfielder Terence Norman, Georgia pitcher Will Proctor, Tech infielder Paxton Rigby, Georgia pitcher Christian Ryder, Georgia shortstop Cam Shepherd, Georgia Southern pitcher Seth Shuman, Georgia first baseman Patrick Sullivan, Georgia infielder L.J. Talley, Tech pitcher Connor Thomas, Georgia pitcher Trevor Tinder, Tech shortstop Austin Wilhite, Tech pitcher Nick Wilhite, Georgia pitcher James Williams, Tech pitcher Amos Willingham.