Georgia prospects celebrate draft with vacations

Donavan Tate and Zack Wheeler have more in common than just being two Georgia high school players drafted early in the major-league draft Tuesday.

Both baseball phenoms indicated they would celebrate their draft-day fortunes by going on brief vacations.

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Jessica McGowan / jmcgowan@ajc.com

Donavan Tate, the No. 3 pick in the baseball draft, has yet to decide whether to forgo a football scholarship to North Carolina.

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Brant Sanderlin / bsanderlin@ajc.com

Zack Wheeler is vacationing with senior classmates in Florida after being selected No. 6 in the draft.

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Tate, the Cartersville outfielder drafted at No. 3 by the San Diego Padres, went with his mother and a high school buddy to an undisclosed location out of the country.

“I haven’t had a vacation since middle school,” said Tate, who plays baseball and football and has yet to decide whether to forgo a football scholarship to North Carolina.

Wheeler, a hard-throwing pitcher from East Paulding, already has taken off with senior classmates for a Florida vacation. He was drafted at No. 6 by the San Francisco Giants.

“He earned it,” said his father, Barry Wheeler. “It really has been a [wearing] process on him — not only this year, but even in the past summers, He has never been able to take summer vacations and just hang out with friends. So it was a good idea. He needed it.”

The next step for both players is to begin initial contract discussions with their respective clubs within the next couple of weeks. Tate is represented by Scott Boras, who is rumored to be seeking a signing bonus of from $4 million to $6 million. Last year’s No. 3 pick, third baseman Josh Vitters, got a bonus of $3.2 million from the Chicago Cubs, according to Baseball America.

“Donavan has one of the best agents in baseball, so he won’t have to worry with anything,” Cartersville coach Stuart Chester said. “His vacation is well-deserved. He’s able to get away and enjoy things, such as … family life, which he hasn’t been able to do much because he has always been on a ball field.”

Wheeler is represented by B.B. Abbott of Jet Sports Management, who said he expects to talk with the Giants within the next 7-10 days. Last year’s No. 6 pick, catcher Kyle Skipworth, signed for a bonus of $2.3 million with the Florida Marlins.

“We haven’t really talked any specific numbers,” Abbott said Friday. “We’ve given the Giants a wide range of the contract numbers for comparable pitchers from the last 8-10 drafts, and that’s where we will start discussions.”