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Marietta excited for hometown hero Dansby Swanson's Braves debut

Dansby speaks to Oregon Park All Stars about setting goals and getting better each practice! Pictured: Brock Herrero, Ty Halliburton, Alex Elliott and Bowen Mayfield(10 years old here) all HS freshmen on the baseball team this year!
Dansby speaks to Oregon Park All Stars about setting goals and getting better each practice! Pictured: Brock Herrero, Ty Halliburton, Alex Elliott and Bowen Mayfield(10 years old here) all HS freshmen on the baseball team this year!
By Jennifer Brett
Aug 17, 2016

Dansby Swanson of Marietta suits up for the Atlanta Braves  tonight and his hometown can't wait to cheer him on.

Photos courtesy of Kathryn Mayfield
Photos courtesy of Kathryn Mayfield

Marietta High School Baseball Coach Chris Stafford and many of his players are headed down to Turner Field to see their hero in action. The  Braves jettisoned struggling shortstop Erick Aybar, acquired a much-needed catcher prospect and cleared the way for Dansby's major-league debut.

PHOTO GALLERY: Here comes Dansby Swanson

Dansby speaks to Oregon Park All Stars about setting goals and getting better each practice! Pictured: Brock Herrero, Ty Halliburton, Alex Elliott and Bowen Mayfield(10 years old here) all HS freshmen on the baseball team this year!
Dansby speaks to Oregon Park All Stars about setting goals and getting better each practice! Pictured: Brock Herrero, Ty Halliburton, Alex Elliott and Bowen Mayfield(10 years old here) all HS freshmen on the baseball team this year!
The Braves acquired Swanson in December as part of the Shelby Miller trade. Swanson has played in only 127 professional games, none above Double-A, since the Diamondbacks selected him out of Vanderbilt with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft. He’s hitting .261 with a .342 on-base percentage for Mississippi.
Dansby Swanson signs a cap for Bowen Mayfield.
Dansby Swanson signs a cap for Bowen Mayfield.

Dansby keeps in touch with his hometown crowd, attending camps and workouts. When he was a senior at Marietta High School, he gave some of his jerseys to the younger players coming up behind him.

"They were so big they had to sleep in them," Marietta mom Kathryn Mayfield, whose son Bowen was 10 when he received one of the shirts. Bowen plans to be at Turner Field tonight, wearing the shirt Dansby gave him. It fits him now, like a glove.

Dansby Swanson and one of his former teachers, Kelly Herrero.
Dansby Swanson and one of his former teachers, Kelly Herrero.
Dansby Swanson and Marietta High School athletic director Paul Hall.
Dansby Swanson and Marietta High School athletic director Paul Hall.

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