Young Georgia talent pushing way to MLB rosters — with more coming soon

That list is only getting longer. When the MLB draft comes to Atlanta as part of the 2025 All-Star Week, Mill Creek’s Daniel Pierce is projected to be a first-round pick.

Here are a few more young Georgians worth watching this summer — and well beyond — starting with a couple of the more heralded prospects:

Bubba Chandler (Pirates)

MLB draft: 2021

Chandler, from North Oconee High School, is a former third-round pick of the Pirates who has made 14 starts for Indianapolis in Triple-A this season. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound righty has 73 strikeouts in 55⅓ innings this season and is considered one of baseball’s top prospects, with the highest rating among those still in the minors.

According to MLB.com, Chandler has “developed into one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, reaching Triple-A in 2024 and serving notice that he’s ready to contribute to a big-league rotation. Chandler has rapidly evolved from an athlete and thrower to a complete pitcher with a real idea of how to use all four of his pitches effectively.”

In April, Pirates star pitcher Paul Skenes told MLB.com, “Looking forward to being with him every day, whenever that is. He’s going to bring a lot to the staff. I’m fired up to see that. I’m excited.”

Graham Pauley (Marlins)

MLB draft: 2022

Pauley, a third baseman, played in 13 games for San Diego in 2024 and has logged 28 games for Miami in 2025 as an infielder. The former Milton High School and Duke standout was a 13th-round pick in 2022. Pauley is currently playing for Jacksonville (Fla.) in AAA.

Hurston Waldrep (Braves)

MLB draft: 2023

Waldrep made two starts for the Braves in 2024 and allowed 13 earned runs over seven innings. The Thomasville native and former Florida Gators star has a 5.84 ERA after 13 starts with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers this season.

“I don’t look at being (in Gwinnett) as holding a grudge or anything. I see it as an opportunity to better myself and be a better teammate, be a better person, grow as a player,” Waldrep told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May. That’s how I approach it every day — have a good attitude about it and be positive about everything and know it’ll play out in the end.”

CJ Abrams (Nationals)

MLB draft: 2019

Abrams is a former first-round pick out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell. The Nationals shortstop is hitting .278 this season with 11 home runs and 26 driven in. He was an All-Star in 2024.

Bradley Blalock (Rockies)

MLB draft: 2019

Blalock debuted last summer for Milwaukee. In 12 career appearances for the Brewers and now the Rockies, the Loganville High School graduate has made nine starts on the mound.

Jonathan Cannon (White Sox)

MLB draft: 2022

Cannon graduated from Centennial High School in Roswell and also pitched for UGA. Cannon, a former third-round draft pick, made his MLB debut in 2024 and has made 31 starts while pitching for the Chicago White Sox.

Marc Church (Rangers)

MLB draft: 2019

Church, a relief pitcher, has made five outings for the Texas Rangers this season and has surrendered two earned runs in 4⅔ innings. The North Atlanta High School product made his MLB debut in 2024.

Chase Dollander (Rockies)

MLB draft: 2023

Dollander, a former standout at Tennessee who began his college career at Georgia Southern, is 2-7 in 12 big-league starts this season for the Colorado Rockies. He gave up three earned run June 14 in a 4-1 loss to the Braves at Truist Park. The graduate of Greenbrier High School in Evans was selected ninth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Fraser Ellard (White Sox)

MLB draft: 2021

Ellard attended King’s Ridge Christian School in Alpharetta before playing at three colleges. The relief pitcher has been in seven games this season for the White Sox and has fanned 10 hitters in 6⅔ innings.

Emerson Hancock (Mariners)

MLB draft: 2017

Hancock was the No. 6 overall pick in 2020. He starred at Cairo High School and then Georgia. Hancock made his MLB debut in 2023 and is 7-7 over 28 career starts. This season the 6-foot-4, 213-pound right-hander is 3-3 with a 5.43 ERA and has made 13 starts for the Seattle Mariners.

Brady House (Nationals)

MLB draft: 2021

House, a Winder-Barrow High School graduate, is a former first-round pick now playing third base for the Washington Nationals. His MLB career is just a week old, having been called up June 16.

Parker Meadows (Tigers)

MLB draft: 2018

Meadows is in his third season in Detroit, where he is a .232 career hitter playing center field. Meadows is a former second-round pick out of Grayson High School.

Kumar Rocker (Rangers)

MLB draft: 2022

Rocker became a star at Vanderbilt after graduating from North Oconee. The right-handed pitcher has made 11 career starts for the Rangers over the last two seasons and has fanned 45 hitters in 45⅓ innings.

Aaron Schunk (Rockies)

MLB draft: 2019

Schunk, played at UGA and The Lovett School before that. The shortstop has 28 hits in 122 MLB at-bats.

Victor Scott (Cardinals)

MLB draft: 2022

Scott is hitting .241 and has 21 stolen bases for the St. Louis Cardinals. Scott attended McEachern High School before going on to star at West Virginia. The center fielder was a fifth-round pick in 2022.

Chandler Simpson (Rays)

MLB draft: 2023

Simpson, a center fielder, debuted for the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season and is hitting .285 over 35 games. The former Georgia Tech and St. Pius X Catholic High School star, who started his college career at Alabama-Birmingham, has 19 stolen bases in 22 tries.

Jordan Walker (Cardinals)

MLB draft: 2020

Walker, an outfielder who played at Decatur High School, is in his third season with the Cardinals and is a career .246 hitter.