The Braves couldn’t resist another home-grown talent.
In Day 2 of the Major League Baseball Draft, the Braves selected Isaiah Drake, an outfielder from North Atlanta High. He was taken in the fifth round with the No. 162 overall pick.
“We’ve seen him quite a bit,” said Ronit Shah, Atlanta’s assistant director of amateur scouting. “Another exciting high school prospect for us. Excited to see what he can do here. Drake has shown more power than we’ve seen in the past. … He loves to play. He is everywhere. He can fly too. We are really excited about the power-speed combination he has from the left side.”
Credit: Photo courtesty of Ricky Plante
Credit: Photo courtesty of Ricky Plante
The Braves selected eight players on Monday in Rounds 3-10. They have a total of 11 draftees after taking three right-handed pitchers in the first two rounds on Sunday. So now, of the 11 players selected, nine are right-handed pitchers.
Shah said not to read anything into the selections. He and the Braves are simply taking the best players available on their draft board.
“You are always looking for arms,” Shah said. “You can’t have enough pitching.”
With their first pick on Monday, the Braves selected Sabin Ceballos, an infielder from Oregon.
“He is a guy who has done it all, coming from Puerto Rico as a high school prospect,” Shah said. “… Played a really strong third base. He’s got tools. He’s got a plus arm. He can really pick it at third. He is showing a lot more power this year than past years. Controlling the zone, taking his walks, making a lot of contact. Put it together, we thought it was a strong package for a college player who can play a skill position and provide value on both sides of the ball.”
The draft concludes Tuesday with Rounds 11-20.
DAY 2 DRAFTEES
Round 3: No. 94 - Sabin Ceballos, Oregon, SS
Round 4: No. 126 - Garrett Baumann, Hagerty HS (FL), RHP
Round 5: No. 162 - Isaiah Drake, North Atlanta HS (GA), OF
Round 6: No. 189 - Lucas Braun, Cal State Northridge, RHP
Round 7: No. 219 - Justin Long, Rice, RHP
Round 8: No. 249 - Cory Wall, William & Mary, RHP
Round 9: No. 279 - Riley Gowens, Illinois, RHP
Round 10: No. 309 - Pier-Olivier Boucher, Southern Illinois U Carbondale, OF
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