The Braves drafted Georgia Southern University pitcher and former Sprayberry High School star Landon Hughes with their first pick of the seventh round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday.

Georgia Southern baseball coach Rodney Hennon tweeted his congratulations to Hughes after seeing news of the pick.

Hughes was 6-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 2017, striking out 55 in 43 innings pitched. He started his college career at Wallace State Junior College for two years before transferring to Georgia Southern.

If Hughes makes it to the Braves, rookie shortstop Dansby Swanson may have competition for best hair on the team.

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Kirby Smart (left) and Georgia beat Brent Key and Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes last November in Athens. The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets bring Clean Old-Fashioned Hate off campus for 2025, playing at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2024)

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

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