MLB teams continued to dip into Georgia’s talent pool on the first night of the MLB draft.
There were 74 selections made Monday, with five players from Georgia high schools or colleges going in the first 69 picks.
That amount tied Georgia for the fourth-most players selected. Florida had 13 draftees, including the Braves’ Carter Stewart, and Texas had 10. California was third with nine, while Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina were even with five.
Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart was Georgia’s highest pick. He was followed by catcher Anthony Seigler, pitcher Ethan Hankins, outfielder Parker Meadows and catcher Will Banfield.
Bart became the fifth catcher in the past 10 years to go in the top five when the Giants selected him at No. 2 overall.
Bart, a Buford native, was the highest selected catcher since Mike Zunino went No. 3 overall in 2012. It was the earliest any Gwinnett county product has been drafted.
The Yellow Jackets have had a rich history of catchers, but Bart might be the best. He hit .359 last season, best in the ACC, with a .632 slugging percentage. He was the conference’s player or the year and defensive player of the year.
Bart joined the franchise that developed his idol, Buster Posey. If the process goes accordingly, Bart would be Posey’s heir apparent at catcher.
"I really like to watch Buster Posey play," Bart told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May. "He's a Georgia kid. He's a right-handed hitter with some power. He's pretty athletic. He can catch and throw really well. He's extremely good and way better than me, but that's the guy I like to model my game after. He's just so good, and the way he goes about his business is first-class."
Seigler, of Cartersville, went to the Yankees at No. 23. He’s a switch-hitting, ambidextrous catcher whom the team praised for his raw power and strong arm.
The 18-year-old is a true Swiss army knife. He pitched 25-2/3 innings last season, earning a 1.09 ERA and 29 strikeouts. He hit .421 with 14 homers and 34 RBIs at the plate. He threw out 12 of 21 baserunners.
"The thing that attracts you to Seigler is that he has the tools to catch, and he's a switch-hitter, which makes him a unique commodity," said Yankees VP and director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer, via NJ.com. "He's showing power from both sides of the plate, has really great instincts for baseball, a plus-arm and runs well for a catcher. On top of that, he's proven to be versatile, with his ability to play other positions."
The 6-foot-6, 200-pound Hankins was once regarded as the best high school player in the class and acclaimed for his physical tools. He jumped up boards following his performance in the World Cup, when he struck out 27 in 12 innings.
He fell to No. 35 because of injury concerns. He sustained a shoulder injury in February, and his velocity dipped from mid-to-high 90s to low 90s when he returned.
Still, he boasts a four-pitch arsenal, he’s immensely physically gifted and is said to have fully recovered, so the Indians could’ve landed a steal in the Forsyth Central product.
Meadows followed in his brother’s footsteps when he went No. 44 overall. Austin Meadows, also of Grayson, went ninth overall to the Pirates in 2013. Austin won National League rookie of the month for May.
The Tigers were long fond of Parker. The younger Meadows has a 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame with some power potential. He’s capable of playing around the outfield, possibly staying in center field because of his speed.
He was the Tigers’ second selection, following Auburn pitcher Casey Mize, whom the team took at No. 1 overall.
Banfield, of Brookwood High, joined the Marlins at No. 69. His defense is further along than his bat, according to scouts, but the former might be the best at his position in the class.
Reports suggest the Marlins may need to pay him over slot value to sway him from his Vanderbilt commitment.
Georgia will see more names come off the board Tuesday, with Cole Wilcox, Kumar Rocker, Austin Cox and Luke Bartnicki among the players.
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