Seventy-one players born in Georgia or attending school in Georgia were drafted in the 2015 MLB Draft — the fourth-most behind California, Texas and Florida.
Forty-three of those prospects played in college this year and 28 graduated from high school.
Two big-name high school players remained on the board entering the third and final day of the draft: Columbus High shortstop Alonzo Jones and Pike County High right-handed pitcher Tristin English.
Jones, Baseball America’s No. 64 prospect, fell to the 36th round, where the Chicago Cubs picked him 1,073rd. He sent out two tweets Wednesday night, one thanking the Cubs for drafting him and the second announcing he’ll follow through with his college commitment and play next season at Vanderbilt.
Jones is known for his speed. He ran a 6.17 60-yard dash at the Perfect Game USA National Showcase and MLB.com awarded him an 80 out of 80 for his speed.
English, Baseball America’s No. 146 prospect, lasted until the 39th round, when the Cleveland Indians picked him 1,174th. On Monday night, English tweeted, “Never thought I’d see the day I turned down money,” which some took as a sign he rejected a signing-bonus offer from a team hoping to draft him. If English didn’t take money a team offered him on day one, he likely won’t accept a deal Cleveland can offer him with the 1,174th pick.
English is a Georgia Tech signee who’s known for his deceptive delivery and a fastball that can hit 95 mph.
The University of Georgia had the most draftees of any state college, with seven Bulldogs hearing their names called. Tech and Georgia State each had two players drafted.
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