Day 2 of the MLB Draft: Good luck keeping track.
Seven rounds (239 picks) in about six hours, and in that time six prospects from Georgia went off the board. Two heard their names later than they may have expected, though.
Jalen Miller, a shortstop from Riverwood International Charter School, was the No. 35 prospect in the country according to Baseball America, but the San Francisco Giants drafted him 95th.
Miller hit .444 and had a 1.353 OPS to go along with five home runs, 17 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and three errors in his 22-game senior season.
Scouts like his line-drive swing that should only improve in the weight room. Miller’s MLB.com prospect profile said he’s built like Brandon Phillips when he was a star with Redan High. It also said Miller likely will make the transition to second base in the pros, as Phillips did.
He’ll now choose between entering San Francisco’s farm system or playing at Clemson.
Another high school product to fall down the board was Dakota Chalmers, a right-handed pitcher from North Forsyth High.
The Oakland Athletics drafted Chalmers with the 97th pick, but Baseball America pegged him as the 34th-best prospect.
Chalmers is a lean guy — 6-foot-3, 175 pounds — but his fastball has been clocked at 98 mph. His MLB.com prospect profile said his loose arm and athletic ability will help him clean up strenuous mechanics in the pros.
Chalmers went 4-4 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances in 2015. He recorded 82 strikeouts and 37 walks in 51 1/3 innings. Opposing batters hit .166 against him.
He has the option to sign with the A’s or play at Georgia.
The state’s college baseball ranks were tapped into for the first time Tuesday.
Baseball America’s top-ranked Georgia college prospect, Kennesaw State junior shortstop Kal Simmons, went 226th to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Simmons was the 23rd shortstop picked in this “Draft of the Shortstop.” Scouts go crazy over shortstops who can hit for power, and Simmons seems to fit the bill — he hit 10 homers in 55 games this season. But his troubles hitting for average were a concern. He hit just .269 in 2015 and never finished a season at Kennesaw State batting higher than .289.
Georgia Bulldogs junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Lawlor could stay close to home for his pro ball, as the Braves snagged him with the 240th pick.
Lawlor was a good player on a not-so-good team (Bulldogs were 10-19 in SEC play). He finished 2015 at 5-7 with a 3.67 ERA, but he struck out 84 batters in 73 2/3 innings.
Two top Georgia high school prospects — Columbus High’s Alonzo Jones and Pike County High’s Tristin English — are still available entering Day 3 of the draft.
About the Author
