Georgia Tech second baseman Wade Bailey, a four-year starter and two-time first-team All-ACC selection, was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 33rd round of the Major League Baseball draft Wednesday. Bailey, a senior, joined catcher Joey Bart among Yellow Jackets players selected in the three-day, 40-round, 1,214-player draft process that concluded Wednesday.
Tech has now had a player selected in 38 consecutive drafts, and have had multiple players taken each of the past 18 years. Bart was taken second overall on Monday by the San Francisco Giants, becoming the first Tech player to be selected that high.
Bailey hit .339 this season, sixth in the ACC. He finished his Tech career with 290 hits, fifth most in school history. He was undrafted coming out of Villa Rica High.
Tech also had three members of its incoming freshman class drafted, led by shortstop Logan Simmons of Tattnall Square Academy in Macon. Simmons was taken with the third pick of the sixth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pitcher Reese Olson of North Hall High was taken in the 13th round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Pitcher Luke Bartnicki of Walton High was selected in the 29th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Bartnicki, a lefty, had been rated the No. 149 draft prospect by mlb.com.
History would suggest that Simmons will not enroll. In the past five drafts, 30 out of 31 high-school prospects drafted in the sixth round signed with their teams and giving up their college eligibility. Simmons told WMAZ in Macon that playing professionally has been his dream and “the dream’s reality now.”
As far as Olson, 11 out of 21 high-school prospects drafted in the 13th round in the past five years have signed and skipped college. It would seem highly likely that Bartnicki, taken in the 29th round, will play at Tech unless the Diamondbacks make an offer high above the typical value for the pick.
