Friday March 29th, 2024 5:22AM

Area players hope to get the call from MLB teams

By Jeff Hart Sports Reporter

Nothing is an exact science when it comes to the Major League Baseball Draft.

Area baseball coaches know full well.

Gainesville coach Jeremy Kemp saw first hand in 2014 when Michael Gettys, one of the top prospects in the nation during his season year, was projected anywhere from a high first round pick to low second round. He was eventually taken by San Diego in the second round.

“You have a lot of scouts from different teams and they all have the things they look at and evaluate,” Kemp said. “It’s hard to know who is right, if there is such a thing. I just tell my kids, like Michael last year, to just worry about the things you can control.”

With Monday’s opening day of the 2015 MLB Draft set to begin at 7 p.m., more than a few area players will be waiting to hear if they get the call from any of the 32 Major League clubs. The first two rounds will be conducted on Monday with Rounds 3-10 beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday nd Rounds 11-40 at noon on Wednesday.

The highest projected player from the northeast Georgia area is North Forsyth’s Dakota Chalmers, a RHP for the Raiders and a Georgia-signee, who is rated fourth in Georgia by Baseball America and 34th overall. Chalmers pitched at Lakeview Academy for three years before transferring to North Forsyth for his senior season.

Buford catcher Joey Bart is rated 11th in Georgia and 183rd overall by Baseball America. Fellow Wolves players Jake Higginbotham (LHP, 27th (Ga.), 454th overall) and Connor Bennett (RHP, 29th (Ga.), 457th overall) also will be waiting to see their fates.

However, all three have signed to play college. Bart signed with Georgia Tech, Higginbotham with Clemson, and Bennett with West Virginia.

Flowery Branch’s Jonathan Hughes (RHP, Georgia Tech-signee) is rated 16th in Georgia and 255th overall by Baseball America.

And while those are the only area players rated in the Baseball America Top 500, several other standout players, like Micahel Curry (C, Georgia-signee) and Caleb Whitenton (1B, South Carolina-signee) of Gainesville, along with Buford pitchers Keyton Gibson and Kevin Coulter, also will be hoping to hear their names called sooner rather than later.

“Michael and Caleb are solid players and they have heard all kinds of things from scouts ranging from middle rounds to late rounds,” Kemp said. “You never can tell what’s going to happen. The worst-case scenario is that they will have get a chance to play big-time college baseball if they aren’t drafted or don’t reach a deal if they are.

“I just tell the kids to not worry and know that no matter what happens, they are about to start their journey, which is what they have playing for since they were little. We’ll see what happens (starting Monday).”

But these aren’t the only area players that could have their names called beginning on Monday. Several area players that have been plying their trade at the collegiate level that could be selected over the next three days.

University of Georgia pitchers David Sosebee (White County HS) and David Gonzalez (Gainesville HS) are eligible to be selected but are expected to return to Georgia for their senior seasons.

MLB Draft schedule:

Monday: 7 p.m.; Rounds 1 & 2

Tuesday: 1 p.m.; Rounds 3-10; MLB.com

Wednesday: noon; Rounds 11-40

  • Associated Categories: Sports, High School Sports
  • Associated Tags: High school baseball, Gainesville baseball, Flowery Branch baseball, Buford baseball
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