NEW YORK — A Georgia native was the first selection taken Monday in the annual MLB Draft.
Marrietta High's Dansby Swanson, who helped lead Vanderbilt to the College World Series title in 2014, was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 1 pick.
Meanwhile, Flowery Branch’s Jonathan Hughes was taken 68th by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round. Hughes, a RHP who has signed with Georgia Tech, features a 94-96 mph fastball. Hughes was rated as No. 16 in Georgia and 255th overall by Baseball America.
He was one of eight players from Georgia and the only one from the northeast Georgia area selected on the opening day.
Several state players are expected to be taken in the top rounds. The first two rounds were conducted Monday with Rounds 3-10 slated for Tuesday and 11-40 on Wednesday.
North Forsyth's Dakota Chalmers, Buford's Joey Bart and Jake Higginbotham, and former Whitev County pitcher David Sosebee (now with Georgia) are possible selection candidates over the next two days.
The Atlanta Braves took Kolby Allard (LHP, San Clemente (Calif.) HS) with the 14th pick to continue their stockpiling of young high school pitchers. Allard was slowed by a back injury his senior season but is being tauted by baseball insiders as the top high school pitcher in the draft.
The Braves then went international adding Mike Soroka (RHP, Bishop Carroll HS, Calgary , Alberta, Canada) with the 28th pick in the first round.
