Braves take high school third baseman from Indiana

<p>For the second straight year, the Atlanta Braves took a teenager with their first pick in the baseball draft, selecting high school third baseman Eric Campbell on Monday.</p><p>The 18-year-old Campbell is from Ft. Branch, Ind., and attended Gibson Southern High School. There, he played mostly shortstop, but the Braves listed him at third. They compared him to Matt Williams, the former third baseman with San Francisco, Cleveland and Arizona.</p><p>"He's a big power hitting third baseman who plays the game the way it is supposed to be played," said Roy Clark, Atlanta's director of scouting. "He's our kind of guy and we are proud to have him in our organization."</p><p>In 2003, the Braves took right-handed pitcher Luis Atilano of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico with the 35th pick overall. At No. 36, Atlanta drafted catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia of Royal Palm Beach, Fla.</p><p>Both were 18.</p><p>Atlanta took 17 players Monday as the draft completed the 18th round. Among the other picks were University of Georgia catcher Clint Sammons (191st overall), high school outfielder Jon Owings from Gainesville High School in metro Atlanta and infielder Bradley Emaus from East Coweta High School in Senoia.</p><p>Owings is the younger brother of Georgia Tech star Micah Owings.</p><p>Campbell surprisingly lasted until the 71st overall selection, the final pick of the second round. He hit .506 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in 29 games during his senior year, and had a team-high 30 doubles and 30 walks.</p><p>He followed the draft from Albuquerque, N.M., where he's playing in a high-school all-America game. A lifelong Braves fan, he wore one of the team's shirts into the draft room.</p><p>"It's the greatest feeling in the world," he said in a phone interview. "I got what I wanted, and they got what they wanted."</p><p>For the past three years, Braves scout and area supervisor Sherard Clinkscales followed Campbell's progress, and he was the one who called to give Campbell the news.</p><p>Campbell, who signed a letter-of-intent with Alabama, doesn't have an adviser yet, but he plans to sign soon. He's ready to play.</p><p>"I just want to play," he said. "I'm not going to hold out for anything. I'm 100 percent sure I'll sign."</p><p>He expects to start his career with the Braves rookie team in the Gulf Coast League.</p>