Anthony Seigler, a switch-hitting catcher from Cartersville, was the first Georgia high school player taken in the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday.
Seigler went in the first round, No. 23 overall, to the Yankees. Seigler hit .421 with 13 home runs and a .587 on-base percentage as a senior for a team that reached the Class AAAA final. Seigler also is an ambidextrous pitcher but projects as a catcher professionally.
Other Georgia high school players taken on the first day were Forsyth Central pitcher Ethan Hankins to the Indians 35th overall, Grayson outfielder Parker Meadows to the Tigers 44th overall and Brookwood catcher Will Banfield 69th overall to the Marlins.
Former Buford catcher Joey Bart, a senior at Georgia Tech, was taken No. 2 overall to the Giants.
Some projections had as many as five Georgia players taken in the first. Only Seigler and Hankins were first-round picks.
Heritage-Ringgold pitcher Cole Wilcox went undrafted early largely because he elected to play in college instead. He has signed with Georgia. North Oconee pitcher Kumar Rocker is another who was expected to be drafted highly.
The difference between the first and later rounds is substantial financially. Seigler’s projected value, according to MLB.com, is $2.8 million. Second-round picks might be only one-quarter of that.
The draft continues Tuesday.
Georgia players taken in the draft can be followed at MLB.com.
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