The Atlanta Braves drafted 39 players in 2018. The selections included 22 pitchers (five left-handers, 17 right-handers), four outfielders, four catchers, and nine infielders.
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Four of the picks have Georgia ties. They are:
Jake Higginbotham (Round 11, 322th pick), LHP, Cumming
• A Buford grad, Higginbotham went 6-1 (3.47 ERA) in 16 starts his junior year at Clemson.
Ray Hernandez (Round 29, 862nd pick), 3B, Atlanta
• Hernandez holds Alabama State's single-season record for homers (16) and RBIs (62).
Mitch Stallings (Round 30, 892nd pick), LHP, Atlanta
• Stalling is the 15th pitcher in Duke's history to amass more than 200 strikeouts.
Micky Mangan, (Round 40, 1,192nd pick), C, Cumming
• Mangan was the Braves' final pick of the draft. The Pinecrest Academy senior hit .322 with a .450 on-base percentage for the Paladins this season. He is the son of the Braves' longtime field director, Ed Mangan.
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