Two Georgia high school baseball players, Wesleyan center fielder Druw Jones and Mays shortstop Termarr Johnson, are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, as 2022 MLB draft prospects on MLB.com while another, Buford pitcher Dylan Lesko, is No. 9. Lesko is the reigning national Gatorade Player of the Year.
The three are among the top four high school seniors nationally this season, according to Perfect Game. Johnson is No. 1, Lesko No. 3 and Jones No. 4.
The 2022 MLB draft is set for July 17-19, and if those evaluations are on point, Georgia could become the first state since California in 2000 to have three top-10 picks coming out of high school. Only twice has one state had high school players go 1-2 in the draft. That was California in 2017 and 1980.
“I think three (top-10) draft picks would prove what we believe here in Georgia, and that is we have some of the best players in the country,” said Buford coach Stuart Chester, whose team has been ranked in the top 10 of national polls most of the season. “Our state does such a great job developing and promoting players as well as baseball in general.”
These three elite prospects headline a broader group of high school stars who make Georgia one of the premier baseball-producing states in the country as 13 overall made Perfect Game’s preseason All-America list on first, second or third team.
Here’s a look at how Jones, Johnson, Lesko and the other 10 are doing this spring as the high school baseball seasons nears the playoffs:
R.J. Austin, Pace Academy: A shortstop signed to Vanderbilt’s No. 1-ranked class, Austin is batting .460 with six homers for a 24-1 team that is ranked No. 1 in Class 2A. Austin has scored 40 runs. Pace Academy defeated No. 2 Lovett 16-9 on Wednesday.
Cam Collier, Mount Paran Christian: Collier, a third baseman and pitcher, reclassified during the summer, got his GED and enrolled at Chipola Junior College in Florida. He’s playing baseball there this spring getting ready for the MLB draft. Mount Paran Christian remains a state contender and is ranked No. 2 in Class A Private.
Cade Fisher, Northwest Whitfield: Fisher has struck out 103 batters and allowed only 23 hits in 55 innings. He’s 4-1 with a 1.28 ERA and one save. Fisher is a left-hander who committed to Florida. Northwest Whitfield is 16-12 and fighting for a playoff berth out of Region 7-4A.
Gage Harrelson, Houston County: A center fielder and pitcher for the No. 1-ranked team in Class 6A, Harrelson is hitting .525 (.624 OBA) with 44 hits, 10 doubles, two triples and three homers. He’s scored 40 runs, driven in 27 runs and stolen 11 bases. He’s pitched 9 ⅓ innings with a 2.25 ERA and two saves as the Bears’ closer. He committed to Texas Tech.
Matthew Hoskins, Peachtree Ridge: A pitcher signed with Georgia, Hoskins has struck out 56 batters in 36.2 innings, and opposing hitters are batting only .138 against him. He’s struggled with control at times (25 walks), and he’s 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA. Also an outfielder, he’s hitting .379, and he’s hit five of his team’s eight home runs. Peachtree Ridge is 12-13.
*Termarr Johnson, Mays: Johnson is projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, according to R.J. Anderson of CBSSports.com. A high school shortstop, who is projected as a major-league middle infielder, Johnson is hitting .579 with six home runs in 39 at-bats. He’s 14-for-14 in stolen bases and scored 32 runs in 19 games. Johnson has walked 26 times as opponents are taking the bat out of his hands. Mays (9-10) is not an outstanding team, yet Johnson has led his team to the playoffs.
Brady Jones, Decatur: Jones, a shortstop and pitcher who committed to Georgia State, is batting .487 with six homers and six doubles. He’s scored 21 runs and driven in 22. On the mound, he’s 4-1 with a 1.20 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 29 innings. Decatur is 19-10 and standing second in Region 5-5A.
Druw Jones, Wesleyan: Jones is hitting .595 with nine homers in 74 at-bats. He’s stolen 24 bases, scored 46 runs and driven in 26. Also a pitcher, he’s 5-1 with a 3.50 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 20 innings. Jones is the son of former Braves star center fielder Andruw Jones but is taller and lankier at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, than his father. Wesleyan is ranked No. 3 in Class A Private. Jones signed with Vanderbilt.
Jared Jones, Walton: Jones, a big catcher (6-4, 230) with surprising speed and a great arm, is hitting .500 with nine doubles, two triples and seven home runs. He’s walked 33 times and has an on-base average of .649. Walton (17-11) is ranked No. 10 in Class 7A despite playing every game on the road as the team’s baseball field is being renovated.
Dylan Lesko, Buford: Lesko, a right-handed pitcher who can hit high-90s with his fastball, has allowed only three runs in his eight starts. He’s 6-0 with an 0.93 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 29 innings. He’s hitting .381 with 10 extra-base hits in 63 at-bats. Lesko signed with Vanderbilt but will have to weigh draft options.
Kaden Martin, Buford: Martin, an outfielder who signed with Miami, is hitting .407 and is in the top three on the team in runs (24) and RBI (22) with seven doubles, three homers and a .493 OBA. He has an 0.84 ERA in 10 ⅔ innings.
Hayden Murphy, Tiftarea Academy: Murphy, a pitcher whose fastball has topped 95 mph, is 7-1 with an 0.87 ERA with 97 strikeouts. Batters are hitting only .161 against him. Also a shortstop, Murphy is hitting .492 with six homers, 11 doubles and 15 stolen bases. Tiftarea, a Georgia Independent School Association team, is 15-6.
Riley Stanford, Buford: Stanford, an outfielder who signed with Georgia Tech, is hitting .402 with three homers, 19 runs scored and 18 RBIs. As a pitcher, he’s 5-1 over six starts with 44 strikeouts over 24 innings and a .170 opponents’ batting average. Buford, ranked in the top 10 of national polls most of the season, has played an elite schedule featuring six out-of-state opponents.
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