Newnan High School baseball player Dax Kilby is ITG Next’s 2025 Georgia Male Athlete of the Year.
Kilby has just wrapped up a memorable and successful high school career at Newnan as one of the top infielders and offensive threats in the state.
But his baseball career is far from over. In fact, the next step he takes could make baseball a permanent part of his adult life moving forward.
Kilby is committed to Clemson University to play baseball for the Tigers, but as far as Newnan head baseball coach Marc Gilmore is concerned, he wouldn’t mind if Clemson isn’t a part of Kilby’s immediate future.
“I hope Dax never makes it to Clemson,” Gilmore said. “I want to see him fulfill a lifetime dream of becoming a professional baseball player.”
That could very well happen if everything goes to plan in the upcoming MLB draft.
“Based on the latest projections, Dax may be drafted late in the first round,” Gilmore said.
That could mean a life-changing contract worth millions of dollars, which would force Kilby and his family to discuss what his best option is, and Clemson may not be that option.
Gilmore said the path that Kilby took to reach this point was not easy.
“I’ve coached Dax since the eighth grade, but I watched him growing up playing baseball since he was 10 years old,” Gilmore said. “Dax was a scrawny kid who had a growth spurt as a ninth-grader. He grew like 5-plus inches during his ninth- and 10th-grade years, which caused an issue with his growth plate in his shoulder.”
Kilby was forced to avoid throwing a baseball for a two-year period, which allowed him to only be a designated hitter in his eighth-grade and ninth-grade seasons.
“Dax battled through some adversity to get to where he is today as a player,” Gilmore said.
Once Kilby reached his sophomore season, his growth plate healed, allowing him to play infield as a second baseman and shortstop. He quickly turned into a well-rounded player both as an infielder and as a hitter.
In his sophomore season, Kilby batted .379 with a home run, 12 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
As a junior, Kilby’s batting average improved to .465 with three HRs and 45 RBIs. His SBs doubled to 16.
Finally, this past season as a senior, Kilby took off. He batted .495 with five HRs and 42 RBIs. He stole 15 bases, and his slugging percentage improved to .838.
Kilby possesses all of the tools the pro scouts look for.
“Dax can hit for power, and he can spray (hit) the ball to all fields,” Gilmore said. “He has excellent power to the opposite field, but he has a lot of raw power to his pull side. He can hit balls 400-plus feet now, and he’s only going to get stronger at the next level.”
Kilby is also one of the fastest baseball players coming out of high school, as he proved recently at the 2025 MLB Draft Combine.
“Dax ran the third-fastest time of 3.55 seconds in the (30-yard sprint),” Gimore said. “When you’re 6 foot 2 or 6 foot 3 inches and can run like that, it’s going to help his (draft) stock.”
Kilby led Newnan to a 32-5 record and the Class 5A state championship in 2025, batting in the leadoff spot.
The 2025 MLB draft will be held in Atlanta on July 13-14.
