We looked at 2000-10 last week; now here’s part 2 of that series on top MLB draft picks from Georgia, which brings us up to speed on players chosen from 2011-22. (Prospect rankings courtesy of MLB Pipeline.)
2011 – Kevin Matthews (Richmond Hill)
Matthews was selected with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft out of Richmond Hill High School by the Texas Rangers. The left-hander never appeared in an MLB game; last played for an MLB organization in 2017, in the minor leagues of the Atlanta Braves’ system; and last pitched in 2019, in independent ball.
2012 – Byron Buxton (Appling County)
Selected No. 2 overall in 2012 by the Minnesota Twins out of Appling County High School, Buxton is easily one of the top MLB draft picks to come out of Georgia in the last decade. A one-time All-Star and Platinum Glove winner, Buxton is still with the Twins and will be entering his ninth MLB season in 2023.
2013 – Clint Frazier (Loganville)
Taken by the then-Cleveland Indians, Frazier came off the board with the No. 5 overall pick in 2013 out of Loganville High School. Frazier recently concluded his sixth MLB season, which was his first with the Chicago Cubs, and is now a free agent.
2014 – Michael Chavis (Sprayberry)
Chavis was selected No. 26 overall in 2014 by the Boston Red Sox out of Sprayberry High School. The utility infielder recently finished his fourth MLB season and is a free agent.
2015 – Cornelius Randolph (Griffin)
MLB draft picks from Georgia were especially plentiful in 2015; in fact, two from the Peach State went back-to-back, at Nos. 10 and 11, that year. The first was Randolph to the Philadelphia Phillies at No. 10; Kennesaw Mountain’s Tyler Stephenson went at No. 11. Randolph, a Griffin High School product, has never appeared in an MLB game. He spent a majority of the 2022 season in independent ball.
2016 – Josh Lowe (Pope)
Lowe was selected No. 13 overall in the 2016 MLB Draft, going from Pope High School to the Tampa Bay Rays. Still with the Rays, Lowe will enter his third MLB season in 2023.
2017 – DL Hall (Valdosta)
The first Georgia pick in 2017 was Hall, a left-hander from Valdosta High School who was selected No. 21 overall by the Baltimore Orioles. Hall is still with the Orioles as the club’s No. 6 prospect, as well as No. 87 overall in MLB’s Top 100. He made his MLB debut during the 2022 season.
2018 – Anthony Seigler (Cartersville)
Seigler was selected No. 23 overall back in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Cartersville High School, taking his talents to the New York Yankees organization. Seigler is still with the Yankees in the minor leagues.
2019 – CJ Abrams (Blessed Trinity Catholic)
Yet another player who made his MLB debut during the 2022 season was Abrams, who was originally selected No. 6 overall by the San Diego Padres in 2019 out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School. Abrams now is with the Washington Nationals after being traded by San Diego as part of a multi-player deal last season.
2020 – Jordan Walker (Decatur)
Walker, a former standout at Decatur High School, was taken with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. Walker is still with the Cardinals in the minor leagues, where he’s the organization’s top prospect, as well the No. 6 overall prospect in baseball.
2021 – Brady House (Winder-Barrow)
Similar to the 2015 draft, Georgia had two players go back-to-back at Nos. 11-12 in 2021. The first was House to the Washington Nationals. The former Winder-Barrow High School star is still with the Nationals in the minor leagues, where he is the organization’s No. 5 overall prospect.
2022 – Druw Jones (Wesleyan)
Jones is the most recent of the top MLB draft picks from Georgia, coming off the board at No. 2 overall to the Arizona Diamondbacks in July of 2022. He’ll make his professional debut as the Diamondbacks’ No. 2 prospect, as well as the No. 11 overall player in MLB’s Top 100.
