A pair of current Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and a pair of incoming Yellow Jackets could be hearing their name called during this week’s MLB Draft.
Without baseball going on at either the professional or amateur level, you may have forgotten that on Wednesday, the MLB Draft is set to take place. This year, the draft is only going to be five rounds and not the usual 40 meaning hundreds of players who would usually be drafted will not be realizing their dreams this week.
That being said, there are a few notable Georgia Tech names both currently on the roster and incoming freshmen who could be getting a phone call sometime this week.
Incoming FR – C Kevin Parada: Parada, a 2020 recruit out of Loyola High School in California, is a top-50 prospect in this year’s MLB Draft according to MLB.com. As someone who could very well go in the top-2 rounds and most likely a definite top three round draft pick, it’s hard to envision that Parada will ever make it to Atlanta. It would be a tough loss for Georgia Tech’s 2020 recruiting class but that’s how it goes in baseball.
Incoming FR – RHP Marquis Grissom Jr.: Like Parada, Grissom Jr was considered a top-100 prep arm coming into this year by Baseball America. While he’s not considered a top-200 draft pick by MLB.com, Grissom Jr. has some incredible potential and scouts this past winter believed that he could be a potential top of the line starter in the future. Georgia Tech may get lucky and he may go undrafted or not sign with whomever may end up drafting him.
SS Luke Waddell: Waddell has been a consistent bat in the Jackets lineup over the last three seasons and after being a late draft pick last year, the middle infielder should hear his name called this week. MLB.com ranks Waddell as the 125th best prospect in the 2020 MLB Draft and is considered to have one of the highest floors of all draftable college infielders.
OF Baron Radcliffe: Radcliffe’s name didn’t appear on the MLB Top 200 draft prospects for this year’s draft but there’s still a chance that Radcliffe may hear his name called thanks to his raw potential. Entering this season, he was considered a top-100 college prospect for this year’s draft by Baseball America. With a great frame at 6-foot-4 and nearly 230-pounds, Radcliffe has ideal size for a power hitting outfielder and his raw power potential is probably his best tool as well. Overall, I’d be pretty shocked if he wasn’t drafted this week.