Houston County's Burress, FPD's Johnson get the MLB calls, as expected (video, interviews, more inside)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
The smile on Drew Burress’s face and the reaction of those around him showed no worry.
So what if the former Houston County and Georgia Tech hitter extraordinaire didn’t go seventh to Baltimore in the MLB first-year player draft on Saturday.
He went a few minutes later to the Athletics as the eighth pick overall.
FPD shortstop Keon Johnson was going to get called on Saturday, and his phone rang a little earlier than expected, at 93rd by Houston in the second half of the third round
Johnson was the No. 119 prospect by MLB.com, so he went nearly 30 spots earlier than projected. But he was around 100 in most rankings.
The difference is almost $200,000. The slot money for 119 is $651,500 compared to $846,000 for 93rd.
The first day ended with four rounds and 135 selections.
Houston County grad Isaiah Galason watched friends and teammates get called, as expected, for he wasn’t on the list to go on Day 1.
Day 2 is another matter.
Galason, a Georgia Tech signee, is expected to be picked on Sunday. The “when” is of note. If he’s picked early on, inside the top 10 rounds, he may be in decision and negotiation mode. Once that 10th round passes, his odds of wearing a Yellow Jackets jersey become almost certain.
It certainly worked well for Burress, who made clear early on his plans when he was a high school senior and turned that into a historic Jackets career and top-10 selection three years later.
The draft resumes on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. with rounds 11-20.
Burress watched Tech teammate Vahn Lackey go third to Minnesota.
Etowah shortstop Trevor Condon was picked 13th by St. Louis. Citizens Christian pitcher Blake Bryant was picked by Arizona as a competitive balance selection, going 31st overall.
Fourteen high school players went in the 40-pick combo first round.
Burress is the second-highest draft pick in Central Georgia high school history, and now the fifth-highest in Yellow Jackets history.
Wilkinson County grad and three-year Georgia Tech starter – and former walk-on - Kevin Brown was picked fourth by Texas in 1986. Lackey took over the top spot at Georgia Tech earlier Saturday.
Jones County’s Willie Greene was the 18th pick back in 1989, by Pittsburgh. Jones County’s Rondell White went 24th in 1990, two spots better than Warner Robins’ Mark Johnson in 1994.
Stratford’s Robbie Sovie went in the fourth round t Detroit in 2002, and FPD’s Rashad Eldridge went to Cleveland in 2000’s fifth round.
The last Central Georgia high school player to be drafted was Houston County’s Andrew Dunford, who went in the 12th round to Detroit in 2023. He was released after the 2024 season after pitching in five games and is now in the Australian Baseball League
Mercer’s Kyle Lewis went 11th to Seattle in 2016.
Johnson broke a long Bibb County draft-free streak that dates back to 2018 when Tattnall’s Kendall Logan Simmons was picked by Philadelphia in the sixth round, and lasted through 2025, all in the minors, where he was assigned to eight different teams.
He was the most ballyhooed area prospect since Deondre Smelter of Tattnall, who dazzled scouts by cracking 97 miles an hour on the mound as a sophomore and was drafted by Minnesota in the 14th round in 2010, in part because he was more interested in college – academics and athletics – and had slid a bit on lists as a senior, in part because of injuries.
The Bibb County standard remains Southwest outfielder Milt Cuyler, who went 46th in the second round in 1986. That was the same year that Brown was picked.
The draft process is mighty different now.
Burress will soon enough be an official millionaire. The slot money for the No. 8 pick is $6.98 million, although it’s no lock that the Athletics will pay it all. Odds are they will.
Last year’s No. 8 was high school shortstop JoJo Parker, who signed initially for $600,000 less than what was slotted for that spot, so Toronto could spend more money later in the draft.
Johnson was the 21st shortstop taken, and ninth high school or college player from Georgia, the third high school player from the state.
Before the day was done, though, speculation was already steering toward Johnson signing with Houston.
From The Tennessean in Nashville: “Johnson is expected to sign and begin his professional career rather than play for the Commodores. .”
From the Houston Chronicle: “The Astros think Johnson has a “really exciting blend of bat-to-ball and pitch recognition” and that their hitting instructors “can really help unlock the contact quality there,” (amateur scouting director Cam) Pendino said.
“Pendino said the Astros are confident they will be able to sign both players (Johnson and compensatory pick infielder Beau Peterson).”
Watch Burress get picked, get celebrated, and react with family
What fans should expect from Burress
Watch Burress get picked, earn raves, celebrate with family
Touted college OF Burress 'ready to be a part of' A's young core after pick
Burress talks with A’s media: “I’m a winner”
A ‘short king’ who profiles as a power threat, fans love pick
Joy in the Johnson household; ‘getting the best player in the draft’ interview with Johnson and mom