Tag: uga baseball news

Former Georgia baseball pitcher called up to MLB

The Seattle Mariners have moved up a former Georgia Bulldogs baseball pitcher to the MLB.

According to multiple sources, former Georgia Bulldogs baseball pitcher Emerson Hancock is moving up to the MLB with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners selected Hancock with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 MLB draft.

The 6-foot-4, 213-pound pitcher went to Cairo High School in Cairo, Georgia. Hancock has a 3.99 ERA over 44 starts in three seasons with AA baseball. Hancock has a 21-10 record over his minor league career.

The Seattle Mariners are 60-52 and are looking to make a push for the postseason. It is unclear what Hancock’s role will be in the MLB.

Hancock finished his college career at Georgia with a record of 16-7 and a career 3.47 ERA across 33 total appearances, which were all starts.

Former Georgia pitcher Emerson Hancock is expected to get a shot to throw in the MLB with Seattle. (Photo by Kristin M. Bradshaw)

Hancock has been pitching well in AA baseball. He impressed scouts enough with his performances with the Arkansas Travelers to earn a call up to the MLB.

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Georgia baseball’s Cole Wilcox signs life changing MLB deal

Georgia Bulldogs baseball standout Cole Wilcox has signed a life changing rookie deal with the MLB’s San Diego Padres.

Georgia Bulldogs baseball standout Cole Wilcox has signed a life changing deal with the MLB’s San Diego Padres. Wilcox was selected 80th overall in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft.

Wilcox is a pitcher and was a redshirt sophomore at the University of Georgia. Wilcox has signed a deal for $3.3 million as Jim Callis reports.

Wilcox will try to work his way through the minor leagues and eventually end up pitching for the Padres. The MLB will have a shortened season this year. Unfortunately for Wilcox and many rookies, the minor league baseball season has been officially cancelled.

The Padres rookie is from Chickamauga, Georgia and played high school baseball for Heritage High School. He was fantastic in his four starts during the 2020 season, where he recorded a 1.57 ERA in four starts and a 3-0 record. Georgia finished the shortened 2020 season with a 14-4 overall record.

Opponents hit only .209 against him in 2020. Wilcox dominated striking out 32 players while walking two batters faced.

Cole Wilcox announced his excitement to sign with the San Diego Padres:

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Two former UGA baseball players sign MLB contracts

Due to the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds this year, a high number of collegiate standouts saw themselves go undrafted in last week’s draft. Two of those players are former Georgia Bulldogs Tucker Bradley and Cam Shepherd. Redshirt …

Due to the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds this year, a high number of collegiate standouts saw themselves go undrafted in last week’s draft.

Two of those players are former Georgia Bulldogs Tucker Bradley and Cam Shepherd.

Redshirt junior outfielder Bradley and senior shortstop Shepherd, though, have both since signed with MLB teams.

Bradley signed with the Kansas City Royals and Shepherd with the Atlanta Braves.

Shepherd:

“These past four years at the University of Georgia wearing the G on my chest has been nothing short of a dream,” Shepherd posted on his Twitter. “The memories and the relationships I have built will last a lifetime. My family, coaches, teammates and friends have not only shaped my baseball career but helped me grow to be the person I am today. Thank you to Dawg Nation and everyone who gave me nothing but support along the way. I am excited to say that I have signed and will be continuing my baseball career with the Atlanta Braves. Playing professional baseball has been a goal of mine since I picked up a bat and to have the opportunity to play for my hometown team is a dream come true. Can’t wait to get back on the field and get started!”

Bradley:

“I am so blessed and excited to announce that I will have the opportunity to continue my baseball career with the Kansas City Royals! This has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy and to be able to continue my journey is everything I could have ever asked for,” Bradley tweeted earlier this week. “I want to thank UGA, my previous coaches, my family, and most importantly, my Faith for allowing me to pursue my dream.”

Georgia baseball’s Emerson Hancock the No. 6 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft

In Yesterday’s first-round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Georgia baseball ace-pitcher Emerson Hancock was drafted by the Seattle Mariners.

In Yesterday’s first-round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Georgia baseball ace-pitcher Emerson Hancock was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the No. 6 pick.

Hancock (6-4, 213) is from Cairo, Georgia, and was a star on the diamond for the Bulldogs the last two seasons. In the short 2020 season, Hancock registered a team-high 34 strikeouts, followed by a dominant sophomore season in 2019 where Hancock registered an 8-3 record with a 1.99 ERA (eight best in school history).

Hancock finished his career with a 16-7 record, 3.47 ERA in 33 appearances, all starts, with 206 strikeouts and 55 walks in 192 innings and becomes the highest drafted Georgia player in the MLB Draft since Derek Lilliquist was drafted No. 6 in 1987.

The draft resumes today, Thursday, June 11 at 5 p.m. ET with Rounds 2-5 on ESPN and the MLB Network.

 

Former Georgia baseball commit flips to play QB for Clemson Tigers

Bubba Chandler, who was recently committed to Georgia baseball, has announced his commitment to Clemson, where he’ll play QB and baseball.

On Wednesday, Clemson football added a commitment from quarterback Bubba Chandler, who until recently was committed to play baseball at Georgia.

Clemson offered Chandler on May 7. On May 11, he announced he’d be reopening his recruitment and that he wanted to play both baseball and football in college.

Chandler announced his decision to play both sports for Clemson via Twitter on May 20.

Out of North Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia, Chandler is a right-handed pitcher and shortstop. He originally committed to play baseball at UGA in June. With Georgia not being able to offer him a football scholarship, he’s decided to attend Clemson, where he can pursue both sports.

Chandler originally did not expect to receive interest from Clemson, a school that he’s never actually taken a recruiting visit to. But when Clemson quarterback target Christian Veilleux committed to Penn State a few weeks ago, it left the Tigers looking for a signal-caller in their 2021 class. So Clemson took a swing at a two-for-one deal and it paid off.

He did, however, visit Clemson in 2018 when his friend on the football team got him to tickets to see a game in Death Valley.

“[The Clemson coaches] just watched my film, a lot of my Twitter videos, and I talked with the coaches pretty much every day on the phone,” Chandler told ESPN. “Then, of course, our high school head coach knows [Clemson safeties coach] Mickey Conn pretty well. Clemson’s coaches asked our head coach about me, my character, and I guess they liked what they heard.”

Chandler has been playing both sports for nearly his entire life, and will continue that at Clemson.

“They’re going to develop me into the best player I can be in both sports,” Chandler said. “They have a chance to compete for a national championship every year. I’ve always wanted to play football in college, and what better place to play football than at Clemson?”

As for Georgia, the Bulldogs already have another quarterback committed in the 2021 class who also happens to be from Bogart. That’s 5-star dual-threat Brock Vandagriff.

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Clemson football coaches coming for Georgia baseball commit

Clemson football coaches are recruiting Georgia baseball commit Bubba Chandler to play QB for the Tigers.

Clemson quarterbacks coach Brandon Streeter and offensive coordinator Tony Elliott have been in touch with 2021 Georgia baseball commit Bubba Chandler.

Out of North Oconee High School in Bogart, Georgia, Chandler is a right-handed pitcher and shortstop. He committed to play baseball at UGA last June.

Clemson quarterback target Christian Veilleux committed to Penn State last week, leaving the Tigers looking for a signal caller in their 2021 class.

Though Chandler is committed to play baseball at Georgia, he has been picking up football offers lately from schools like UNC-Charlotte, Western Kentucky and Troy.

He said that the Auburn football program has also been recruiting him heavily.

Clemson is yet to offer Chandler, but the two sport star told TigerNet that if they do offer he would certainly give them a chance. He said he would love to play both sports in college.

Chandler has not yet been able to visit the Clemson campus, but it appears he is excited to do so when the lockdown is lifted.

As for Georgia, the Bulldogs already have another quarterback from Bogart committed in the 2021 class. That’s 5-star dual-threat Brock Vandagriff.

“I love UGA. But I love football as well,” Chandler told Clemson Insider. “I’m going to look over and consider any opportunity, such as Clemson.”

Finebaum: NCAA president Emmert’s handling of cancellations “inexcusable”

Cancellation was always going to be the safe decision, but the NCAA’s lack of communication left conference leaders in the dark.

Last week, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey appeared on The Paul Finebaum Show to disclose that he learned secondhand of NCAA President Mark Emmert’s decision to cancel spring and winter sports amid COVID-19 concerns.

As per Sankey, he learned of the cancellation from a journalist. He received no prior notification from NCAA officials.

Though it was always going to be the safe decision to make, the communication (or lack thereof) related to the NCAA’s cancellation plans left conference leaders in the dark.

Following Sankey’s revelation, Finebaum, in an appearance on Birmingham’s WJOX, let loose on his perceptions of the issue.

“I know this is the wrong time to make absolute statements but I’m going to make one anyway. That moment was the end of the NCAA as we know it. It may have power in existence for some times but that was an existential moment in the history of the NCAA where knowing the commissioners like we do, they are going to band together at some point, when the storm clears, and are going to say, ‘You know what, we’re not going to take that anymore.’”

Finebaum continued regarding the communication breakdown:

“For Mark Emmert, not to have more consultation with the people that feed the system was inexcusable. And what was interesting is we all praised him on Wednesday afternoon, ‘What a great decision to go ahead and announce that there would be no fans (for the 2020 NCAA Tournament)’ and in the moment it did look good, but once again no consultation with anyone.”

The necessary precautions for the general public’s safety never came into question for Finebaum.

“Quit praising him for making the right call…it wasn’t a difficult call.”

He concluded:

“Let’s not give him too much credit or give anyone too much credit. This was this a domino effect, which we all know was caused by the NBA (being the first major American sporting league to suspend play due to coronavirus concerns).”

For other inquiries into how the global health pandemic affects the world of college sports:

Coronavirus forces NCAA to make big decisions regarding eligibility, recruiting

SEC cancels its men’s basketball tournament due to coronavirus

NCAA grants spring season athletes an extra year of eligibility

Will Georgia football cancel G-Day due to coronavirus?

Georgia football Pro Day postponed amid coronavirus outbreak

Georgia baseball’s Tucker Bradley leads the SEC in home runs

With a fat dinger and a subsequent bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

With a fat dinger and a subsequent (and well-earned) bat flip, Georgia’s Tucker Bradley sank the hopes of in-state rival Georgia Tech.

His sixth home run of the still-young 2020 college baseball season places him atop the list of the Southeasten Conference’s home run hitters.

Fourth-ranked Georgia didn’t need any more homers from Bradley today when topped Tech 12-0, ranked No. 17 but likely sinking in next week’s polls following two consecutive losses.

Bulldog Garrett Blaylock is close to the top with four home runs.

In the previous matchup, Georgia outlasted Georgia Tech in the series opener by a score of 6-5 at Foley Field.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball blanks Georgia Tech 12-0, wins season series

Tech needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

Who runs this state?

In the past three months, the Georgia Bulldogs have clinched victories over the in-state Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in football, men’s basketball, and baseball.

Following last night’s dramatic victory at Foley Field in Athens, the Dawgs ensured that the next contest, held on Tech’s campus, would be less of a nail-biter for Georgia baseball fans.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Bulldogs built an early 4-0 lead across the first five innings. Tech already needed a miracle entering the ninth, but the away team scored eight runs in the inning’s top half to put the game away for good.

The Bulldogs improve to 10-1 on the season.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, today’s game at Grant Field in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.

Georgia baseball downs Georgia Tech in series opener

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Scott Stricklin’s fourth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs swatted the No. 17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first of three games the rivals will play this season.

After the Jackets put the first run on the board in the top of the fourth inning, the Dawgs answered in the bottom half of the inning with a five-run outburst.

Tech chipped away at their most hated rivals’ lead, scoring three runs and blanking the home team in the fifth and sixth innings.

Still maintaining a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Patrick Sullivan sent Cole Tate home from second base, giving the Bulldogs an insurance run that would prove to be vital.

The Yellow Jackets loaded the bases down two runs in the bottom of the ninth and scored one with a sacrifice fly. Junior reliever Ryan Webb, despite the immense pressure of the game’s ending, struck out similarly-named Jackson Webb (both billed from Roswell, strangely enough) to end the game.

Georgia’s Webb oversaw the final ten outs and earned his first save of the season.

Webb told reporters after the game:

“I just love being in when the game is on the line and this just means more to me because its Tech. I have a lot of friends on that team and last year I kind of laid an egg against them at Suntrust.”

Bulldawg Illustrated posted Webb’s post-game interview.

As part of a neutral series between in-state foes, the three-game stand features one game at Georgia’s Foley Field, another at Tech’s stadium at 255 Ferst Drive in Atlanta, and a third contest at Coolray Field, the home of Atlanta Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers.