For two Georgia Diamond Dogs, dreams became reality Tuesday night.

Junior first baseman Rich Poythress was selected as the first pick of the second round (51st overall) by the Seattle Mariners and senior pitcher Trevor Holder was chosen as the first pick of the third round (81st overall) by the Washington Nationals, in the MLB First-Year Player draft.

“It’s a tremendous honor, obviously,” Holder said. “I’m extremely excited and I’m really happy for Rich and just happy and excited about the opportunities we have in front of us.”

Added Poythress: “I got to wake up this morning and have the opportunity of a lifetime in front of me. I couldn’t be happier for [Trevor], one of the best teammates that I’ve ever played with and to see us both get the opportunities that we’re going to get is awesome and still a little bit of a surreal feeling.”

Entering the draft, Poythress had an idea of the clubs that were interested in him. The Boston Red Sox and Mariners were the two teams that had the power-hitting junior highest on their boards. But Poythress had a strong feeling about the Mariners organization and actually turned down an opportunity to be drafted by Boston a few spots earlier.

“I’ve been in touch with Seattle for the last few weeks and going into [Tuesday] that was the team that I wanted to go to,” Poythress said. “It seems like a great organization from top-to-bottom and they seem very goal-oriented on winning and turning everything around and a great opportunity to move up through the system if you play well and perform.”

The Mariners also took Georgia’s Joshua Fields in last year’s draft. Poythress said that Fields called him around midnight Tuesday to congratulate him on being drafted by the same organization.

Holder was selected in the 10th round last season by the Florida Marlins, but chose to return to Georgia for his senior season, which proved to be a good move on the hard-throwing right-hander’s part. Holder couldn’t be happier about the choice he made and thankful for the opportunities that Georgia allowed him.

“The four years up at Georgia meant the world to me and I couldn’t have gotten here without the help of everybody at Georgia,” Holder said. “It’s been a fun ride and I’m ready for the next step, that’s for sure.”

Poythress received the news of where he was selected while on a mini vacation with his family and friends at Georgia teammate Joey Lewis’ lake house. Poythress wanted to spend the special evening with those close to him, and his home in Grovetown does not receive the MLB Network, which televised the draft.

“I just wanted to hang out around here with family and friends and was just excited about the day,” Poythress said. “As fun as it was, and exciting, I’m finally glad to see what happened.”

For Holder the news was broken in a different

manner.

“I had no idea. I was actually sitting around watching the Lakers game and I got a call from my mom and she was crying,” Holder said. “I honestly thought she was calling to tell me about Rich getting drafted and I was like, ‘Mom, Rich got drafted a while ago, what are you crying about,’ and then all of a sudden my phone started ringing off the hook.”

Though Holder’s career at Georgia is officially over due to graduation, Poythress still has the option of returning for his senior season if negotiations with Seattle don’t work out. Poythress says his dream is to play in the Majors, but he wouldn’t be opposed to returning to Athens.

“I feel like I’m ready to play pro ball and I feel that this is the best opportunity to start my career,” he said.

“It’s been the greatest three years of my life, baseball-wise and everything. Being around that group of guys is something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. If things don’t work out [with Seattle], then [coming back to Georgia] is not something that I’m opposed to.”