In June’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Georgia’s baseball team lost 11 players – the largest number of players selected from any school in the country. Eight of the 11 Diamond Dogs signed professional contracts, but pitchers Jeff Walters, Justin Earls, and Alex McRee decided to return to Georgia for their senior seasons. While losing the players to the draft is bittersweet for the current Diamond Dogs squad, the players that went pro didn’t do too bad.

While June consisted of draft anticipation and the negotiation of signing bonuses, July and August offered the former Bulldogs a chance to show off their skills in the minor leagues, a place where many big names get lost in the crowd.

Rich Poythress, former Georgia first baseman and All-American, was a second round – and No. 51 overall – draft choice of the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners also chose centerfielder Matt Cerione in the seventh round. Poythress, a Grovetown, Ga., native, was promoted directly to Class AA to play for the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx. In 26 games for the Diamond Jaxx, Poythress hit .230 with nine RBIs and displayed solid defensive play. Poythress contributes much of his minor-league success to the level of competition Georgia baseball provided for the past three years.

“Playing in the SEC definitely prepared me because it is the best college baseball. Every team is strong and could go to Omaha every year,” Poythress said.

Pitcher Dean Weaver, a seventh round draft pick of the Washington Nationals, has also made a name for himself. Weaver started the summer in the Rookie League, but was called up for Short Season Class A competition for the last few weeks of the summer season. Weaver was also invited to the team’s invitational instructional camp for October.

“I’ve made four appearances at ‘instructs’ so far, and I haven’t given up any runs. I’ve been working on a new change-up and slider to become more of a well-rounded pitcher,” Weaver said.

Catcher Joey Lewis has had to make a few adjustments playing for the Idaho Falls Chukars, a Rookie League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Lewis batted .275 this summer and adjusted to a new role at first base.

Lewis described his off-season goals saying, “Especially playing catcher and first base I’ve got to make some improvements. I’ve got to get better at taking ground balls. To compete with guys at the highest level, I’ve got to get better in all areas of the game.”

Cerione, Trevor Holder (Washington Nationals), Michael Demperio (Los Angeles Angels), and Will Harvil (Arizona Diamondbacks) demonstrated the strength of the Georgia baseball brand this summer. With stellar defensive play, Cerione was chosen as the Northwest League Player of the Week in August. Harvil sported a 3.34 ERA in 32 innings pitched. Holder was called up twice and finished the summer for the Class A Advanced Potomac Nationals. Demperio was also called up from Rookie League to Short Season Class A. Catcher Bryce Massanari (Colorado Rockies) sustained a knee injury early in the summer and underwent surgery in August.