House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves Draft Day 3 review of selections in Rounds 24-30

By Fred Owens

SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Commissioner Allan H. Bud Selig at the podium during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Commissioner Allan H. Bud Selig at the podium during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
atlanta braves
The Atlanta Braves have too many pitchers like this gentleman, who walk too many batters now. Let’s not sign anymore. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Chad Bryant RHP; R/R, 6′-0″, 210; NR

Round 25 overall pick 757 Pensacola State College (FL)

The Rangers selected Bryant in the 39th round of the 2017 draft, but he chose to attend Pensacola State  (JuCo) and try for a higher slot. Twenty-five is a higher slot, but his numbers suggest he should get more experience and try again.

Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves /

Atlanta Braves

His 2017 Perfect Game profile says he’s a strong young man who knows how to use his legs to generate power.  They describe his arm as “fast and loose” and define his arm slot as “high 3/4”.

He features 94 mph fastball with little movement aside from occasional unintended cut that makes it run in on LHH. His breaking pitch is a traditional curve that can be 10-5  or 11-6 with nice arm action. That’s a fair description of a good high school pitcher, but not one ready for the next step.

At Pensacola State, this season he made eleven starts and one relief appearance, tossed 47 innings of 6.65 ERA ball, walked 51 and struck out 46.

I have no idea why they drafted him. I’d advise him to look for another school and visit one of the multitudes of pitching academies that are found all over the south.

Riley King 3B R/R; 6′-0″, 186; NR

Round 26 Overall pick 787 Georgia (GA)

King graduated from Lawrenceville Ga., who attended Collins Hill HS where he played four years of varsity ball at a third baseman and pitcher.  In 2016 Rawlings named him a Rawlings/Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American.

At that time Perfect Game ranked him the #4 third baseman in Georgia and #107 nationwide.

He moved to Georgia in 2017 and appeared as a redshirted freshman in eight games. This season he appeared in 56 games as their starting third baseman and posted a .307/.417/.470/.887 line. .383 wOBA, that included eight home runs, nine doubles and a triple in 255 AB, walking 30 times and striking out 34.

https://twitter.com/BaseballUGA/status/1104135858297409536

He played the last two summers in the Coastal Plains League and made a huge step forward at the plate in the 2018 season when he hit .306/.365/.406/.771.

According to The Red and Black, King saw little time his first year at Georgia and had knee and elbow injuries that hindered his performance  That changed in his first start of the season when he went 3-for-4 with three RBI; two of the RBI came on a 2-run home run.

Drafted as a third baseman King played some outfield for Georgia this year and seems to know his way around left field pretty well.

I doubt King signs this year, He’s had only one season and with good health over the next season or two and continued sterling play, could well earn a top 30 draft slot.

Home/Braves Draft