The Question Of The Day
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There are a lot of questions that need answers in the regional sports landscape. Here are 50 questions that need answers:
- Do the Braves stick with Luke Jackson at closer or do they get one at the trading deadline?
- Will Austin Riley win the NL Rookie of the Year?
- Will Freddie Freeman win the NL MVP?
- Will the Braves run away with the NL East?
- Will the Atlanta Falcons get back to the playoffs in 2019?
- Will the Falcons make Julio Jones the highest paid wide receiver in football?
- Will Matt Ryan get back close to MVP form?
- Can the Falcons win with defense when it matters the most?
- Will Georgia Tech make a bowl game in 2019?
- How many recruiting classes with it take for GT to be competitive in the ACC with a pro-style offense?
- Who will be the starting quarterback for Auburn?
- Will a quality running back surface for Auburn in 2019?
- If Auburn struggles early will Gus Malzahn get fired before November?
- How much longer will Nick Saban coach?
- Will the Alabama defense have any drop-off in 2019?
- Will Tua win the Heisman?
- Will Willie Taggart make it through year two at FSU?
- How bad of shape did Jimbo Fisher leave FSU in?
- How obsessed is Dan Mullen with UGA?
- How good will the Gator offensive line be?
- Will UF win the SEC East with Feleipe Franks at QB?
- Will UF lead the SEC in QB sacks in 2019?
- Will we be hearing UCF deserves to be in the college football playoff talk in 2019?
- Do the Miami Hurricanes get blown out by Florida in their opener?
- Will Jameis Winston make it through 2019 as Tampa Bay’s starting QB?
- Will the Dolphins tank in 2019 to draft Tua or Jake Fromm?
- Will the Jacksonville defense play up to 2017 standards in 2019?
- Is Nick Foles the missing piece of the puzzle in Jacksonville?
- If the Jags struggle does Doug Marrone get fired by mid-season?
- Can the Jags beat New England, Kansas City, or even Tennessee when it matters?
- Can South Carolina navigate a brutal schedule to play in a bowl in 2019?
- Will the Gamecocks be patient and let Muschamp build the program?
- Is Trevor Lawrence the most prized QB prospect since Peyton Manning?
- Will Clemson take a step back on defense in 2019?
- Should we go ahead and pencil Clemson in the college football playoff now for 2019?
- How is Cam Newton’s shoulder?
- Can the Panthers make a run in the NFC South?
- Will the Brunswick High Pirates make the state football playoffs in 2019?
- Will the QB position be more productive for Sean Pender in 2019?
- Will the BHS Pirates be much improved on defense?
- Will Glynn Academy win a fifth straight region football championship in 2019?
- Will Glynn make another state title run in 2019?
- Will Glynn beat Camden County at home this fall?
- Will UGA win the SEC in 2019?
- Who will step up at Wide Receiver at UGA this fall?
- Will Georgia be able to pressure the passer better in 2019?
- Will the UGA/Notre Dame game atmosphere be the most electric ever in Athens?
- Will UGA win a National Title in the next 3 years?
- Will Jake Fromm return for his senior season in 2020?
- When will UGA fans stop talking about 1980?
Some things to ponder Southern sports fans.
Flight Path?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Coming off of his first full season as a head coach, in which he turned a 2-10 catastrophe into a 10-3 bowl-winning squad, it would be easy to envision that Georgia Southern’s Chad Lunsford is breezing through his summer.
Then again, he’s now an established FBS head coach, and those guys aren’t known for breezing through much of anything.
Less than a month after Georgia Southern’s Camellia Bowl victory last December, Lunsford found himself in the middle of a press conference reminding reporters and his team alike that – for all of the huge strides taken in 2018 – the Eagles had only finished third in their own division and that there was plenty more to strive for.
“One thing we’re talking a lot about this summer is embracing expectations,” Lunsford said. “Last year was a different deal because of what we were coming from. Now we’re back, and everyone needs to know exactly what the expectations are for the Georgia Southern football program.”
The Eagles surprised the entire college football world by sprinting out to a 6-1 mark last season, highlighted by a 34-14 drubbing of archrival and eventual Sun Belt champion Appalachian State just days after App had gained its first ever FBS top-25 ranking.
But losses to UL Monroe and Troy following that high-water mark kept the Eagles from participating in the first ever Sun Belt championship game.
“We had the opportunities to achieve our goals last season,” Lunsford said. “We didn’t do it. A lot of last year was about how we responded better to adversity, but we didn’t get it done in some games where it would have really helped us.
“When it was time for us to put ourselves in the driver’s seat, we didn’t. I think everyone understands now what it takes to go that next step and to deal with what we know is going to be an even tougher schedule this season.”
The 2019 Georgia Southern team was finally all together in one spot last week as incoming freshmen arrived on campus.
Full team workouts were still a few days away and fall camp won’t convene until early August, but Lunsford and his staff wasted no time in beginning the process of bringing together the 2019 squad as its own unique and special unit.
Following team activities throughout the week, players and their families all attended a huge cookout – complete with tons of food and even a huge water slide.
“College football is a business,” Lunsford said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it a family business. We want everyone from players, to recruits, to all of their families to feel like we’re all invested in this together.”
As a longtime assistant within the Georgia Southern program, the culture and personality of Lunsford made him a clear favorite of players when an interim had to be named midway through the 2017 season. He kept the same personality in taking the Eagles from a spiraling mess to a conference contender in just one season.
Time will tell how the 2019 team will fare, but the team is sold on Lunsford and he is just as confident that he can use his established culture and newfound momentum to demand and expect even greater things for his team this fall.
Atlantic Waves
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let’s take a look at the ACC Atlantic division and predict how the teams will finish this season.
Clemson: The last time we saw the Tigers they manhandled Alabama in the national championship.
They finished the year 15-0 and I expect 2019 to be more of the same. Clemson is by far the most talented team in the conference and it’s not even close. They remind me of Florida State in the 90’s when they ran through the ACC.
They have one tough game at home Week 2 against Texas A&M. That was a close game last season but it was on the road in a hostile environment. Trevor Lawrence is a Heisman frontrunner and he should win it. They will go undefeated again.
Syracuse: The Orange went 10-3 in 2018, which was a big surprise. We will see if they can sustain that success in 2019. They have 7 starters returning on defense and quarterback Tommy DeVito is a rising star. They play Clemson at home September 14th and that will be the biggest ACC game of the year.
They have had some success against Clemson recently, so I think that will be a close game. The ‘Cuse should win 9 games.
Florida State: The Seminoles are the gold standard for a dynasty in the modern ACC era.
Former head coach Jimbo Fisher had a ton of success but they did not play well in his final 2017 season. He was replaced with Willie Taggart and so far, it looks like a bad hire.
In his lone season in Oregon, the Ducks were 7-5. After he left, they were 9-4. FSU was 7-6 in 2017 and they slipped to 5-7 under Taggart.
The ‘Gulf Coast’ offense he brought to Tallahassee was terrible. Tailback Cam Akers is really the only bright spot for the team and he’s hoping to have a bounce back year. He rushed for over 1,000 yards as a freshman in 2017 but last year only had 706 yards. I think they can win 7 games.
NC State: The good news is the Wolfpack have 8 starters returning on defense. The bad news is on the other side of the ball.
Offensive coordinator and QB coach Eli Drinkwitz left to become the head coach at Appalachian State. They also lost three starters from a standout offensive line, two 1,000-yard receivers and quarterback Ryan Finley. All of those weapons led them to a 9-4 record and they were 6-2 in the ACC.
I expect them to take a step back because they have so much to replace on offense. They should win 7 games.
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons were 7-6 last year, which is very good for this program.
An interesting fact is they have two players from the show QB 1 Beyond the Lights, Tayvon Bowers and Sam Hartman.
Hartman played well as a true freshman, throwing for 1,984 yards and 16 touchdowns in 9 games. They have the opportunity to go to their fourth consecutive bowl game and that should happen. They will win 6 games.
Boston College: The Eagles were 7-5 in 2018. They relied heavily on quarterback Anthony Brown and running back AJ Dillon. Both of them return this season so expect more of the same. They are good enough to win at least 6 games.
Louisville: The Cardinals were terrible last year, which got Bobby Petrino fired.
He was replaced by Scott Satterfield who had the same position at Appalachian State.
This is the worst team in the conference so I think they will win 3 or 4 games.
K Is For Keuchel
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Braves’ big-ticket item has arrived. Former Cy Young award winner, Dallas Keuchel made his debut on the road in our nation’s capital.
For months, Braves Country clamored for a big signing. The bullpen was the primary focus of grief and most would have assumed that Atlanta would go after former Brave Craig Kimbrel.
However, it was starter Keuchel. In truth, his arrival comes at an opportune time, the same time as Kevin Gausman’s fairly epic fall from grace (his placement on the Injured List seems less like a physical injury concern and more like making room for someone who’s going to hopefully win more games).
On the other hand, Gausman’s poor performance may have quickened the pace at which Keuchel was brought up to the big-league team. Regardless, after two minor league starts, Keuchel was called up and put on the mound against a division rival.
And it went…pretty well, actually. Keuchel took the loss in a 4-3 game against the Nationals, but it was a pretty promising outing.
Yes, he gave up four runs over the course of five innings, but only three of those runs were earned and that’s good enough to win most games.
Given the Braves recent average of over seven runs per game, allowing three or four runs is actually giving the team a great chance at a victory.
Beyond that, Keuchel also impressed with three strikeouts and – most importantly – no walks.
For a guy making his third professional appearance of the season, that kind of control is a joyous surprise. It’s also indicative of Keuchel’s renowned skills. Not an overpowering pitcher, he won his Cy Young and had a great 2018 season because he can locate the ball. To see him demonstrate that same skill this early in tenure is a very good sign.
And we can’t overlook how early it is. Obviously, the guy is a professional athlete and he clearly spent his unemployment time doing workouts and staying in shape, but Spring Training exists for a reason. Pitchers need time to recalibrate and stretch out.
The stretching out doesn’t seem as necessary as he’s thrown about 100 pitchers per start, but the point remains that he’s not even in midseason form and he’s still keeping his team in the game against rosters that are.
So, looking ahead, the Braves have found themselves a piece that should be able to help them hold onto first place into the National League East.
All in all, the addition of Dallas Keuchel is something to be excited about for Braves Country. It isn’t the return of a prodigal son, as signing Kimbrel would have been, but a starter is going to pitch far more innings and have a bigger impact if the Braves can hang on and make it to the postseason (where Keuchel has performed and won a ring).
This is going to be a huge get for Atlanta.
Hawk-some Future
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Post draft grades are about as useful as a witness protection program for Wil Byers.
So, instead of handing out a grade for each of Atlanta’s three picks, here is what you can expect to see from them; good and bad.
DeAndre Hunter: I’ll say this, while Danny Ainge’s love affair with draft picks leads me to believe the entire first round will comprise of Boston picks five years now, Atlanta GM Travis Schlenk released his inner “Brewster’s Millions” and spent them all, in one way or another.
The biggest move he made was trading the 8th and 17th pick to get Hunter at #4. After seeing Williamson, Morant, and Barrett go off the board, it’s difficult to get overly excited about Hunter, but I like the pick.
During his two years at Virginia he proved to be one of the better defenders in college ball and is an underrated scorer.
His upside isn’t as high some others, including the Hawks 8th pick which I’ll get to in a minute, but he’s as solid a player as you’ll come across in this year’s group. Hunter has all the makings of a solid 12-15 year career, something the Hawks will more than happy with.
Cam Reddish: Winston Churchill once stated “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key”. He was referencing Russia, but he may as well have been talking about Reddish some 80 years later.
As a Duke fan I watched just about every game this season and I have no idea what to expect from the least heralded, but most complete, of the three Duke freshman.
Some analysts have questioned his dedication due to his tendency to “disappear” for stretches, as well as his desire to play defense; neither of which I completely agree with.
Yes, Reddish has admitted he needs to improve his work ethic, but I think he fell into the trap many of us did this year, star gazing at his more accomplished peers.
Also, he’s a young kid who was just inconsistent on the offensive end; nothing more, nothing less.
As for the defense, I never saw him slack off on that end of the court, and in fact, most Duke insiders will tell you his defensive movement and understanding surprised the coaches more than anything.
I have no idea what the key is to unleash his full potential, but if Lloyd Pierce can figure it out, the Hawks may have gotten the steal of the draft.
How The West Was Won
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Why don’t we take a look at the toughest division in all of College Football and that, my friends, is the SEC West.
Here are my SEC West Predictions for 2019:
Alabama 12-0: Tua will be the frontrunner for the Heisman, and Najee Harris may be the best overall running back in the SEC when it is said and done production wise.
The Alabama receiving corps with headlined by Jerry Jeudy are the best in college football.
Nick Saban is the best in the business, and the Tide has the best starting 22 players in the country.
LSU comes to Bryant-Denny, but dangerous road trips to Texas A&M and Auburn seem to be the only hurdles on the regular season slate. Alabama heads to Atlanta for another epic showdown with Georgia for the SEC Title.
LSU 9-3: Coach O has got the Tigers headed back in the right direction.
Joe Burrow is back under center for a second straight season. John Emery is coming in at running back, and LSU has the best defensive backfield in the conference.
With that said this team is not going to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. A tough road game at Texas in week 2, and dangerous SEC road trips to Starkville and Oxford in mid-season. I think the Tigers drop one of those Magnolia State road trips.
Texas A&M 8-4: This schedule is brutal with the SEC West slate plus Clemson and Georgia. Is this team ready for primetime?
The Aggies lost their leader rusher and tackler from 2018. Is Kellen Mond an elite SEC QB? Jimbo Fisher is an elite coach, but it’s still too early to proclaim the Aggies as great in this division.
The Aggies will lose to Alabama and LSU in the West this year.
Auburn 8-4: Gus Malzahn is sitting on the hottest seat in the conference.
Who is going to be the starting QB? Will a running back up to Auburn historical standards surface? The front seven on defense will be solid and Derrick Brown may be the best defensive lineman in the conference.
Who knows about this team? Georgia and Alabama come to Jordan-Hare. Brutal schedule with the opener in Dallas against Oregon and a trip to Florida make it hard to predict big things for the Tigers in 2019 which usually means they play in the National Title game right?
A lot of questions right now in Auburn, Alabama. Gus is feeling the heat.
Ole Miss 8-4: This is my SEC West sleeper team. Yes, I see 8 wins on the schedule.
This team has some talent on offense with Matt Corral at QB. Ole Miss always has productive wide receivers. Can this defense hold up is the question?
I think the Rebels come back in 2019 after the probation period and go bowling.
Rich Rodriguez may have struggled as a head coach, but he is one of the best offensive coordinators in the business. This offense will cause problems in the SEC.
Mississippi State 6-6: The Bulldogs are going to struggle in 2019.
How do you lose three first round draft picks on defense from 2018 and improve on that side of the ball?
MSU gets in a bowl at 6-6 and the heat starts getting turned up on Joe Moorhead in 2020. Keytaon Thompson has talent at QB. The jury is out on the Bulldogs.
Arkansas 4-8: Chad Morris is in a total rebuild in Fayetteville.
It is going to take a couple more recruiting classes for Arkansas to be competitive again. Proud program that let a Big 10 coach come in and drive it over a cliff. Hog fans need to be patient with Chad Morris.
Bowl Teams: Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Division upset of the year: Ole Miss over LSU in Oxford on 11/16. LSU suffers a letdown after losing to Alabama on 11/9.
SEC Championship Game: Georgia over Alabama
Putting In The Werts
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2017, Shai Werts was a redshirt freshman who was thrown into the fire as the quarterback of an inexperienced offense that ended up posting the worst record in Georgia Southern history.
Last season, Werts entered the year with plenty of question marks around his ability to run the offense and take control of games.
He answered the questions with plenty of big plays and bold statements as he fueled one of the best turnaround stories in college football history. Werts looked smooth in driving the Eagles’ option attack and didn’t turn the ball over once all season en route to a 10-3 record and a bowl victory.
Now entering 2019 as a grizzled veteran and unquestioned team leader, Werts is ready for the added expectations.
“I feel good,” Werts said as he relaxed on a couch at the Ted Smith Family Football Operations Center Monday afternoon. “We’re ready for a big year. We’ve got a lot of games that will make it tough to top last year’s record, but that’s what we’re setting out to do.”
Werts was cheery and casual with his answers, but he isn’t taking anything for granted. His demeanor was the same coming off of a 2-10 season where not much of anything went right for him.
The cheerfulness is part of his outward personality, but it only partially hides a more serious side under the surface. That focus and determination played a large part in getting the offense on track last season and is still burning even after the success of 2018.
“We took a lot of pride in what we accomplished last year,” Werts said. “I know some people are still picking us to finish behind Troy (and Appalachian State) again this year. They are really good teams, but we definitely take it to heart that some people don’t think we can beat them.”
For each of his first two seasons, Werts had the benefit of some senior leadership in the backfield with him.
There is still plenty of talent at the skill positions, but several offseason transfers and the graduation of running backs Wesley Fields and Monteo Garrett and tight end Ellis Richardson leave Werts with far more career snaps under his belt than anyone else who will line up in the backfield.
That can be an issue in the Eagles’ triple-option scheme. Even if running backs have all the vision and speed in the world, all of the timing between players has to sync up perfectly in order for reads, gives and pitches to work as designed.
That’s where Werts is stepping up as a leader. “We have a thing at least once a week called ‘Blue Collar’,” Werts said. “It’s player-led, with no coaches. We’re just going over plays individually. We’re getting on the same page right now. When fall camp starts, that’s when it will be time to execute in game situations and see who steps up.”
The 2019 Eagles are a complete unit, with all incoming true freshmen checked in for their first day on campus. Workouts, meetings and a few team bonding activities will fill up the calendar in the coming weeks, with fall camp slated to begin during the first week of August.
Georgia Southern kicks off the 2019 regular season on Aug. 31 with a trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.
Tomahawkin
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Braves have been scorching hot lately. They leapfrogged the Phillies to take sole possession of first place in the National League East.
With the All-Star Break rapidly approaching, the Braves appear to be positioning themselves well to go into the second half as the team on top and that might mean that General Manager Alex Anthopoulos may be able to make moves (on top of the Dallas Keuchel signing) before the trade deadline to bolster some of the weak spots on the roster.
That being said, let’s take a brief look at some of the things that have led the Braves into first place, as well as a few things that need improvement.
The Really Good:
Austin Riley – It’s not a coincidence that Riley’s promotion to the big leagues proceeded the Braves rise to the top of the heap.
Riley has been beyond exceptional for Atlanta, not just hitting the ball out of the yard but also coming up with clutch hits and playing better left field than a third baseman has any right to.
Nearly the rest of the lineup, for the most part, has been roaring during this surge. Ozzie Albies has found his stroke, Freddie Freeman is putting up MVP-type numbers, Dansby Swanson and Ronald Acuna have been consistent (Acuna loves that leadoff spot), and the catching platoon has been reminiscent of the Flowers/Suzuki platoon a few years ago.
Mike Soroka – The undisputed ace of the staff in 2019, picked up right where he left off in 2018. He has a razor-thin ERA and composure on the mound far exceeding his years. With Keuchel as an unknown factor at the moment, Soroka starts Game 1 of the playoffs for this team.
Julio Teheran – To the surprise of many (myself included – see my unflattering and now-proven-wrong article about Julio from the end of March), Julio Teheran has recaptured the magic that caused the Braves to extend him years ago. He’s been more reliable than Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman, stepping up as the veteran presence in a young rotation.
Luke Jackson – A relief pitcher? Yes. Jackson opened up the season with an atrocious showing, but has since taken over the closer role and has been a solid – if imperfect – piece to close out Atlanta’s victories in 2019.
The Not So Good:
Josh Donaldson – The Bringer of Rain has managed to hit 10 homeruns and has a surprisingly robust batting average with runners in scoring position, but he has failed to earn the $23 million the Braves gave him during the offseason.
It’s unlikely the Braves will find a trade partner for the veteran, but with Riley’s emergence it seems like that Donaldson’s tenure in Atlanta will not span past one season.
Folty and Gausman – The two steadiest presences in the rotation in 2018 were both injured during Spring Training and neither seems to have come back quite right.
Gausman hit the Injured List, and with Keuchel waiting in the wings he may have made his last start for the year.
The Rest of the Bullpen – I know it. You know it. Let’s move on.
I’ll do the math for you, there’s more good than bad on the team right now.
Plus, the weaker points can be improved: Keuchel for Gausman is sure to be an upgrade, and the party line for months has been that Anthopoulos will make moves if the Braves are contending and first place is certainly contending.
If things continue as they are or improve even slightly, Braves Country is in for a great second half.
The SEC East Crystal Ball
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are now under three months and counting until the start of College Football Season.
As far as I’m concerned, no other sport compares to College Football and the best conference from top to bottom is the SEC.
Clemson from the ACC won the Natty in 2018, but the ACC is nothing near the caliber of the SEC in football. If that previous statement bothers you then get some sensitivity training. We will take a look at the SEC East.
Here are my SEC East Predictions for 2019:
Georgia 11-1: Kirby Smart is the best recruiter in the business. Georgia has the best 85-man roster in the country.
Jake Fromm could be a sleeper contender for the Heisman. The offense could be scary good with the best offensive line coach and players in the country.
Will this team lay an egg against someone they are not supposed to? History says yes.
I’m dreading the Auburn trip on 11/16. This team will play for the SEC title and will contend for the College Football Playoff. If the Dawgs win the SEC, they are in. This could finally be the year. The pass rush must improve in 2019.
Missouri 9-3: Kelly Bryant will be at QB in 2019. Barry Odom is doing a fine job in Columbia. Could the Tigers be 8-0 coming to Athens on November 9th? Florida comes calling on November 16th for second place in the East. Give me the Tigers over the Gators.
Florida 8-4: Two words, Feleipe Franks. Will Franks lead the Gators to back to back 10-win seasons?
Dan Mullen has trolled UGA in the off-season, but the schedule is tough. The Gators open against Miami and have Auburn, LSU, and Georgia in the heart of the SEC schedule.
Florida is putting all of its’ eggs in the Georgia basket, but they better be careful.
They have a solid defense, but again Feleipe Franks. If this team contends in the East it will be because of improved QB play. Can Mullen recruit with Kirby? Time will tell.
Tennessee 7-5: If the Vols win in Gainesville on 9/21 then excitement goes through the roof in Rocky Top.
Jeremy Pruitt is a fantastic coach and he is starting to put some pieces together in Knoxville.
Will Tennessee ever beat Alabama again in football? Pruitt needs two more top 15 recruiting classes to get Tennessee back to being Tennessee again. Be patient Vol fans you are on the way back.
South Carolina 6-6: The Gamecocks have a brutal schedule. Alabama and Texas A&M from the west and Clemson to close out.
I think Will Muschamp is a pretty good football coach, but with Georgia being a national power, and Florida and Tennessee on the way back it is going to be hard for Carolina to get any traction in the division.
South Carolina is putting together a good 2020 recruiting class. This team will upset someone in 2019, and ruin their season.
Kentucky 5-7: The Cats will come back down to earth in 2019. Benny Snell is gone.
The Cats host Florida early in the season after breaking a long losing streak that stretched over 30 to the Gators in 2018. Basketball is king in Kentucky. Cats go back to being a bottom feeder in football.
Vanderbilt 3-9: Vandy hosts UGA in the opener and LSU in week 3. This is going to be a long season for Vandy football.
Vandy fans might better tune into the College World Series starting this weekend as that may be the high-water mark for the athletic program for the rest of 2019.
Biggest division game: UGA vs UF in Jacksonville
Division upset of the Year: South Carolina over Texas A&M. The Aggies get caught overlooking Carolina at home the week before playing Georgia in Athens.
Bowl Teams: Georgia, Missouri, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Field Of Dreams
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Premier Academy phenom Daniel Espino achieved the goal of a lifetime’s worth of work as the flame throwing pitcher was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the 24th pick in the first round of Major League Baseball’s draft last week.
A member of the Georgia Premier Academy for the last three seasons, Espino blossomed into one of the best professional prospects – at the high school or collegiate level – in the country.
He was rated by Baseball America as the best prep pitcher in the nation last summer and he is certainly still the hardest throwing after being clocked at 99 miles per hour at a Perfect Game showcase at Wrigley Field last summer.
A dominant showing by Espino during GPA’s spring season made sure that he was on the radar of every team and it was the Indians that finally called out his number.
“It was such a great feeling – I can’t even describe it,” Espino said. “This is what I’ve dreamed about. It’s been crazy the last few days, but that’s a moment I’ll remember forever.”
The moment was especially memorable for Espino, not so much because of the new members of the Indians’ organization that will be coming into his life, but because of the old members of his journey to the draft that were there to share in the celebration.
Espino grew up in Panama before leaving his home country behind in search of better chances to develop as a player in the United States.
He has only seen his family sporadically over the last few years, but everyone was on hand for his graduation from Bulloch Academy before joining him on his journey to New York for the draft.
“Everything is more special because I get to share it with my family,” Espino said. “They’ve supported me and encouraged me the whole time. They’ve also helped to keep everything calm leading up to (the draft). To be able to tell my mom and dad that I had been picked and to be able to hug them – that was very special for me.”
All of the hype that has surrounded Espino for the last two seasons will only grow now that he is a first-round selection, but the next step for him is still uncertain.
Joining the Indians will likely come with a big signing bonus and plenty of support from the organization to give their top pick a good path to the big leagues.
On the other hand, Espino and his family also value education and he has already locked down a scholarship to play at LSU next spring if he chooses to go to college before turning pro.
“I’ll be making a decision pretty soon,” Espino said. “I see it as a win-win. I like what I’ve seen from Cleveland’s organization and it’s obviously great to be able to start a professional career. But LSU is also a great school with a great team and coaches that I like.
“God has it all planned out. I know that it’s going to be great.”
