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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
South Alabama signee Jamaurion McQueen, a Brandon star, picked by Texas Rangers in MLB Draft
Former Brandon baseball star and South Alabama signee Jamaurion "Jay" McQueen was selected No. 595 overall by the Texas Rangers in the 20th round of the 2025 MLB Draft on July 14. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound senior helped Brandon reach the MHSAA 7A state championship game for he second consecutive year after the Bulldogs won it in 2024. McQueen was named to the Clarion Ledger All-State first team and was a 2025 Dandy Dozen selection. McQueen, who plays outfield and is a pitcher, was rated as the No. 16 player in Mississippi and No. 5 outfielder from Perfect Game's high school recruit rankings. McQueen joins four Mississippi high school players drafted in 2025, including JoJo Parker, Landon Harmon, Talon Haley and Jacob Parker. Jamaurion McQueen stats McQueen appeared in 38 games in 2025. .435 batting average .503 on-base percenatge 54 hits 39 RBIs 2.98 ERA 40 strikeouts Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@ or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jamaurion McQueen, a Brandon star, selcted by Texas Rangers in MLB Draft
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Daniel Pierce headlines Rays' class of five Day 1 MLB Draft picks
By the time the Rays were on the clock in the first round of the MLB Draft, an early trend already had emerged. The first eight position players taken Sunday night all had been shortstops. Six of them were high school players who will almost certainly never play for their college program of choice. With the 14th overall pick, the Rays added a number to each tally. Daniel Pierce, an 18-year-old shortstop from the Atlanta metro area, became the Rays' highest draft pick since 2017. 'It's exactly what I wanted,' Pierce said on a conference call. 'I think it still (hasn't) hit me yet ... I'm just in a really good place right now and excited.' A University of Georgia commit, Pierce was 13th-ranked prospect and seventh-best prep prospect entering the draft. Baseball America had him as the No. 10 high school player and the 24th overall prospect. Chuck Ricci, director of amateur scouting for the Rays, said Pierce impressed at a pre-draft workout despite his luggage, including his bat and cleats, getting lost after flight delays. 'You know he's a good infielder when he traveled on the plane and didn't check his glove,' Ricci said. 'The way he handled that for me was a big plus.' Pierce was prolific in his senior season at Mill Creek High School under the tutelage of his father, Paul. The right-handed hitter batted .451 with a .605 on-base percentage and .939 slugging percentage with 10 doubles, three triples and eight home runs in 82 plate appearances. He drew 33 walks and struck out only nine times. Amidst a crowded class of high school infielders, Pierce said he thinks he stood out to the Rays because he projects as capable of playing shortstop long term. grades Pierce as a well-rounded infielder with above-average speed and average fielding, arm and hit tools. His power is graded as just below average but is noted to have the potential to develop into a 15-homer threat in the big leagues. Pierce, 6 feet, 184 pounds, models his game after Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who was picked second in the 2019 draft and won a Gold Glove in 2024. 'I think I (have) a chance to be a true five-tool player,' Pierce said. With the 42nd overall pick, the Rays took Brendan Summerhill, an outfielder from the University of Arizona. Summerhill, a Chicago native, played three seasons with the Wildcats. Over the course of a 124-game career, he hit .323 with a .424 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage while primarily playing in centerfield. While he was frequently on base, Summerhill rarely rounded them all, hitting only 14 home runs in 465 career at-bats. MLB Network's Harold Reynolds said Summerhill must hit for power more frequently to play as an MLB outfielder, adding that his 6-3, 195-pound frame should serve him well. He entered the draft ranked 16th by 'He looks like the guys (you see) when you turn on the TV and watch Major League Baseball,' said University of Tennessee coach Tony Vitello on the broadcast. 'I think they might have got a steal here.' 'He's far from the finished project,' Ricci said. 'But I think on both sides, offensively and defensively, he's really heading in the right direction.' The Rays took another high school shortstop with their next pick, 18-year-old Cooper Flemming of Aliso Niguel High School in Southern California at 53rd overall. Flemming, a bit larger than Pierce at 6-3, 190, was ranked as the 82nd prospect on and is committed to Vanderbilt. One of his best attributes is his arm which, if he adds muscle, might lead him to play third base, said MLB Network's Jim Callis. Ricci said Flemming is an excellent shortstop and there are no plans to play him elsewhere but added he 'has a chance to be a really good defender all around the infield.' 'Cooper really impressed, not just with his bat-to-ball, but his maturity,' Ricci said. 'There was no doubt he was ready to take on the challenge out of high school.' With the 67th pick, the Rays selected Dean Moss, their first-ever pick from IMG Academy in Manatee County. The 19-year-old primarily played centerfield in high school and is a strong left-handed batter. In 2025, he hit .471 with a .615 on-base percentage. He is committed to LSU. 'He's been on our radar for quite some time,' Ricci said. The Rays drafted Taitn Gray, a 17-year-old, switch-hitting catcher and corner outfielder with above-average power, at No. 86. 'Most guys with this kind of raw power don't have the contact skills that Taitn does,' Ricci said. MLB Draft Monday, Atlanta Streaming: 11:30 a.m. Rounds 4-20, Rays Day 1 picks Player, position, school, round (pick) Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (Ga.), first (14th) Brendan Summerhill, CF, Arizona, competitive balance A (42nd) Cooper Flemming, SS, Aliso Niguel HS (Calif.), second (53rd) Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy, supplemental second (67th) Taitn Gray, C, Dallas Center-Grimes HS (Iowa), third (86th) • • • Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida. Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports. Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ethan Holliday signs with Rockies, landing top bonus for high school player, per report
A few days after Fort Cobb-Broxton star Eli Willits landed the largest signing bonus of a high school baseball player in MLB Draft history, Stillwater's Ethan Holliday topped it. Holliday signed his contract with the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, agreeing to a deal with a signing bonus of $9 million, according to Jim Callis. It's about $229,000 over the slot value of the fourth overall pick. Advertisement Willits, the No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Nationals, signed his contract with a bonus of $8.2 million, surpassing the $8.19 million bonus former Stillwater star Jackson Holliday — Ethan's older brother — agreed to with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. Willits' deal was well below the slot value of $11,075,900. Holliday now officially joins the organization that drafted and developed his father, Matt, who became a World Series champion and seven-time All-Star. More: Ethan Holliday could be No. 1 in MLB Draft like his brother. Add it to their competition. Jacob Unruh is the deputy sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jacob? He can be reached at junruh@ or on X/Twitter at @jacobunruh. Support Jacob's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ethan Holliday signs with Rockies for largest HS bonus, per report
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Colorado Rockies sign No. 4 overall pick Ethan Holliday with historic bonus
Ethan Holliday, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, has signed a deal with the Colorado Rockies that includes a $9 million bonus, according to a league source. The deal was first reported by Jim Callis of The rookie's signing bonus is above the slot value for his pick at $8,770,900 and is the highest ever for a player out of high school. The 18-year-old was the No. 4 pick despite being the top-ranked prospect in the draft. The Washington Nationals used their No. 1 pick on fellow Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits, who signed for a reported under-slot bonus of $8.2 million. Holliday's reported bonus is tied for fourth-highest in MLB draft history with the Nationals' Dylan Crews, drafted out of LSU in 2023. The Rockies gave Charlie Condon, the No. 3 pick last year, $9.25 million. The high school shortstop and Oklahoma St. recruit became the third member of the Holliday family to be drafted and the second to be selected in the first round. His older brother, Jackson, was taken as the first overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022. His father, Matt, was a seventh-round pick by the Rockies in 1998 and played in Colorado for six of his 15 major-league seasons. Jackson Holliday received a signing bonus of $8.19 million from the Orioles. At the time, it was the largest bonus given to a high school player. (Top photo of Holliday: Sarah Phipps / The Oklahoman / USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
CBS News
19 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Pirates sign 2025 first-round pick Seth Hernandez
The Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday signed 2025 first-round draft pick Seth Hernandez. Hernandez, a right-handed pitcher, was the sixth overall selection of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft. The 19-year-old was MLB Pipeline's No. 3-ranked prospect in this year's draft. Experts say the 6-foot-4, 190-pound hurler already has three elite pitches in his arsenal: a solid fastball, a changeup, and a tight curveball with spin. "We are very excited to get the chance to work with Seth," said Pirates general manager Ben Cherington after the draft. "His athleticism, velocity, ability to shape pitches and competitiveness are standout traits for a starting pitcher. He will be fun to watch develop." Coming into the draft, Baseball America rated Hernandez with the "Best Changeup" and the fourth-best "Fastball" among this year's high school draft class, per a media release from the Pirates. Hernandez struck out 105 batters while recording a 0.39 ERA in his 11 appearances (11 starts) this past season for Corona High School. He also hit .319 with seven home runs and a 1.019 OPS as a senior. Hernandez compiled an 18-1 record in his career at Corona High School while also being a two-time Los Angeles Times Player of the Year.
