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Most of the sports world is in NFL Draft mode this weekend, but the MLB Draft is not too far away. We are just under four weeks from baseball's largest annual amateur talent grab, with the first round starting on Thursday, June 5. John Manuel at Baseball America released his first mock first round.
The Dodgers pick at No. 22, and Manuel projected Georgia high school right-handed pitcher Spencer Adams as the pick:
Two strong tendencies figure into this pick. Assistant GM Logan White has a particular affinity for athletic high school pitchers, and new national crosschecker Roy Clark knows Georgia talent like no one else. Fast-rising Peach State prep righthander Spencer Adams fits both tastes.
Though it was a staple for quite some time, the Dodgers actually haven't picked a high school pitcher with their first pick since drafting Zach Lee No. 28 overall in 2010. But from 2003-2010, the Dodgers took a high school pitcher with their first pick in six of eight years.
Adams is a 6'5, 180-pound right-hander from White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia, where he also played basketball and football.
Kiley McDaniel at Scout.com in April ranked Adams as the fifth-best draft prospect in the state of Georgia. Baseball America ranked Adams as the No. 21 high school player in the country before the season, and the right-hander has committed to play baseball at the University of Georgia.
"Spencer has a big time arm with a fastball that can get into the low to mid 90's. He also has a swing and miss slider that is as good as we've seen," said Georgia baseball coach Scott Stricklin in December. "He is a great athlete that has a lot of upside. He will have a great opportunity to make an immediate impact on our pitching staff."
Here is video of Adams from November, from Baseball Instinct: