Braves Draft Right-Handed Pitcher Lucas Sims with 21st Overall Pick
Braves select right-handed pitcher with their top pick for the first time since 2005
The Atlanta Braves tonight selected right-handed pitcher Lucas Sims from Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia with their first selection (21st overall) in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.
Sims, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-handed pitcher, was named the Georgia Region 8-AAAAA Pitcher of the Year after posting an 8-1 record with a 1.19 ERA while leading his team to the Georgia state championship game. Ranked by Baseball America as the 29th-best player in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, he pitched last summer in the Prospect Classic for USA Baseball’s 18U team. A Lawrenceville, Georgia native, Sims was also a three-year starter at shortstop and had committed to attend Clemson University.
“We are happy to be able to draft a Georgia boy, especially one from our backyard who is a great athlete with a great arm and great make-up.” said Tony DeMacio, the Club’s director of scouting. “We are looking forward to getting him into the fold as soon as possible. We think we have a top of the rotation type of player.”
Sims was named to USA Baseball’s 16U team in 2010 and pitched in two games for the gold medal-winning club. He went 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA with six strikeouts (7.0 IP, 4 R, 3 ER 4 BB).
The 40-round First-Year Player draft will continue Tuesday (June 5) at 12:00 p.m. ET with rounds two through 15 and will conclude Wednesday (June 6) at 12:00 p.m. ET with rounds 16 through 40. Atlanta’s second selection will be the 85th overall pick and the Braves will select 21st in rounds three through 40.