Georgia Baseball: Bulldog’s Kyle Farmer Selected In Eighth Round By Dodgers
By Danny Bishop
Kyle Farmer, Photo by Sonny Kennedy, http://www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/
Georgia senior Kyle Farmer was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft Friday.
The Dodgers drafted the 6-0, 205-pound Farmer as a catcher, meaning he will be changing positions after serving as the starting shortstop for the Bulldogs the past four years. Farmer was the starting shortstop for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team during the summer of 2012.
Farmer set a Bulldog record for the highest career fielding percentage by a shortstop at .968 in 1,045 total chances. He appeared in 212 games with 211 starts at shortstop. An Atlanta, native, he batted .308 with 63 doubles, seven triples, 18 home runs and 168 RBI. He ranks in Georgia’s career top 10 for games played, total bases, at bats, hits, doubles and RBI.
In 2013, Farmer served as one of the team captains and set a single season school record for highest fielding percentage by a shortstop at .978 in 134 total chances. Last season, Farmer was a 35th round pick of the New York Yankees as a shortstop. This year, he was the 244th overall player taken. He is the first Bulldog drafted by the Dodgers since 2010 when pitcher Alex McRee was picked in the 14th round.
Kyle Farmer, Photo by Sonny Kennedy, http://www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/
With Farmer’s selection, the Bulldogs will extend their string to 41 straight seasons with at least one player signing a professional contract. In 2012, three Georgia players were drafted with two signing: pitcher Alex Wood (2nd round, Atlanta) who is already in the Major Leagues with the Braves, and Levi Hyams (19th round, Atlanta).
The Cleveland Indians drafted one member of Georgia’s incoming signing class, outfielder Clint Frazier, in the first round, fifth overall, Thursday. On Friday, another member of the Bulldogs latest recruiting class was selected. Pitcher Blake Shouse, currently at Middle Georgia, was taken in the fifth round (139th overall) by Colorado.
The MLB draft featured rounds three through 10 Friday. It wraps up with rounds 11-40 on Saturday and complete coverage is available on MLB.com. Teams have until July 12 at 5 p.m. to sign their draft picks.
All photos copyrighted property of Sonny Kennedy, www.sonnykennedyphotography.com/