​Georgia’s baseball program, which reached the College World Series for the first time since 2008 and claimed both the SEC regular-season and tournament championships, could boast one of its best-ever MLB Draft classes this weekend. Under head coach Wes Johnson, the Bulldogs matched a notable milestone from a season ago by placing eight players in the draft, tying for the second-most selections in program history.
This year, Georgia has eight players ranked in Baseball America’s top 500, all within the top 352. With the draft set to feature more than 600 picks, the first four rounds will unfold on Saturday, July 11. Coverage starts on NBC/Peacock at 1 p.m. Eastern, showcasing the first 10 selections. MLB Network and MLB.com will carry rounds 1 through 40 from 2:30 p.m., with rounds 41 through 135 continuing on MLB.com beginning at 4:30 p.m.
The action resumes on Sunday with rounds five through 20, beginning at 11:30 a.m. and running until about 7:30 p.m. on MLB.com. Among the Bulldogs, catcher Daniel Jackson is widely expected to become the first Georgia player drafted in the first round since Charlie Condon went in 2024. Pitcher Joey Volchko, third baseman Tre Phelps, and outfielder Rylan Lujo are also viewed as potential first-day selections.
Keep checking back here for real-time updates as Georgia’s players hear their names called. Daniel Jackson is currently rated as a top prospect across several outlets, including No. 28 overall by MLB.com, No. 20 by ESPN.com, No. 36 by Baseball America, and No. 52 by Athletic. Joey Volchko holds landing spots at No. 68 overall by MLB.com, No. 75 by ESPN.com, No. 77 by Baseball America, and No. 56 by Athletic. Tre Phelps sits at No. 121 on MLB.com, with rankings of No. 230 (ESPN.com) and No. 124 (Baseball America). Rylan Lujo shows as high as No. 189 on MLB.com and No. 96 on ESPN.com, also listed at No. 162 by Baseball America. Other Georgia standouts include Dylan Vigue at No. 201 (MLB.com) and No. 165 (Baseball America), Kenny Ishikawa—an outfielder/pitcher with a ranking around No. 188 in Baseball America—and several other Bulldogs highlighted in draft previews.
Also mentioned in draft chatter are catcher Hunter Carns, a Florida State transfer listed at No. 225 in Baseball America; pitcher Matthew Sharman from Etowah High at No. 273; pitcher Matt Scott at No. 324; first baseman Brennan Hudson at No. 352; pitcher Landon Schutte from Oakdale (Calif.) High at No. 403; and shortstop Matthew Farner, a transfer from North Florida, at No. 415, all cited by Baseball America. First baseman Mikey Bell, from Gonzaga via transfer, is ranked No. 446 by Baseball America.
This preview reflects the excitement surrounding Georgia’s potential to deliver another compelling draft class, building on a recent run of strong results that have elevated the program’s profile nationally. As the selections unfold, Bulldog fans will be watching closely to see which players hear their names called and at what positions they land in professional baseball. This coverage originates from an Athens Banner-Herald feature tracking Georgia’s MLB draft destiny and offering an SEO-friendly snapshot of where Bulldog talent could appear on draft day.