2024 16th Round Pick (#489): Nate George - OF - (HS) Minooka Community HS (IL)

[Warehouse]

I’d be surprised if we were able to sign him this summer. My guess is that this is a draft and follow strategy. If he performs vs higher quality JUCO pitching, we can cut a deal next summer.

[Rbiggs2525]

Most interesting player behind Honeycutt to me. The first 5 picks will be very interesting to see how much they are able to save. 

[Moose Milligan]

Hope they can sign this one. That speed looks incredible. 

[Malike]

Collazo from BA.

Additionally, Collazo is intrigued by 16th-round pick and outfielder Nate George out of Minooka Community High School in Illinois.

“I’m not positive he’ll sign. High school players in [Rounds] 16 to 20, you never really know,” Collazo said. “But Nate George is like this elite athlete. He ran track in high school. The toolset is really, really exciting.”

[Jim'sKid26]

For those who don't follow Florida JUCO baseball, Northwest Florida State Junior College is a baseball powerhouse that is rather notorious for providing a platform for promising HS players to get drafted. (https://www.nwfraiders.com/sports/bsb/index). They were 40-15 last year and lost in the Championship game of the D1 JUCO National Championship. So they were the second best JUCO team in the nation. 

They had 5 guys drafted off that team including Mack Estrada RHP to Yankee$ in round 11 (#331) and Colby Jones, INF to Braves in round 13 (#401). (https://www.nwfraiders.com/general/2024-25/releases/20240717ms8qm5). Multiple kids from NWFS go on the D1 4 years schools including SEC schools. This is a move up for George in terms of baseball development opportunities and gets him back into the draft in 2025. 

While you never know whether kids will "bet on themselves" and take overslot money to turn pro, this move to NWFS indicates to me that he will be a tough sign.

[MurphDogg]

On 7/21/2024 at 10:04 AM, Jim'sKid26 said:

For those who don't follow Florida JUCO baseball, Northwest Florida State Junior College is a baseball powerhouse that is rather notorious for providing a platform for promising HS players to get drafted. (https://www.nwfraiders.com/sports/bsb/index). They were 40-15 last year and lost in the Championship game of the D1 JUCO National Championship. So they were the second best JUCO team in the nation. 

They had 5 guys drafted off that team including Mack Estrada RHP to Yankee$ in round 11 (#331) and Colby Jones, INF to Braves in round 13 (#401). (https://www.nwfraiders.com/general/2024-25/releases/20240717ms8qm5). Multiple kids from NWFS go on the D1 4 years schools including SEC schools. This is a move up for George in terms of baseball development opportunities and gets him back into the draft in 2025. 

While you never know whether kids will "bet on themselves" and take overslot money to turn pro, this move to NWFS indicates to me that he will be a tough sign.

If he does end up at a JuCo he could be a draft and follow and be signed next year prior to the draft, with the overage of his bonus counting against next year's draft pool. For the 2022 draft, the number was $225k, not sure whether it has risen in the last two years.

[clapdiddy]

1 hour ago, MurphDogg said:

If he does end up at a JuCo he could be a draft and follow and be signed next year prior to the draft, with the overage of his bonus counting against next year's draft pool. For the 2022 draft, the number was $225k, not sure whether it has risen in the last two years.

Great point.  Probably makes more sense to take a chance on a guy like this than draft a college player at this position in the draft.

[Rbiggs2525]

On 7/16/2024 at 5:41 PM, Sydnor said:

Tess is a high school senior with a 4.1 GPA and a commitment to Pitt. He was also first team all state at catcher. They’re not buying him out of that for $150,000. I’d be shocked if $300,000 gets it done because the college experience probably has value to a kid that is academically motivated (as he appears to be), but I can’t say that for sure.

Are you shocked?

[Sydnor]

4 hours ago, Rbiggs2525 said:

Are you shocked?

No because it was $347,500, which is more than $300,000.

[MurphDogg]

Signed to a $455K bonus with $305k counting against the pool (for those who can't see the Twitter link).

[Mooreisbetter27]

Love it!