KMHS Baseball Star Drafted by Cincinnati Reds

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Credit: Major League Baseball

A Kennesaw baseball player may soon begin his journey to the big leagues after he was taken in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday.

Tyler Stephenson, a 6’4”, 210 lb. catcher at Kennesaw Mountain High School, was selected 11th overall by the Cincinnati Reds. Stephenson was profiled as the best high school catcher in the country, and became an internet celebrity after a video of one of his bat flips went viral.

Stephenson has bat speed and strength which could translate into big league power numbers, but he also has a cannon behind the plate and has thrown pitches clocked at 91 mph, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said.

During his senior campaign at KMHS, Stephenson hit .425 with a .542 OPB and a 1.322 OPS. Stephenson hit nine home runs and 26 RBIs, and had an ERA of 3.46.

Stephenson has committed to play baseball for Georgia Tech; it’s not clear if Stephenson will abandon his college plans to play minor league baseball. Stephenson’s signing bonus could be as high as $3,141,600, according to Baseball America.