Two Fairfax County baseball players are on their way to the majors after being picked in this weekend’s MLB draft.
James Madison High School two-way player Bryce Eldridge, 19, is headed to the San Francisco Giants as the 16th overall pick.
Video of an emotional Eldridge, described as the top two-way player in the draft, in Vienna during the announcement, shows him wipe his eyes as family and friends cheer around him.
“It’s been no secret in the past few years that we like versatility in a lot of different ways,” Giants amateur scouting director Michael Holmes told MLB.com. “More than anything, we’re just really excited to put this type of talent into our system.”
Two-way players have the ability to pitch and to hit.
Eldridge had committed to the University of Alabama, but, “We feel very comfortable with the fact that we think they’ll be Giants,” Holmes said of Eldridge and shortstop Walker Martin, the No. 52 pick, who committed to Arkansas.
Westfield High School outfielder Jonny Farmelo, 18, is headed to the Seattle Mariners as the No. 29 pick.
“We see Jonny developing into a middle-of-the-order bat that will hit for both average and power, as well as make things happen with his elite speed,” Scott Hunter, Mariners director of amateur scouting, said in a news release.
Farmelo had committed to the University of Virginia.
Feature photo courtesy Instagram/@bryceldridge
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