Atlanta Braves Draft Alexandria's Grosser

The Atlanta Braves selected T.C. Williams High School senior Alec Grosser in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft Saturday.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound pitcher emerged as a big-league prospect in July following a commanding outing in the Commonwealth Games in Salem, Va., according to The Washington Post.

Grosser didn’t draw much notice from talent evaluators until the July game where his pitches tickled the mid-90-mph range, baffled hitters with late movement and sent scouts into a frenzy.

The Braves grabbed the right-hander with the 343th overall pick. He had committed to George Mason University, but it appears the Braves drafted him with the understanding he would sign with the club.   

According to the Atlanta Braves website: 

The Braves were happy to grab T.C. Williams (Va.) High right-hander Alec Grosser, a George Mason commit who has spent the past few months as one of the most sought-after prep arms in the country, with their first pick of Day 3, in the 11th round.

"Yesterday, we didn't think he could be signed, and we were able to work something out," [Braves Scouting Director Tony] DeMacio said on Saturday. "He's a big tall high school right-hander that all of our scouts who saw him liked. So I would say he's probably the highest-profile guy that we took that we didn't expect to have a chance at signing."

Grosser, who also started at quarterback for the Titans on the football field since he was a sophomore, struck out 68 batters in 54 innings, with 21 walks in his senior season with the Titans, according to The Washington Post. He is considered a bit of a project player who, now committed completely to baseball, is expected to improve with coaching and physical maturation.