Baseball commit Robbie Burnett will keep an eye on the MLB Draft
Former UNC-Asheville standout Robbie Burnett committed to Georgia out of the transfer portal. However, the two-time member of the All-Big South team tells UGASports he’s still going to see what next month’s Major League Baseball Draft has to say.
“I’ve heard a few things. I think the accuracy in what I’m hearing will come in a couple of weeks,” Burnett said in a telephone interview Thursday night. “My advisors are doing work for me. I’ve got trust in them, so I’ll see where it falls a few weeks from now.”
After a junior season that saw Burnett hit .323 with 18 homers and 45 RBI, major league teams certainly know who he is.
But will he be chosen high enough in the 20-round draft to consider giving up his final year of college eligibility and play for the Bulldogs?
According to a story by senior analyst Joe Doyle of FutureStarSeries.com, Burnett is the 342nd-ranked player available in the draft, putting him somewhere around the 11th or 12th round.
Burnett - who also stole 15 bases in 17 attempts - said he’ll worry about any decision when the time comes.
“Yeah, I’m not sure,” Burnett said. “Right now, I’m up in the Cape (Cod League), so I’m just going to have fun playing. Obviously, I’m excited that I’m committed to Georgia, so I’m just going to see what happens. After that, I’ll talk to my parents and see what’s best for me.”
Burnett wasn’t the only transfer to pick the Bulldogs Thursday.
Wofford catcher Daniel Jackson also selected Georgia after a freshman season that saw him hit .353 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI.
He became the eighth transfer to pick the Bulldogs, joining pitcher Blake Chastain (Georgia State), pitcher Justin Byrd (USC-Aiken), 1B/3B Ryland Zabrowski (Miami-Ohio), 1B Charlie Jones (Air Force), infielder Ryan Black (Texas-Arlington), infielder Christian Adams (Florida Atlantic), and walk-on infielder Knox Bennett (Chipola). The Bulldogs brought in 18 transfers last year, and continue to speak with numerous candidates, including multiple pitchers to augment next year’s staff.
Burnett’s story may sound somewhat familiar.
A junior in 2020, Burnett’s high school team played only four games before its season was canceled due to Covid-19. With scouts unable to see him play, UNC-Asheville was the only program to offer him a scholarship.
Georgia certainly made an impression on Georgia when his former UNC-Asheville played a three-game series against the Bulldogs in February – and vice versa.
Burnett went 4 for 10 in three games with home runs in the first two games.
“Honestly, after we played them in the season, I just saw the atmosphere was great, I really liked the feel,” Burnett said. “The team looked like it had a lot of fun playing. Once I hit the portal, Georgia is a school I’d want to go to.”
An outfielder, Burnett did not even wait for the Bulldogs to reach out. He took the initiative himself.
“I want to say a few days into the portal, I reached out to Coach (Will) Coggin,” said Burnett, who praised the Bulldogs for their season and run through the NCAA Tournament.
“They had a really great year. It was fun competing against them that first weekend,” Burnett said. “If I’m in college for my senior year, I want to play in the SEC at the highest level and hopefully make it to the World Series with UGA.”
