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SANTA ROSA BEACH — Saturday's meeting of Coleman Borthwick's inner circle won't be called a draft party.
Instead, with their 6-foot-6, 260-pound two-way star projected to go early on Day 1 of the MLB Draft, his family, friends, coaches are labeling it a "celebration of Coleman's achievements and career."
And what a list of achievements they are:
Florida's Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year, WBSC Tournament and U.S. Team MVP for the gold-medalist U-18 Americans. Perfect Game two-way POY. MaxPreps and Prep Baseball All-American. Multiple NWF Daily News POY nods. And, of course, the face of South Walton's baseball state championship in April.
More Borthwick: Before MLB Draft, Bay County coaches knew Borthwick was different
Oregon State bound: Choctaw's Amir Reese commits to Beavers
So, when his name is called on stage at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, there will be no immediate answers on whether the right-hander will sign and head off to a minor league facility or choose Auburn, who he's been committed to from Day 1 of his prep baseball journey. Instead, "the people who have poured themselves into Coleman" will meet at a beach house on 30A and celebrate wherever he's selected.
Coleman, fresh off posting a 10-0 record, 0.21 ERA, .082 batting average against and 12.9 Ks per 7 innings with a devastating fastball and slider while batting .460 with 9 homers, 34 RBIs, 30 runs and a 1.498 OPS, will have a choice of either being the big man on Auburn's campus or the start of his professional baseball career.
"It's ultimately his decision for what he wants to do," his father and coach, Nick, said. "Everybody's got their own opinion and I try to tell people, it doesn't really matter what your opinion is on what he should do or what you think he should do. It's up to him, and he's had great counsel. He's got great financial advisor, and you know, we've kind of done our due diligence there prepping him for the future with that. He went to the MLB combine and did all his meetings and did great there. I mean, you know, some of the questions they have is a small town kid, how he's going to handle going out to Arizona or California or what not. It's just like, you know, he's ready. He's ready to take that next step in his life, whether it be at Auburn or as a professional."
Whether he's a Friday night starter potentially playing both ways as a bat in the heart of Auburn's order or the No. 1 prospect arm in a MLB organization, Borthwick brings leadership to the clubhouse.
"I just had a big Zoom call with a West Coast team — I'm not going to mention them — but an hour and a half long call, and one of the things that came up is Coleman's leadership. He is a leader and actually a magnet," coach Borthwick said. "Good players want to play with him. They want to be around him, from his travel teams to even our high school team. Good players want to be part of that. He plays the game with a fun, loving passion. You know, a lot of kids play different styles. He's not an angry or frustrated or mad player. He's he's having an absolute blast. He's happy and he's playful. It's a game and I hope he never loses that attitude."
Nearby Borthwick's meeting of his inner circle, there'll be another celebration for South Walton teammate Denton Lord, a 6-foot-8 righty who started South Walton's state championship win and finished the season 8-1 with a 1.15 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Coach Borthwick compared his frame to MLB stars Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Gilbert.
"His stuff is the best I've ever seen," coach Borthwick said. "His release point from his height and his downward plane on his fastball, it's virtually unhittable when he locates down and and the slider really came on this year. The command really came on. The potential and upside is out of out of this world, maybe more so than Coleman or any other pitcher we've ever seen because of the height and the size.
"His stuff ticked up throughout the year and he sat 96 to 98 mph, so it's really crazy to have two guys are brushing triple digits on a regular basis," coach Borthwick said. "I'm just proud of their development and the work that they put in to get to that point because what people don't realize is these guys lift, they sprint, they're big, strong kids, but they prepared themselves to handle the violent throws they make. And they feel great. They're healthy and that's outstanding because throughout the year, especially as a dad and coach, you just want your guys to stay healthy. And that's a big part of winning a state championship. That's a big part of them being here at approaching the draft."
Elsewhere, Niceville grad and FSU commitment Deacon Avery has outside draft potential. The former Daily News Hitter of the Year and five-tool player slashed .464 OBP/.677 slug/1.141 OPS with 7 homers, 22 stolen bases, 38 runs and 31 RBIs his senior year in helping lead Niceville to a win within the Final 4.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: South Walton's Coleman Borthwick, Denton Lord prepare for MLB Draft
Continue reading...
Instead, with their 6-foot-6, 260-pound two-way star projected to go early on Day 1 of the MLB Draft, his family, friends, coaches are labeling it a "celebration of Coleman's achievements and career."
And what a list of achievements they are:
Florida's Gatorade and MaxPreps Player of the Year, WBSC Tournament and U.S. Team MVP for the gold-medalist U-18 Americans. Perfect Game two-way POY. MaxPreps and Prep Baseball All-American. Multiple NWF Daily News POY nods. And, of course, the face of South Walton's baseball state championship in April.
More Borthwick: Before MLB Draft, Bay County coaches knew Borthwick was different
Oregon State bound: Choctaw's Amir Reese commits to Beavers
So, when his name is called on stage at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on Saturday, there will be no immediate answers on whether the right-hander will sign and head off to a minor league facility or choose Auburn, who he's been committed to from Day 1 of his prep baseball journey. Instead, "the people who have poured themselves into Coleman" will meet at a beach house on 30A and celebrate wherever he's selected.
Coleman, fresh off posting a 10-0 record, 0.21 ERA, .082 batting average against and 12.9 Ks per 7 innings with a devastating fastball and slider while batting .460 with 9 homers, 34 RBIs, 30 runs and a 1.498 OPS, will have a choice of either being the big man on Auburn's campus or the start of his professional baseball career.
"It's ultimately his decision for what he wants to do," his father and coach, Nick, said. "Everybody's got their own opinion and I try to tell people, it doesn't really matter what your opinion is on what he should do or what you think he should do. It's up to him, and he's had great counsel. He's got great financial advisor, and you know, we've kind of done our due diligence there prepping him for the future with that. He went to the MLB combine and did all his meetings and did great there. I mean, you know, some of the questions they have is a small town kid, how he's going to handle going out to Arizona or California or what not. It's just like, you know, he's ready. He's ready to take that next step in his life, whether it be at Auburn or as a professional."
Whether he's a Friday night starter potentially playing both ways as a bat in the heart of Auburn's order or the No. 1 prospect arm in a MLB organization, Borthwick brings leadership to the clubhouse.
"I just had a big Zoom call with a West Coast team — I'm not going to mention them — but an hour and a half long call, and one of the things that came up is Coleman's leadership. He is a leader and actually a magnet," coach Borthwick said. "Good players want to play with him. They want to be around him, from his travel teams to even our high school team. Good players want to be part of that. He plays the game with a fun, loving passion. You know, a lot of kids play different styles. He's not an angry or frustrated or mad player. He's he's having an absolute blast. He's happy and he's playful. It's a game and I hope he never loses that attitude."
Nearby Borthwick's meeting of his inner circle, there'll be another celebration for South Walton teammate Denton Lord, a 6-foot-8 righty who started South Walton's state championship win and finished the season 8-1 with a 1.15 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings. Coach Borthwick compared his frame to MLB stars Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Gilbert.
"His stuff is the best I've ever seen," coach Borthwick said. "His release point from his height and his downward plane on his fastball, it's virtually unhittable when he locates down and and the slider really came on this year. The command really came on. The potential and upside is out of out of this world, maybe more so than Coleman or any other pitcher we've ever seen because of the height and the size.
"His stuff ticked up throughout the year and he sat 96 to 98 mph, so it's really crazy to have two guys are brushing triple digits on a regular basis," coach Borthwick said. "I'm just proud of their development and the work that they put in to get to that point because what people don't realize is these guys lift, they sprint, they're big, strong kids, but they prepared themselves to handle the violent throws they make. And they feel great. They're healthy and that's outstanding because throughout the year, especially as a dad and coach, you just want your guys to stay healthy. And that's a big part of winning a state championship. That's a big part of them being here at approaching the draft."
Elsewhere, Niceville grad and FSU commitment Deacon Avery has outside draft potential. The former Daily News Hitter of the Year and five-tool player slashed .464 OBP/.677 slug/1.141 OPS with 7 homers, 22 stolen bases, 38 runs and 31 RBIs his senior year in helping lead Niceville to a win within the Final 4.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: South Walton's Coleman Borthwick, Denton Lord prepare for MLB Draft
Continue reading...
