For most amateur baseball players, getting drafted to the MLB is no easy feat and is often considered a longshot for most players on the diamond. But for NAHS baseball studs and Georgia Tech commits, Isaiah Drake and Antonio Anderson, their pro dreams came true as both were drafted in the recent MLB draft. Anderson was drafted with the eighty-third overall pick in the third round to the Boston Red Sox and Drake got the call in the fifth round with the one-hundred sixty-second overall pick to the Atlanta Braves. Both players were fundamental to the team in North Atlanta baseball’s recent campaign and played a massive role in bringing the Warriors one of their most successful seasons in school history.
In his two years on the team, Anderson put up outstanding numbers, maintaining a whopping .462 batting average in 80 at-bats while recording 27 RBIs for the Dubs in his junior season. Continuing on the previous year, Anderson showed a .438 batting average in 105 at-bats, with 6 home runs in 34 games in his senior season. Anderson proved not only to himself, but also to scouts that he was meant to play in the big leagues, and that’s exactly what he was on pace to do. “The difference with Antonio was how he carried himself like a professional already in high school,” said head coach Ricky Plante, “We could tell he was going to make a difference from the moment he first stepped onto the field.”
In the 2022-23 NAHS baseball season, the team welcomed Westlake transfer Isaiah Drake to the team, and just like Anderson, he immediately made an impact. In his lone season as a Warrior, Drake recorded a .358 batting average with a 1.063 ops and 39 RBIs in 34 games. Not only was Drake vital to the teams’ success, but he was also seen by teammates as a player who purely loved to play baseball, while also giving his full effort, making him stand out to big-league scouts. “We always admired how Isaiah was out there to have fun first,” said teammate Hudson Thomas, “he loved the game, and at the same time, he was obviously good enough to get drafted which is awesome.”
NAHS is honored to have such outstanding players representing the school as they begin their road to the show. With both players signing massive minor league contracts with their respective teams, it’s exciting to see that their journey to the MLB is only just beginning. “The thought of Antonio playing at the iconic Fenway Park and Isaiah playing only 2 miles down the road is unreal,” said Plante, “I can’t wait to see them progress as professionals.”
For Anderson and Drake, their dreams of being pros are becoming a reality, and it’s exciting to see that two Dubs are on their way to represent North Atlanta in the big leagues. Both Anderson and Drake proved they can be professionals during their time as Dubs, so it’s no surprise that the pair will be getting a shot to leave their big-league legacy.
