the chosen one

The honor of first Mississippian drafted in 2009 goes to … Billy Hamilton, the versatile star from Taylorsville High. Hamilton went in the second round to the Cincinnati Reds, the 57th pick overall and much higher than Baseball America had projected him. An outfielder/shortstop who has signed to play football with Mississippi State, Hamilton has drawn comparisons to former Nettleton star Bill Hall, now with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hamilton will get a nice offer from the Reds, so he’ll likely never see the field at State. But he is a so-called “raw talent,” one who could take a long time to reach the major leagues.
P.S. David Renfroe, a shortstop/pitcher from South Panola High, was the only other Mississippian picked on Day 1, going to Boston in the third round, 107th overall. The Ole Miss signee reportedly has a preference for hitting. Wonder if that’s what the Red Sox have in mind?