ATHENS, Ga. — Jake Skole graduated in 2010 from Blessed Trinity Catholic. He had the chance to play college football at Georgia Tech, but decided to play professional baseball instead.
He was selected No. 15 overall in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft. He had no idea at the time he’d one day become a UGA-version of the Chris Weinke story.
Skole, just like Weinke, took his cuts at professional baseball but decided to go back to school in order to play football. But the minor league outfielder will now play football for Kirby Smart. Former Blessed Trinity coach Ricky Turner told DawgNation on Saturday afternoon that Skole committed to UGA on Saturday morning and was in the stands watching his new team take on Vanderbilt.
Former Blessed Trinity coach Ricky Turner told DawgNation on Saturday afternoon that Skole committed to UGA on Saturday morning and was in the stands watching his new team take on Vanderbilt. He will be a walk-on prospect and will not occupy a scholarship at UGA.
Rusty Mansell of 247Sports.com first reported on Saturday morning Skole has decided to forego his professional baseball career and join the team. He’s bulked up considerably since his high school days. Turner said he’s grown an inch and put on 25 pounds since his high school days.
He projects to play either linebacker or safety at Georgia after posting a .227 career average with 35 home runs and 242 RBI across seven seasons of minor league baseball. Turner said Florida State was also a potential college destination.
The former first-rounder was recently traded to the New York Yankees and spent the 2016 season moving between high-A and Double-A ball. He had a .205 batting average with 6 home runs and 27 RBI in 67 games.
Skole was rated as a three-star prospect back coming out of Blessed Trinity. His profile page on Baseball America cites notes that he signed for $1.56 million in 2010.
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Follow Jeff Sentell on Twitter for the latest on who’s on their way to play Between the Hedges. Unless otherwise indicated, player rankings and ratings are from the 247Sports Composite.
