Dawson County graduate Tucker Maxwell was selected 660th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 22nd round of the MLB draft on Wednesday, June 5.
In 2016, during his senior year at Dawson County High School, Maxwell emerged as a dual sports talent for the Tigers as he wracked up 38 receptions for 892 yards and 16 touchdowns as a wide receiver in the fall, and hit .518 in the spring with 5 homeruns, 37 RBIs, and 51 runs scored.
“It’s a testament to his hard work,” father Sid Maxwell said. “His commitment and dedication to himself and the game.”
Signing with the University of Georgia upon graduation, Maxwell struggled to adapt to the speed of the collegiate game until this season when “the game slowed down” and everything came together to allow him to begin putting up major league numbers, according to Tucker.
After being named the NCAA player of the week in early February for an inside-the-park home run against UMASS Lowell, Maxwell posted career-high numbers across the board and led the Bulldogs deep into the 2019 NCAA tournament.
At one point during the season, Maxwell led UGA in home runs, stolen bases and sacrifice hits. He went on to finish the year hitting .251 with a total of 13 homers, 39 RBIs and 41 runs scored. His patience at the plate was noted with 34 walks, and 21 stolen bases marked him as a threat once he reached base.
Defensively, Maxwell played an almost perfect season in centerfield, with no errors and multiple assists from the deep part of the park.
Maxwell left for Clearwater, Pennsylvania on June 8 to begin his journey through the Philadelphia farm system, which starts with a two-week skills camp. At the end of camp, he anticipates being assigned to a team participating in the ‘short season’ as his first true test at the next level.
“I am coming in during the middle of the (MLB) season and I just got done playing 60 college games,” Maxwell said. “Short season is kind of where they send everybody at this stage.”
After those initial stages, the future will all depend on personal performance and the needs of the team. Maxwell doesn’t expect to see the inside of a major league park for years, and he addressed that uncertainty in his contract negotiations with the Phillies to secure a guarantee that his last year of college will be payed for no matter what happens on the field.
“I’m banking to play ball as long as I can, whether that is three years or 10,” said Maxwell. “No matter what, I still want to get my college degree.”