Atlanta Braves Morning Chop/Box: Draft, Deaf Deftness
August 8, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Detail view of San Francisco Giants catcher Hector Sanchez (29, not pictured) shin guards during the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at AT&T Park. The Giants defeated the Brewers 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Braves draft deaf All-State catcher from Charles Henderson
The Atlanta Braves selected Charles Henderson High School catcher Chase Smartt in the 35th round of Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday.
Smartt, who is deaf, was named the Class 5A Hitter and Player of the Year for the 2015 season by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and was selected for AL.com’s Super All-State Baseball Team.
After helping Charles Henderson win state championships in 2013 and 2014, Smartt hit .523 with seven homers, 50 RBIs and 54 runs while striking out only four times as a senior.
Smartt is a Troy [University] signee. His father, Mark Smartt, became Troy’s head coach when Bobby Pierce retired at the end of the 2015 season. Mark Smartt had been an assistant at Troy since 2002 after serving six seasons as the head coach at West Alabama.
[ Ed. note: No, this is not another attempt to punk Jeff Francoeur! ]