A talent pipeline has jutted from the Farragut High School baseball program and has headed south.
Curt Powell, a 2009 Farragut graduate and a two-time PrepXtra player of the year, has committed to play baseball at Georgia.
Former Tennessee baseball coach Rod Delmonico's middle son Joey - who played at Farragut and Volunteer State with Powell - signed with Georgia in April.
Delmonico's younger brother Nicky, a junior at Farragut, is a Georgia commitment.
Scholarship papers are in the mail, and Powell will sign with Georgia as soon as he receives them, he said.
Powell chose Georgia over Tennessee and East Carolina.
"I wanted to get back in the SEC," said Powell. "The coaches, the campus, the players - it seemed like a good fit for me. The fact that Joey was headed down there, I knew somebody. I have family that lives in Georgia, also. One of my cousins attends there."
A leadoff hitter and shortstop, the 6-foot, 170-pound Powell led Farragut to back-to-back Class AAA state titles in 2008 and 2009.
He signed with Vanderbilt during his senior season at Farragut, but stayed a semester before leaving for Volunteer State.
"Nothing against the Vandy guys, players or coaches," said Powell, "but it just wasn't the place for me."
Powell thought he'd have to play two junior college seasons to avoid sitting out a year at a Division I school.
That wasn't the case.
"Tennessee was the one who informed me I could graduate in a year and I would be able to play in the spring (of 2011)," said Powell. "I was all for that."
Powell's 18 hours from Vanderbilt transferred to Volunteer State, where he then took 20 hours in the spring semester.
He has 22 on tap this summer to graduate.
Tennessee recruited Powell hard after he left Vanderbilt, he said, but its scholarship package didn't match Georgia's.
Powell started all 36 games for Volunteer State and led the team in batting (.468), doubles (15), runs (51), walks (25) and stolen bases (34). His batting average ranked seventh nationally among Division I junior college players.
Though Georgia finished 16-37 and 5-23 in SEC this season, Powell wasn't guaranteed immediate playing time.
"I'm going in to work for the middle infield position, but they are also looking at me to play third base," he said. "I've actually never played third, maybe a couple of times in the summer."
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Comments » 11
JBVols1698 writes:
ok?
beachvol1 writes:
Pretty bad when a team with a record like the Dogs had make a better offer than the Vols...either he must not be much(which I doubt) or UT coaching staff doesn't know much about evalutating talent...where in the cathair is this program going???
Futurecoach16 writes:
Did you even read it? It sounds like he would have liked to play for the Vols, and -gasp- Raleigh, if they were able to have a scholarship offer like Georgia's, since they helped him not spend 2 years at a J.C. However, it looks like the loss of scholarships due to Delmonico's negligence to getting the kids to class takes another toll on the Vols.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
If Farragut0406 is still out there, whats the local skinny on this guy?? Heard anything??
JBVols1698 writes:
what does it mean that Tennessee couldn't offer as much?? that sounds very close to something slimy... but if it was I'm sure it wouldn't be out in the open so can someone clarify?
Ironcity writes:
The rules in baseball are really odd and we only can offer a limited amount of scholarships. Something like 9. Those are then split among the players so virtually none of them get a full scholarship and they all get a partial to no scholarship. Some guys might get a 50% scholarship while others might get just 25%. IF UT is at the limit, then its easy for Georgia to offer more. This is part of the title Nine issue. Instead of adding scholarships for the women the schools have to take away from the men. It has also helped some schools who take baseball really serious like Rice and Cal State Fullerton. They actually allocate many more scholarships to baseball then most schools.
us43137415#376444 writes:
I'll comment later.
He's not going to be the only good player that's going someplace else.
I want to see who's coming back to Tennessee first.
budd#207344 writes:
Is reading comprehension a required course here? He's friends with delmonico's kids. do you really think he would go to UT even if they gave him a full ride? Which they can't afford cause rod baby screwed the pooch and lost schollys.
bpbomber writes:
the kid was a back 2 back state champion back 2 back prep xtra player of the year and AAA state player of the year in 2009 he hit 493 or something crazy like that in 2009 and this past year was in the top 10 nationally in batting average for juco and raliegh said naaa we will pass and offer a average sanford from powell thats whats wrong here. they could have gotten him if they wanted hes from here and has a girl friend that hes been dating for like 2 yrs at ut he would have gone to ut but ut doesnt see it and no one knows why. yes both delmonico brothers played a big factor and his grandmothers farm 20 min from uga's campus but at the end of the day ut once again didnt get it done.
ASULWO writes:
UGA isn't signing any GA kids?
Georgia (Early signing class)
Caleb Bryson 1B/3B Thomasville, Ga./Thomas County Central
Ralston Cash RHP Cornelia, Ga./Lakeview
Drew Cisco RHP Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Wando
James Garner LHP Loganville, Ga./Loganville
Jonathan Hester 3B Savannah, Ga./Middle Georgia College
Taylor Hicks RHP Watkinsville, Ga./North Oconee
Joe Robinson RHP Henderson, Nev./College of Southern Nevada
Jeff Shields RHP Lawrenceville, Ga./Chattahoochee Valley CC
Brandon Stephens C Marietta, Ga./Lassiter
Conor Welton OF Atlanta, Ga./Wesleyan School
Austin Wheeler 1B/OF Lilburn, Ga./Parkview
ASULWO writes:
The NCAA allows Div I schools 11.7 scholarships in baseball. That doesn't mean every Div I school has 11.7 in baseball. It is what the NCAA will allow. Each school can split it as they see fit.....for example- Joe Blow Univ has 11.7 (6 in state & 5.7 out of state). Big Time Baseball Univ has 11.7 (11.7 out of state if needed). It's all money and how each university decides how to split that money. It just cannot exceed 11.7 scholarships for baseball.
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