Braves take David Hale in third round

The Braves took another pitcher in the third round, Princeton right-hander David Hale.

With the 87th pick in the draft, the Braves selected Princeton right-hander David Hale.

Hale is a 6'2", 195-pounder who originally attended the Walker School in Marietta, Georgia. Along with pitching at Princeton, Hale also played a great deal in the outfield.

Hale was 2-3 on the mound in 2009 with a 4.74 ERA. In 40.2 innings, Hale had 47 strikeouts. In 2008 Hale was 2-4 in nine games, with a 5.04 ERA. He had 47 strikeouts in 44.2 innings. In his freshman season in 2007 Hale had a 4.71 ERA in nine games.

As a hitter, Hale hit .284 this season with one home run and 12 RBI in 102 at bats.

Hale's stuff includes a fastball that is in the mid-90s, along with a plus slider. The Braves hope as he concentrates on pitching he will get even better.

"He's just coming on," said Braves scouting director Roy Clark. "David's got a power arm, with a fastball that can tough 97 mph and a power slider. He's got a great head on his shoulders. We feel David is just getting started."


Bill Shanks hosts The Bill Shanks Show on WFSM Fox Sports 1670 in Macon, Georgia and The Braves Show Talk Show. Shanks writes a weekly baseball column for The Macon Telegraph and is the author of Scout's Honor: The Bravest Way To Build A Winning Team. You can email Bill at .