By William Bretherton

wbretherton@ cherokeetribune.com

After four Cherokee County products were selected during the first two days of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft, one more got the call Wednesday.

In the 50th and final round, Etowah third baseman James Harris was taken by the Minnesota Twins. The late pick likely won't be enough to convince him to abandon a baseball scholarship to Wake Forest.

Harris finished his senior season with a .313 batting average, six home runs and 20 RBIs. It was the first year the former Etowah quarterback dedicated his time solely to baseball.

"He played a whole lot of baseball last summer and had a lot of time to develop his swing," Etowah baseball coach Greg Robinson said. "He worked at the plate, got stronger and added some flexibility. Then he performed at the right time, and that's the key. You have to get it done when the right folks are there watching you."

Two other county high school products were taken during the draft's first two days. Woodstock pitcher Kent Emanuel was taken in the 19th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, two rounds after Reinhardt pitcher Drew Tyson, a former Etowah standout, was selected by the Oakland Athletics.

Two Woodstock natives who did not attend high school within the county were also drafted. Matt Skole, a top slugger from Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, went in the first round to the Texas Rangers. Tyler Stubblefield, a Kennesaw State infielder who played his high school ball at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, was called by the San Diego Padres in the 22nd round.

Skole was one of the first in this year's draft class to sign with his team, agreeing to a $1.557 million bonus with the Rangers on Wednesday. He had a scholarship to play football at Georgia Tech and was invited to walk on to the Yellow Jackets' baseball team.

Skole said the Rangers' scouts have been following him for years and "this is definitely the place I want to be."

Skole played only three regular-season games his senior season because of an ankle sprain, but returned to hit .452 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 14 playoff games for Blessed Trinity.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report.