Another Georgia junior forgoing his senior season for the big leagues

Kevin Smith is the second Georgia baseball player with eligibility remaining to leave early.

The seventh-round draft pick told The Telegraph Monday evening that he will forgo his senior season to sign with the New York Mets.

Smith, a lanky 6-foot-5 left-handed pitcher, was the 200th-overall pick by the Mets on June 5. His professional opportunity came two days after making his final start for the Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament, which was in a win over Campbell.

Smith was Georgia’s leading pitcher by season’s end after enduring many changes. He opened the season as Georgia’s Friday night starter but was demoted to the bullpen. However, he worked his way back into the rotation for the stretch run. Smith finished with an 8-1 record and a 3.69 ERA, which was the best among all Bulldog starters in the 39-win campaign.

His best start of the season came at top-ranked Florida on May 13. In seven innings of work, he allowed one run and struck out six batters. He recorded 11 strikeouts in his following start against Arkansas and was named SEC Pitcher of the Week.

Although Smith endured ups and downs in his final season with Georgia, his potential was seen from the first time he stepped onto the Foley Field mound. In his debut as the Sunday starter, he threw seven innings in a two-hit performance against Georgia Southern.

Michael Curry, who recorded Georgia’s highest batting average at .322, also opted to sign with the San Diego Padres as a collegiate junior. Curry was drafted in the 16th round as a catcher, the position he played during his first two seasons at Georgia before being moved to designated hitter.

Georgia could also see some attrition in its signing class as South Gwinnett outfielder Cabera Weaver could sign as a seventh-round selection by the Chicago White Sox. However, right-handed pitcher Cole Wilcox, a signee out of Heritage, opted to stay with the Bulldogs despite being a projected first-round draft pick.

Smith ended up as the highest-drafted player on Georgia’s roster this season, topping senior Keegan McGovern, who was a ninth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners.

This story was originally published June 12, 2018 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Another Georgia junior forgoing his senior season for the big leagues."