Georgia Baseball Star Colin Yeaman Selected by Orioles in 2025 MLB Draft, Capping Remarkable Journey

The crack of the bat still echoes differently at Foley Field when Colin Yeaman steps into the box, but the Georgia Bulldogs’ junior infielder will soon take his sweet left-handed swing to the professional ranks after the Baltimore Orioles selected him with the 124th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. The selection marks the culmination of a three-year evolution that saw Yeaman transform from an underrecruited high school shortstop in Peachtree City into one of the SEC’s most dangerous hitters, his .347 batting average and 18 home runs this past season serving as proof of a player who outworked every expectation. For the Orioles—an organization renowned for developing infield talent—Yeaman represents both a calculated gamble and a potential steal, his advanced hit tool and defensive versatility fitting perfectly with their long-term vision.

Draft night unfolded with the quiet intensity characteristic of Yeaman’s entire career. Surrounded by family and teammates in his childhood home rather than at a flashy draft party, the 21-year-old barely reacted when his name flashed across the MLB Network broadcast beyond a satisfied nod and quick embrace with his father, a former minor leaguer whose own career ended in Double-A. This understated celebration belied the significance of the moment—not just for Yeaman personally, but for a Georgia program that has now produced 15 draft picks in the past three seasons under coach Scott Stricklin. The Orioles clearly saw something special in Yeaman’s ability to perform against elite competition; his .429 average with runners in scoring position led all SEC hitters, while his 12 defensive errors at third base were the fewest among conference starters at the position.

Baltimore’s area scouts had been tracking Yeaman since his sophomore year breakout, but it was a mid-April series against Vanderbilt that sealed his draft stock. Facing projected first-rounder Ethan McElvain, Yeaman went 5-for-9 with two opposite-field home runs, demonstrating the bat control that makes him unique in this draft class. “The swing plays at any level,” said Orioles scouting director Brad Ciolek during the team’s post-draft press conference. “When you combine his hand-eye coordination with that innate ability to spoil tough pitches, you’re looking at a guy who could hit .280 in the majors right now if the rules allowed it.” The organization plans to start Yeaman at High-A Aberdeen initially, with an eye toward fast-tracking him to Double-A Bowie by season’s end if he adjusts quickly to professional pitching.

Yeaman’s journey to this moment reads like a blueprint for player development. Unranked by most recruiting services coming out of Starr’s Mill High School, he arrived at Georgia as a 170-pound defensive specialist with questions about whether he’d ever hit enough to warrant playing time. His freshman year (.214 average in 28 at-bats) suggested a long development curve, but something clicked during the 2023 offseason when he added 22 pounds of muscle while maintaining his defensive quickness. The transformation wasn’t just physical—hitting coach Scott Daeley reconstructed Yeaman’s swing to better utilize his lower half, turning warning-track outs into line drives that rattled the right-field bleachers. By SEC play in 2024, he was arguably Georgia’s most consistent hitter, riding a 29-game on-base streak that included multi-hit performances against Arkansas, Florida, and LSU’s stable of future major league arms.

What makes Yeaman particularly intriguing to the Orioles is his defensive flexibility. While he played primarily third base for Georgia, Baltimore’s player development staff believes he could handle second base or even become an above-average defensive first baseman with his 6’2″ frame and soft hands. This versatility increases his chances of reaching the majors, as the organization won’t need to wait for a specific position to open up. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s joining an Orioles system that recently graduated Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday to the big leagues, proving their ability to polish infielders into stars. Industry sources indicate Baltimore envisions Yeaman as a potential platoon partner for Jordan Westburg at third base by 2027, with a ceiling as an everyday player if his power continues to develop.

The financial aspects of Yeaman’s selection tell their own story. The 124th pick carries a slot value of $571,400, but multiple sources confirm the Orioles are prepared to offer slightly above slot—likely in the $600,000 range—to dissuade him from returning for his senior season. This would represent life-changing money for a player who, three years ago, was considering walking on at smaller Division I programs. For Georgia’s coaching staff, the draft payout serves as another recruiting tool; Yeaman’s rise from unheralded recruit to fourth-rounder proves their ability to develop players regardless of initial pedigree.

Teammates describe Yeaman as the epitome of a “program guy”—the type of player who stayed late to take grounders from a machine set at triple-speed and whose idea of a relaxing offseason was studying video of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s two-strike approach. This work ethic became infectious in Georgia’s locker room, with younger players emulating his preparation routines. “He made everyone around him better without saying a word,” said Bulldogs outfielder Drew Burress, himself a potential first-round pick in 2026. “Just watching how he went about his business, you realized what it took to play at the next level.”

For the Orioles, drafting Yeaman continues their recent trend of targeting high-floor college hitters who can advance quickly through their stacked farm system. His left-handed bat profiles perfectly for Camden Yards’ short right-field porch, while his strikeout rate (just 14.3% against SEC pitching) aligns with Baltimore’s organizational philosophy of putting the ball in play. Scouting reports consistently praise his “sneaky power”—a descriptor Yeaman laughs at, considering he outhomered five first-round picks this season.

As Yeaman prepares to begin his professional journey, the Georgia baseball program loses more than just its cleanup hitter. It loses a player who embodied the underdog spirit that has defined Stricklin’s most successful teams, a reminder that rankings and projections matter far less than what happens between the lines. His final at-bat as a Bulldog—a 12-pitch walk that sparked a ninth-inning rally to clinch the Athens Regional—perfectly encapsulated the gritty approach that made him a draft pick. Now, as he trades his Georgia red for Orioles orange, Yeaman carries with him not just the skills to succeed in pro ball, but the quiet confidence of someone who’s been proving doubters wrong his entire career.

The Orioles may have drafted Colin Yeaman for what he is now—a polished hitter with defensive versatility. But those who’ve followed his journey know they’re really getting what he might become: yet another example that in baseball, talent is important, but will is everything. And that’s something no draft slot or bonus amount can ever quantify.