Submitted by Michael Nayman
The highly anticipated 2026 Major League Baseball Draft took place on July 11-12 and the results did not disappoint the many observers who follow the Pickens High School baseball team. In fact, the scorecard proved to be even better than expected as two former Dragons were selected during the second day’s activities.
The featured attraction for the Dragons was 2026 graduate A.J. Rice, who was selected in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Rays. The team used the 203rd pick of the draft to select the 6’0”, 180-pound right-handed pitcher who helped guide the Dragons to their first-ever state title six weeks ago. Rice, who was recently named a first-team All-America selection, posted a 13-0 record this season with a 0.35 earned run average over 79.0 innings of work. The hard-throwing hurler was named the Most Valuable Player of the AAA state tournament after he posted a 5-0 record during the state playoffs while also leading the offense with a .481 batting average and 13 runs batted in during the 11-game postseason run. For the season, Rice struck out 162 batters on the season while opponents batted .096 against him in the 14 games that he pitched.
Over his four-year career, Rice posted a 41-3 record on the mound with a 0.99 earned run average while striking out 458 batters. It was those numbers that made Rice one of the most highly regarded pitching prospects in the state and earned a college scholarship to Auburn University following his junior season. However, with Rice’s trajectory continuing to climb, professional scouts flocked to every scheduled start this past season. The usual cast of professional onlookers sometimes reached near 20 in attendance and the results were always the same. It was usually a victory topped with a large helping of strikeouts, and few (if any) runs allowed. Over the past two seasons, Rice posted a 29-1 record with 306 strikeouts and an earned run average of 0.58 over 155.0 innings pitched.
“I just feel really grateful for this opportunity,” said Rice of his impending professional career. “I always dreamed about playing professional baseball and the opportunity has finally presented itself. I am really looking forward to getting the business side taken care of and reporting to their complex in Port Charles (FL).
“The last few weeks have certainly been hectic,” Rice said of the experience. “The draft finally got here, and the Rays were one of the teams that had shown a lot of interest in me. They called Saturday night and gave me an update, and they let me know they were looking at the seventh round if I was still on the board. The pick came up and I heard my name called…it was an unbelievable feeling.”
Now it’s all business. Rice is expected to head to Tampa early next week for a physical and to sign his first professional contract. If all goes as planned, he will then head back to Jasper for several days before returning to the Rays’ minor league complex in Florida. He will likely stay at the complex through November and train throughout the fall before heading into the 2027 season with spring training.
For Pickens head coach Adam Williams, watching a generational player over the past four seasons has been something special. In fact, it may be virtually impossible for anyone to replicate the numbers based on how improbable they were to accomplish.
“To be able to coach someone like A.J. has been an incredible experience,” said Williams. “His work ethic, character, talent and drive to succeed are unmatched. Everything about him is off the charts. He has been brought up right by his parents, he is beyond coachable and most of all, he is a terrific young man from head to toe. His teammates, coaches and teachers loved him and the opponents respected him. He just goes about his business, and he doesn’t draw any unwanted attention to himself.
“When you try to put his success into perspective, it’s very difficult,” continued Williams. “The numbers are like a video game. He took control of so many games right from the start. He was just an overpowering presence on the mound … not to mention he was an exceptionally talented hitter for us, as well. He brought a lot to the table every game. We often joked that Tuesdays were always a great day to play for the Dragons. That was his normal day in the rotation, and we always seemed to feel invincible in the first game of every series.”
Even with all of the excitement that was generated by Rice’s selection, the fun did not stop there. To make the day even better, former Pickens all-state player, Connor Shouse, was also selected in this year’s draft. The 2024 graduate was taken in the 20th round by the Seattle Mariners with pick 610 of the draft.
While many will remember Shouse’s exploits on the mound for the Dragons, professional baseball may have other ideas if he decides to forego his remaining college eligibility. Shouse will potentially be entering his third collegiate season if he remains an amateur. With two college seasons remaining, Shouse certainly has some leverage in any negotiations. As well as options.
Originally a Georgia Tech signee out of the high school, Shouse played his freshman year for the Yellow Jackets and saw action in 25 games while batting .265. Following the 2025 season, Shouse transferred to Texas Tech where exploded onto the Big 12 scene with a first-team, All-Conference performance. The utility player saw time on the infield and on the mound during the campaign, but it was his bat that brought the most attention.
Shouse hit a dazzling .353 for the season with 10 home runs and 66 runs driven in to go along with 18 doubles and two triples for the Red Raiders. In addition, he was 1-0 on the mound with three saves while striking out 16 batters in 15.1 innings of work.
Following the 2026 season, Shouse entered the transfer portal and headed closer to home as he signed with the University of South Carolina earlier this month. As a draft-eligible sophomore, Shouse was able to enter the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. As a result, the Mariners used a late-round pick to gauge Shouse’s interest of playing professionally versus playing collegiately. This is a common practice for both a player and an organization and plays out dozens of times each summer following the draft. In doing so, Shouse will have the decision of a lifetime while weighing all his options for the 2027 season.
Regardless of how it all plays out, July 12 will be a day to remember (and a big exclamation point on a season to remember) for the Pickens baseball program. Not only are these two players recognized locally in Jasper and Pickens County, but these two all-time great Dragons have been recognized by Major League Baseball, as well.
