Two years ago, the Braves selected Ian Anderson in the first-round of the MLB Draft. Anderson, a senior out of Clifton Park’s Shenendehowa High School in New York, was one of the most highly touted pitching prospects in America where he shared the field with another talented young man.
Kevin Huerter, a 6’7″ lanky athlete, combined with Anderson to make a deadly one-two combination on the mound. The two’s success on the diamond actually went all the way back to when they were seven and eight year olds playing travel ball together.
That might not have been fair considering both would wind up being first class athletes. While Anderson found success through baseball, Huerter became a top recruit on the hardwood. The two would separate as teammates for the first time in a long time. Anderson becoming a member of the Braves organization, and Huerter a Maryland Terrapin.
Since being drafted, the 6’3″, 170-pound right-hander has done nothing but impress in the minors, earning him the #7 spot on  SportsTalkATL’s Prospect List. Despite his 2-5 record in 2018, his low ERA of 2.85 and 100 strikeouts in just 82.0 innings pitched are a testament to his potential as a major leaguer. Even in a loaded farm system, Anderson has a fantastic chance at shooting up the ranks of the minor leagues and earning a spot in Atlanta’s rotation.
Huerter has also impressed since leaving Shenendehowa High. As a freshman, he played in just under 30 minutes a game and averaged 9.3 points, but it was not until his sophomore campaign that he began catching NBA scouts eyes. His ability to shoot the ball from all over with precision, size and defensive ability made him an intriguing prospect. However, a loaded draft class could have forced Huerter to think twice about staying at Maryland for his junior season.
Taking that into consideration, Huerter still decided he was ready to take the next step in his basketball career. Several NBA teams believed him too. As the draft process went on, Huerter’s name continued to rise up the boards. By draft day, he was a sure-fire first-round pick, and then something special happened.
The Atlanta Hawks selected the Maryland product with the 19th overall pick, setting up the too childhood teammates with the opportunity to once again share the same stomping ground. Huerter will be on the Hawks roster, as he will be blessed with the task to jump start the Hawks rebuild. Anderson, currently with the Florida Fire Frogs, is still at least a year or two away from making his major league debut. By the time he arrives, his task for the Braves will be much different as they begin to come out of the rebuilding phase. But eventually, these two New Yorkers could play a large part in changing the aura surrounding Atlanta sports.