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South Walton’s Denton Lord drafted by Padres, opts to honor Mississippi State commitment

The Seahawks right-hander was selected in the 17th round Sunday but will head to Starkville this fall instead of signing professionally.

Travis Espy

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A day after teammate Coleman Borthwick heard his name called in the first round, South Walton right-hander Denton Lord joined him as an MLB draft pick on Sunday.

The San Diego Padres selected Lord with the 515th overall pick in the 17th round, making him the second Seahawk drafted by San Diego in as many days. Despite the selection, Lord has announced he will not sign with the Padres, instead opting to honor his commitment to Mississippi State.

Niceville infielder Deacon Avery was also draft-eligible but went unselected over the two-day event. Even so, Avery has a clear path ahead, as he’ll head to Florida State this fall. Avery originally signed with Coastal Carolina but flipped his commitment to the Seminoles after Chanticleers head coach Kevin Schnall left for South Carolina in June.

Per MLB draft rules, both Lord and Avery must now wait until they are either 21 years old or have completed their junior seasons at their respective colleges before becoming eligible for the draft again.

That means neither player will be draft-eligible until 2029.

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South Walton’s Denton Lord drafted by Padres, opts to honor Mississippi State commitment

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