Houston County Grad Gage Harrelson Reflects on Being Selected in 2025 MLB Draft
The Florida State Outfielder was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 16th Round with the 469th overall pick
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia – (41NBC/WMGT) – Over the past few days, a few Middle Georgia baseball standouts have heard their names called in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Among them is 2022 Houston County High School graduate and former Florida State outfielder Gage Harrelson, who was selected in the 16th round with the 469th overall pick by the Los Angeles Angels.
Harrelson returned to his old stomping grounds to reflect on the milestone before heading west to begin his professional career.
“It’s really exciting, but you know, the journey starts now,” Harrelson said. “Working through the minor league systems, that’s no joke. I know the grind and the work I’m going into, but I’m not here to back away from it. I’m excited about the new opportunity and getting to play a different level of baseball that I haven’t played before.”
The former HoCo Bear credited the strong baseball culture of Middle Georgia, and those around him, for helping pave the way to this moment.
“I would say just playing elite level baseball since I was growing up in this town,” Harrelson said. “Everybody takes sports very seriously here, as I do. I love the support system that’s been behind me throughout the whole thing. It’s kind of a family-run city, I like to say. I haven’t felt like I’ve had to do this on my own.”
One person Harrelson highlighted, Houston County Head Baseball Coach Matt Hopkins.
“My relationship with Coach Hop is also very special. He knows I love him. He reached out to me, congratulated me, and we’ve had a long journey along the way too. He watched me grow up, and it was great to have him and my dad there to help support me in this locker room and in this baseball system.”
Harrelson was part of Houston County’s 2021 state championship team, and he now joins a growing list of Bears alumni from that squad to reach the professional ranks.
“You see some people on that team, like Jaden Woods, who are off playing with the Pirates now,” he said. “It’s been really cool to watch.”
Now in the league himself, the former Florida State standout said his initial interactions with the Angels organization have been encouraging.
“I’ve met a lot of people from the Angels. They’ve all been really nice, really polite to me and really helping me out, figuring out the whole thing,” Harrelson said. “The Draft happened what, a day or two ago? I’m already about to fly out. Not fly out to see the scenery, it’s go time!”
While he’s looking forward to the challenges ahead, Harrelson is especially excited about the opportunity to play the game he loves for a living.
“Getting into an organization that really appreciates you for who you are and wants to develop you to be a part of their system. I also like the idea of just playing baseball for a living. That sounds pretty cool,” he said. “I feel like ‘little Gage’ would probably be really excited about that one.”
Next on the agenda for ‘Big Gage’: a trip to Arizona for physicals and training camp.
“Next steps, they said, be ready to leave between Friday and Monday,” Harrelson said. “So, it’s just whenever I get the call to get up and get going. Then do a couple of days of training camp, and then I’m off to somewhere. They got Mike Trout there. That’s pretty cool. Hopefully I can meet him one day, maybe play alongside him one day or something. That’d be pretty cool.”
Amid the excitement, Harrelson took a moment to thank his parents for being his biggest supporters.
“I would love to say thank you to my mom and dad for helping support me along this entire journey,” he said. “I couldn’t be able to do it without them, without the long road trips and the long days at the field. This is something that I could only have dreamed of, and they helped that dream come true.”
This past season with the Seminoles, Harrelson earned Academic All-ACC honors and was named to the All-ACC Third Team. He posted a .339 batting average with 80 hits, 43 RBIs and five home runs. Despite turning pro, he says he still plans to graduate from Florida State next May.
