Photo credit: R&D Baseball Academy

In a landmark moment for Fairfax County Public Schools, two local prodigies were selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.

Bryce Eldridge, a 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher and power-hitting left-handed batter, was selected as the 16th overall pick by the San Francisco Giants. In June, he led the Madison Warhawks to their second state championship in three seasons, earning praise as the best “two-way player” in this year’s draft class. 

Jonny Farmelo, a 6-foot-2 dynamic centerfielder known for his rare combination of speed and power, was selected as the 29th overall pick by the Seattle Mariners. This past season, Jonny led the Westfield Bulldogs to the state finals, playing five times against Bryce and the Warhawks. Westfield scored a regional championship as part of their two wins over Madison.

Although they’re used to going head-to-head on the field, Bryce and Jonny have practiced together at R&D Baseball Academy in Herndon for years and have camaraderie off the field as well. “I’ve known Jonny for a long time, and he and Bryce train together, work out together, and push each other,” said Madison Head Coach Mark Gjormand.

“They [Bryce and Jonny] are two totally different types of players,” said Coach Gjormand. “It’s great for our conference, great for the state of Virginia, and really great for Northern Virginia.”