2012 Recruit: IF Josh Lester

Josh Lester, IF

Josh Lester at Columbus HS
Senior Day

6'2", 190 lb, R/R
Columbus, GA

♦ Josh Lester was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 30th round. Hoewever, Lester has already enrolled at Mizzou and began his first class today.

♦ Championships Are Nothing New To Columbus (Baseball America, 6/19/12)

The Blue Devils finished the season 33-4 en route to a third consecutive Georgia 3-A state championship and No. 2 ranking in the Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association poll.
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♦ GHSA Class AAA baseball state championship series: Four Columbus High Blue Devils working toward familiar ending (Ledger-Enquirer, 5/27/12)

The four have been together basically since they were 12-years-old, and they have been very successful on the baseball field, winning state, national, even international championships.

Today could very well be the last time Kyle Carter, JT Phillips, Josh Lester and Ryan Lang are together on a baseball diamond.

The quartet will lead Columbus High into the Georgia High School Association Class AAA state finals today at Ringgold High.
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Carter and Phillips have signed to play next season at Georgia. However, both will likely go high enough in next week's Major League Baseball draft that they may forgo their college careers for the pros.

Meanwhile, Lester has signed with Missouri. Lang has not signed to play yet

"Hopefully, we will play against each other in the SEC," Lester said, "and maybe even in pro ball."

♦ Baseball player Josh Lester signs with the University of Missouri (Ledger-Enquirer, 3/26/12)

When he was playing baseball in the Northern Little League back in 2006, Josh Lester's dream was to play in Williamsport, Pa., home of the Little League World Series. Not only did he get there but he played a key role on a world championship team.

Now the Columbus High second baseman/third baseman is dreaming of another city.

"I want to get to Omaha," he said Monday, after signing a baseball scholarship with the University of Missouri.
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Lester hit .333 during an injury-plagued 2011 season for a Columbus High team that won its second consecutive state title. In the first 10 games this season, he is hitting .344, has four doubles and leads the team with two triples.

Lester added about 15-20 pounds for this season. Not only did it improve Lester's arm strength but helped Lester's bat speed, making him a more dangerous hitter."He has always had the great glove," said his coach, Bobby Howard.

The coach called Lester a "smart kid who really knows how to play the game."

"I have loved baseball since I was about 8 years old," Lester said. It comes naturally. His father Jimmy played some professional baseball and is a scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Every day I wake up I think about doing something with baseball," he said.

♦ National High School Invitational: Josh Lester shows way for Columbus High with three RBIs in victory over Lee County (N.C.) (Ledger-Enquirer)