By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

Ryan Bliss, after a phenomenal senior season for the Troup Tigers, has been named to the USA Today all-state team.

The team includes players from each of the state’s seven classifications.

Bliss, a shortstop, was named to the second team.

Bliss was an elite defensive player, and he was also one of the state’s best hitters.

Bliss had a batting average near .500, and he led the Tigers in home runs and RBIs.

Bliss helped Troup share the Region 5-AAAA championship with Cartersville, and it made it to the second round of the state playoffs.

Bliss was drafted in the 30th round by the Boston Red Sox, but he’ll be playing for the Auburn Tigers next spring.

Bliss joins a program riding high.

This season, Auburn made it to the super regional and came within one victory of advancing to the College World Series.

“Playing Major League Baseball has always been the goal in life, but I didn’t want to skip out on this opportunity of college,” Bliss said in a story posted on auburntigers.com. “Auburn has really become a powerhouse program. I felt like I wanted to come and mature, play three years here and grow. I feel like I can come back out and have that professional baseball career at a more mature level.”

Bliss will be eligible for the draft in 2021 following his third season of college baseball.

One player who won’t wait to begin his professional career is former Cartersville Purple Hurricane Anthony Seigler, who was a first-round draft pick of the New York Yankees.

Seigler, who led Cartersville to the state-championship series, was the USA Today player of the year.

Seigler has already signed with the Yankees.

Seigler was one of 11 first-team players, and there are also 11 players on the second team.

ALL-STATE LIST

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Anthony Seigler (Cartersville)

FIRST TEAM

Patrick Hickox (Jefferson); Cole Wilcox (Heritage), Bay Witcher (Loganville), Buddy Floyd (Pope), CJ Abrams (Blessed Trinity), Kumar Rocker (North Oconee), Kendall Logan Simmons (Tatnall Square), Logan Cerny (Parkview), Parker Meadows (Grayson), Landon Sims (South Forsyth)

SECOND TEAM

Ryan Bliss (Troup), Luke Bartnicki (Walton), Ben O’Meara (Lovett), Nolan Crisp (Locust Grove), Will Banfield (Brookwood),Jarrett Ford (Decatur), Andrew Jenkins (Pace Academy), Hunter Marsh (Winder-Barrow), Steele Chambers (Blessed Trinity), Andre Tarver (Ringgold), Cabera Weaver (South Gwinnett)