Kyle Roat [Baseball '16]
Kyle Roat came to Connors State from Coweta High School, where he was a member of the Tigers' class of 1999 Class 4A State Championship Baseball Team and was a 1999 All-State Selection. Road received much notice for his skills, and was initially selected in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Roat also was a pick for the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round of the 2000 MLB Draft.
That same year, Roat was a Cowboy standout, earning an All-Conference nod. In 2001, Roat was named All-Conference, the NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-American, and then signed as a free agent with the Braves.
In 2001, Roat started in the short season rookie league Single-A affiliate of the Braves, the Jamestown Hammers. In 2002, he joined the Danville Braves, part of the Appalachian League as a short season rookie. In 2003, he played Single-A ball as a member of the Rome Braves in the Southern Atlantic League, where he was part of the league championship team.
Roat was then promoted to Double-A ball where he played for the Greenville Braves in the Southern League, retiring a year later in 2004 due to an elbow injury in his throwing arm.
After years on the road, Roat now lives in Coweta with his wife, Meagan, and two children.
Roat notes his parents, James and Meg, were committed to his career and watched him play nearly all of this games at Connors State, whether they were home or on the road. Roat said they had a huge impact on his life and career, more so than he would ever know.