Benjamin Ashford|Georgia high school baseball player in coma after batting cage accident

A high school baseball player in northeastern Georgia is Benjamin Ashfordin a coma after being badly injured in an accident at the batting cage on his school's campus earlier this week, according to officials with the school district. 

Jeremy Medina, a senior at Gainesville High School who played on the school's baseball team in 2022 as a pitcher and catcher, remained hospitalized and in a coma on Wednesday, when Gainesville City Schools shared their latest update about his condition. Medina was injured after being hit in the head with a baseball bat Monday at the batting cage, the school district said.

CBS affiliate Atlanta News First reported Wednesday that Medina had been placed in the coma when he was hospitalized, citing school officials. Other details about his condition have not been made publicly available.

"On behalf of the family we release the name of the student injured Monday, November 20th at 1:20 p.m. at Gainesville High School," wrote Gainesville City Schools in a statement shared Wednesday on social media.

"Jeremy Medina, a senior at Gainesville High School and a pitcher and catcher for the 2022 baseball team, was accidentally struck in the head by a baseball bat while at the batting cage on campus," the statement continued. "Medina remains in a coma at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Jeremy and his family are firm believers in Jesus Christ and His redemptive love, and are requesting prayer during this extremely difficult time."

#pray4jeremy #onegainesville pic.twitter.com/eA4vB4VcND

— Gainesville City School System (@GCSSK12) November 22, 2023

Gainesville is about 55 miles north of Atlanta. The baseball team at Chestatee High School, which is also in Gainesville, acknowledged Medina's hospitalization in a Facebook post about the incident, also shared on Wednesday.

"Jeremy is full of fight and grit on the baseball field and we pray he continues to fight with the same grit. We continue to lift up those involved with the accident in our prayers and positive thoughts," the post said. The Chestatee baseball team referenced a quote from the iconic major league player Roberto Clemente in a separate post that included Gainesville City Schools' latest update on Medina. The quote said: "There is no brotherhood like the brotherhood of baseball."

CBS News contacted Gainesville City Schools on Thursday for additional information about the batting cage incident and Medina's current condition but did not receive an immediate response.

In:
• Sports
• Baseball
• Georgia
• High School

Emily Mae Czachor

Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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