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Drew Burress (Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images)
The 2026 college baseball season is almost here. As such, we’re breaking down every preseason Top 25 team in greater detail. Check out Georgia Tech’s 2026 season preview below.
Quick Hits
Last Season: 41-19 (19-11 ACC); Eliminated in Oxford Regional
Final 2025 Ranking: No. 25
Coach (Record at school): James Ramsey (0-0, 1st season)
College Baseball Top 25 Skinny
Georgia Tech delivered a fitting sendoff for longtime coach Danny Hall in 2025, winning its sixth ACC regular-season title under his watch and earning Hall his fifth ACC coach of the year honor. Hall handed the program to top assistant James Ramsey, who inherits a roster built to contend immediately. The Yellow Jackets return a lineup heavy with experience and upside, positioning them to again challenge for conference supremacy and potentially push deeper than the regional-round exit that ended their season last spring.
Georgia Tech Baseball Strengths
Georgia Tech’s offense sets the tone. The Yellow Jackets enter the season with one of the most imposing lineups in college baseball, led by center fielder Drew Burress, whose production over the past two seasons places him among the most reliable hitters in the country. The depth behind him is equally compelling. Georgia Tech returns catcher Vahn Lackey, first baseman Kent Schmidt, second baseman Alex Hernandez and outfielder Caleb Daniel, among others, forming a veteran core that consistently applies pressure throughout the order.
That group brings both contact ability and power as all of them hit .310 or better in 2025, including Hernandez, who batted .335 with 16 home runs. The lineup’s balance minimizes soft spots and allows Georgia Tech to sustain offense without relying on any single bat. On the mound, the Yellow Jackets addressed needs through the transfer portal, adding Rutgers righthander Justin Shadek and Tennessee lefthander Dylan Loy. They also bring back high-usage reliever Mason Patel and starter Tate McKee, giving the staff experience and defined roles. The combination of offensive firepower and a supplemented pitching staff provides a high floor entering the season.
Georgia Tech Baseball Weaknesses
Ramsey steps into his first head coaching role after serving as a central figure in Hall’s roster construction and player development. The transition from trusted lieutenant to program leader can be seamless, but it carries inherent risk in the modern college environment, particularly within the ACC. Recent precedent has shown that even highly regarded assistants inheriting talented rosters can struggle early. Managing expectations, overseeing a veteran roster and navigating the week-to-week demands of a power conference will test Ramsey immediately. How quickly that adjustment settles may determine whether Georgia Tech converts its talent advantage into postseason traction.
Georgia Tech Baseball Player To Know
Burress has established himself as one of the most productive hitters in college baseball despite an undersized frame that defies traditional expectations for an elite center fielder. Over two seasons, he slashed .357/.490/.756 with 44 home runs, 38 doubles and 111 walks against 79 strikeouts. His combination of plate discipline, impact and consistency makes him one of the toughest outs in the country and the engine of Georgia Tech’s offense. He’s expected to contend strongly for national player of the year and is viewed widely as a potential early first-rounder.
Georgia Tech Baseball 2026 Projected Lineup, Rotation
PosPlayerYearAVGOBPSLGABHRRBINote/previous schoolCVahn LackeyJr..347.421.5002226421BKent SchmidtJr..397.464.5961565432BAlex HernandezSo..335.415.60923016693BRyan ZuckermanJr..295.382.5552201348PittsburghSSJarren AdvinculaJr..342.410.506237633CaliforniaOFDrew BurressJr..333.469.6932281962OFCaleb DanielSo..316.399.515206732OFWill BakerSo..263.336.49599626DHCarson KerceSo..313.411.475198440PosYearGSIPERAWHIPSO%BB%SPJustin ShadekR-So.1559.07.781.7817.812.7RutgersSPTate McKeeJr.1680.04.841.5022.910.5SPDylan LoyJr.134.03.970.9726.18.0TennesseeRPMason PatelG-Sr.070.03.341.0722.66.4RPCaden SpiveySr.533.14.051.6220.514.1RPCarson BallardR-Jr.136.15.701.2424.53.9