Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Georgia Tech
Mascot: Andre 3000 | School Location: Waffle House, GA | Conference: ACC
2026 Record: 19-5 (6-3, T-2nd) | 2026 RPI Rank: 22
2025 Record: 41-19 (19-11, 1st) | 2025 RPI Rank: 19
2024 Record: 33-25 (15-15, 4th Coastal) | 2024 RPI Rank: 45
When? Where? How do I watch?
Location: Russ Chandler Stadium (Atlanta, GA)
Game Time(s): Fri, Mar 27 @ 7:00pm | Sat, Mar 28 @ 7:00pm | Sun, Mar 29 @ 3:00pm
TV: Friday (ACCNX) | Saturday (ACC Network) | Sunday (ACC Network)
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (Friday | Saturday | Sunday)
Tell me about this team
If you thought Florida State’s lineup could hit, just wait until you meet this Georgia Tech squad. The lineup is hitting a combined .373/.495/.644, 68 2B, 50 HR, 16.4 BB%, 16.8 K%, 26-31 SB, with pretty much all of those numbers sans stolen bases being up there among the national leaders, if not the outright leader. The Yellow Jackets have scored double-digits runs in 16 of their 24 games.
If you’re looking for a weak point, good luck. In the latest D1 Baseball Week Six positional rankings, here’s how GT stacks up:
- Catcher – 1st
- 1st Base – 32nd
- 2nd Base – 1st
- 3rd Base – 8th
- Shortstop – 6th
- Outfield – 8th, 11th, 46th, and 53rd
That is just an absurd abundance of riches. And while the lineup is busy destroying the ball when they step in the batters box, they’re just as equally taking care of it in the field, sporting a .975 fielding percentage as a team with no single player having more than three errors on the season.
If there’s a weakness on this team, it’s pitching. Friday starter Tate McKee has all the makings of a top three round draft pick, but hasn’t been able to put it all together. Dylan Loy and Jackson Blakely have been a mixed bag in the Saturday and Sunday roles, respectively, while there’s no clear answer in the midweek starters. The bullpen runs deep and there’s plenty of talent, but not the high-end arms like the Wolfpack ran into with Florida State last week.
If Tate can turn the corner and start pounding the zone more and they can find a reliable and productive second starter, this team will be a national seed. The lineup alone likely hits this team into a regional host, but it’s that pitching staff that really holds the keys to how great of a year this will be for first-time head coach James Ramsey.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: LHP Ryan Marohn (JR) vs RHP Tate McKee (JR)
Saturday: RHP Jacob Dudan (JR) vs TBD
Sunday: TBD vs RHP Jackson Blakely (SO)
Key Players:
Offense
C/DH Vahn Lackey (JR) – .425/.545/.851, 8 2B, 9 HR, 19.1 BB%, 12.7 K%, 7-7 SB. Is rocketing up draft boards and will be selected in the top half of the first round of this year’s draft. Had a breakout 2025 in his first year as a starter and is taking that to an even higher level this year. Not just a bat, he’s as good defensively as State will see this year. Threw out 14-of-43 last year (32.6%). Not having the same success this year (2-of-16, 12.5%), but teams aren’t trying him as much.
RF/1B Alex Hernandez (SO) – .424/.542/.624, 2 2B, 5 HR, 17.8 BB%, 16.8 K%, 2-2 SB. 2025 Freshman All-American with some legit power (16 HR last year) from his right-handed bat. Solid defender who played mostly 2B last year and should move across to 3B next year, although he’s draft-eligible this year.
SS Carson Kerce (JR) – .420/.530/.679, 16 2B, 1 HR, 15.0 BB%, 8.0 K%, 2-2 SB. Spent both of his first two years as the Yellow Jackets’ starting third baseman before moving to shortstop this year. Not the power bat that seemingly every other player that steps to the dish is, but the dude can flat out hit and probably could launch some more dingers if he prioritized power over contact.
2B Jarren Advincula (JR) – .390/.470/.530, 2 2B, 4 HR, 10.2 BB%, 8.5 K%, 4-5 SB. Lefty hitting transfer from Cal who spent each of the last two summers in the Cape Cod League. 1st Team All-PAC12 in 2024 and 2nd Team All-ACC in 2025. He’s a complete hitter and could sneak into the 1st round of this year’s draft, even though he’s a 2B-only prospect.
DH Will Baker (SO) – .390/.510/.649, 12 2B, 2 HR, 18.3 BB%, 12.5 K%, 1-1 SB. A part-time starter last year, the Australian is crushing it this year. His line-drive approach doesn’t have him run into many home runs, but he handles the bat very well.
3B Ryan Zuckerman (JR) – .364/.486/.773, 7 2B, 9 HR, 17.1 BB%, 27.9 K%, 1-1 SB. Righty power bat transfer from Pitt (22 HR over two years with the Panthers) who strikes out a ton. He didn’t walk much at Pitt, so he’s become more of a three-outcomes hitter with GT. Seems destined to move to 1B at the pro level.
1B Kent Schmidt (JR) – .347/.548/.490, 4 2B, 1 HR, 27.4 BB%, 15.1 K%, 3-3 SB. Former transfer from Georgia Southern who transferred to GT ahead of the 2025 season. Missed 20 games due to injury last year, otherwise would have been racked up a bunch of accolades. The stocky lefty batter can, but it’ll be interesting to see how MLB clubs view him come draft time.
LF Caleb Daniel (SO) – .324/.429/.662, 5 2B, 6 HR, 11.9 BB%, 26.2 K%, 0-0 SB. 2025 Freshman All-American. The power is legit, but the strikeouts are an issue for the lefty hitter.
CF Drew Burress (JR) – .276/.432/.531, 8 2B, 5 HR, 16.8 BB%, 15.2 K%, 3-7 SB. Yeah, I listed the entire lineup just to show how absurdly stacked this group is. Their statistically worst hitter this season is also a projected high 1st round pick in this year’s MLB Draft and a guy with 46 career 2B and 49 career HR. 2024 ACC and National Freshman-of-the-Year and a 2025 1st Team All-American.
C/DH Drew Rogers (SO) – .313/.424/.646, 1 2B, 5 HR, 8.5 BB%, 25.4 K%, 0-0 SB. Yeah, I’m throwing one more on here to round out the group of regulars. Rogers is a draft-eligible sophomore and it’ll be interesting to see what he’ll do come draft time because the tools both at the plate and behind the dish are legit. Strikeouts are an issue, but he’s improved significantly from last year.
Pitching
RHP Tate McKee (JR) – 3-0, 4.44 ERA, 26.1 IP, 15.3 BB%, 26.3 K%. The ace of the staff, who was also GT’s Friday night starter all last year. Has struggled with control this year, including issuing 10 BB over his last 10.0 IP. Has a five-pitch mix including a mid-90’s fastball, but should pare that selection down.
LHP Dylan Loy (JR) – 1-1, 4.30 ERA, 23.0 IP, 5.0 BB%, 23.0 K%. Transfer from Tennessee who has transitioned from a reliever in the SEC to a GT’s Saturday guy. A finesse lefty who pounds the zone, setting up hitters to chase on the breaking ball in two-strike counts.
RHP Jackson Blakely (SO) – 2-1, 3.12 ERA, 17.1 IP, 6.2 BB%, 29.6 K%. The 6’0, 220 pounder is in his first full season after recovering from Tommy John Surgery and pitching just 4.2 innings over five appearances late last year. Inserted into the starting rotation over the last two weeks with mixed results. Three-pitch mix starting with a low-to-mid-90’s fastball.
RHP Justin Shadek (rSO) – 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 10.2 IP, 13.7 BB%, 27.5 K%. Big 6’6, 235 pound frame on the Rutgers transfer. Missed his first year at Rutgers with Tommy John Surgery and control has been an issue for him since. Is an upper-90’s arm who can touch triple digits, and relies heavily on that level of heat.
RHP Mason Patel (rSR) – 2-0, 1 SV, 5.25 ERA, 12.0 IP, 9.6 BB%, 21.2 K%. Sixth-year senior who spent his first three seasons at Georgia State. Turned into the Jackets’ key reliever last year, posting 11 wins and 5 saves over 70.0 innings, all in relief. Low-90’s guy with a great changeup and a slider.
RHP Jake Lankie (rSO) – 0-0, 1 SV, 5.73 ERA, 11.0 IP, 3.9 BB%, 29.4 K%. Former transfer from Georgia who redshirted with the Bulldogs in 2024 and pitched just 10.1 innings with GT last year. Has been shelled in his last two outings (3.2 IP, 7 ER) in appearances against Auburn and Pittsburgh.
Quick! Fun Facts!
Georgia Tech had nine former players play at the MLB level in 2025, with five of those making their MLB debuts last season: INF Kristian Campbell (Red Sox), 1B/OF Tristin English (Diamondbacks), RHP Zach Maxwell (Reds), OF Chandler Simpson (Rays), and LHP Connor Thomas (Brewers). The other MLB players from last year were LHP Brant Hurter (Tigers), OF Justyn-Henry Malloy (Tigers), RHP Xzavion Curry (Marlins), and C Joey Bart (Pirates).
The Yellow Jackets are offering $3 beers for Friday’s and Sunday’s games. This needs to be more common at baseball games. Also outlaw artificial turf fields. I’m dying on these hills!
Georgia Tech holds an 81-62 lead in the all-time series between the two programs, including a 40-16 mark at home.
Not a single player on GT’s squad is from the state of North Carolina.
The Key To A Series Win For State
NC State’s lineup is going to have to produce. The Wolfpack is averaging just 5.0 runs/game in ACC play so far. Georgia Tech has been held to fewer than 6 runs in a game only 3 times this year (vs Auburn and twice versus Georgia State – side bar, but the Panthers are just 13-13 on the year and 2-4 in the Sun Belt; strange). Anything is possible, especially with the Pack rolling out Marohn and Dudan, but if State is going to win this series, it’s more than likely going to be on the backs of an offensive eruption.
Prediction
Given NC State’s struggles with producing runs over the last three games and the bullpen’s struggles, it’s hard to see this one going the Wolfpack’s way.
Outcome: GT takes two of three.
