Georgia Tech Baseball vs Miami (OH) Opening Series Preview
Georgia Tech Baseball is back this weekend.
After a long offseason, the Yellow Jackets get back in action tomorrow afternoon in Atlanta against Miami (OH) and will look to start off this 2023 season on the right foot.
This is going to be a very different looking team than the one we last saw. The Yellow Jackets are going to have to replace several star players from last year's team that got drafted into the MLB Draft. Kevin Parada, Tres Gonzalez, Zach Maxwell, Marquis Grissom Jr, and Tim Borden are all gone, just to name a few. Nine players total were selected in the draft and that is a lot of talent for any program to try and replace.
But just because those guys are gone, does not mean that there is not any talent on the field for the upcoming squad. Stephen Reid (RF), Drew Compton (3B), Jake DeLeo (CF), and Jadyn Jackson (SS) are all back to lead this team back to the NCAA Tournament and there are talented young players and transfers ready to step in for the players that did leave.
The returning player that I might be the most excited to see this season is Reid. He hit .333 with 16 home runs and 63 RBI's last season and seemed to perform the best when the lights were brightest. Although they did not win, Reid had a big two-run home run against Tennessee and played well in the NCAA Tournament as a whole. Him taking another step will be important this season.
Stephen Reid is one of Georgia Tech's most important players for 2023
Compton and Jackson are two of the better defenders that Georgia Tech has and the Yellow Jackets are going to need to be better in that area, as they ranked 11th in the ACC in fielding last season and had 66 errors.
Other guys that I am watching behind the plate tomorrow include Mercer transfer Angelo Dispigna, catcher Jack Rubenstein, and redshirt freshman second baseman Kristian Campbell. Dispigna hit 40 home runs during his career at Mercer and might be seen in the outfield, but he can also play 1st base, which was his primary position at Mercer.
Rubenstein might have the biggest shoes to fill this season in place of Parada. The good thing is that he has experience and while he might not put up the same kind of number's that Parada did last season, I expect a good season from Rubenstein.
Other names to know are Nicholas Romano, Riley Stanford, Carsten Sabathia, Parker Brosius, Nico Senese, Demitri Diamant and Brant Baughcum. I am not sure if any of these guys will make big impacts early on, but as the season progresses, I am anxious to see if any of them emerge. Sabathia is of course the son of former MLB pitcher CC Sabathia.
If Georgia Tech wants to make a deep run to the postseason, the pitching is going to have to be better than it was last season, when it ranked 13th in the ACC in ERA. The Yellow Jackets were also the only ACC team that gave up 600 or more hits. Tech also had the second most walks given up. It was bad.
Zach Maxwell, Marquis Grissom Jr, Chance Huff, and John Medich are gone from last year's team and Georgia Tech is going to need someone to step up on the mound.
Will Georgia Tech return to the NCAA Tournament in 2023?
The top three pitchers for Georgia Tech are sure to be Dawson Brown, Logan McGuire, and Jackson Finley, but who else could step up? I really like LHP Camron Hill's talent and he might be my pick for breakout player of the year on this team. Cody Carwile has talent and Aeden Finateri does as well.
It is not just the starters though that need to improve, it is the Yellow Jackets bullpen. Joseph Mannelly, Josiah Siegel, Ben King, and Jackson Vaughan are some names to know who might be relievers for Tech this year.
So what about Miami (OH)?
This is a team that finished the 2022 season 23-33 and 18-22 in the MAC. Tyler Chadwick, a transfer from Iowa Western, and Zach Maxey are a pretty formidable duo on the mound and I think both of them are set for big seasons. Behind the plate, Benji Brokemond and Zach MacDonald are two guys to watch. Brokemond hit .342 last season and also stole eight bases.
Georgia Tech is expecting to start Brown on Friday, McGuire on Saturday, and Finley on Sunday.
Overall, I like Georgia Tech's chances to get a series win this weekend and hopefully a sweep to start the season off right. I am going to be watching the pitching closely this weekend and the young players.
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