2025 Fall Baseball Reset: Georgia Tech

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets could not get former head coach Danny Hall to Omaha in his final season. However, Hall left James Ramsey in good position. Thanks to a strong crop of returnees and newcomers brought in by Ramsey, the bar is high in 2026. Here’s a look at our 2025 fall baseball reset for Georgia Tech.

The Returnees

Aside from a tough 2024 in the Cape Cod League, Drew Burress‘ college career has been a smashing success.

While Burress’ 2025 campaign (.333/.469/.693, 19 HR, 43 XBH) wasn’t as prolific compared to 2024, the Georgia native continued to hit at an elite level for Georgia Tech. Hence, Team USA wanted him on the collegiate national team roster for 2025.

Burress wasn’t the only notable Yellow Jacket to make Team USA. Vahn Lackey did, months after the 20-year-old catcher hit .347 (.921 OPS) with six home runs as the team’s bedrock behind home plate.

With both Burress and Lackey walking into their draft years, it’s not just a big year for them but the team itself.

Moving on to the rest of the returnees, the Yellow Jackets brought back the vast majority of their starting group from last season. Among the seven hitters with 50+ games played last season, only Kyle Lodise is gone. Parker Brosius is back, as are Caleb Daniel and Carson Kerce.

And, Alex Hernandez. The now-sophomore had a fantastic year for the Jackets. Not only did he play around the field (and on the mound), Hernandez batted .335 with 16 home runs as a freshman.

He followed that up by batting .290 with Yarmouth-Dennis before joining the USA CNT training camp roster.

Tate McKee, the team leader in strikeouts (83) last season, is also back.

The Newcomers

The goal for any top program nowadays is to do well in the transfer portal and hope that a big-name high school recruit will forego pro ball to come to campus. The Yellow Jackets checked both boxes this summer.

Georgia Tech was able to snare Cooper Underwood, a 12th-round draft pick by the Brewers this past July. Milwaukee loves projectable high school arms, and Underwood, a 6’2” lefty fit that bill. However, he did not sign and will instead head to Atlanta.

Underwood was one of several Georgia natives to come to campus as freshmen this year. Judson Hartwell, Michael Dee, and Dominic Stephenson are among the in-state recruits.

As for the transfer portal, Georgia Tech scored with Kyle Lodise, who went from DII ball to stardom in the ACC before being drafted by the White Sox last July. To replace him, as well as pitcher Brody Jones, the Jackets added some firepower.

Former California infielder Jarren Advincula comes from over from the West Coast. The former Cal second baseman did nothing but hit wherever he played, whether it be in the old Pac-12, ACC, or Cape Cod League. Advincula hit .342 last season for the Golden Bears before hitting .360 for Cotuit in the Cape.

Ryan Zuckerman, who hit a team-high 13 home runs for Pittsburgh last spring, stayed in the ACC and joined the Jackets.

Justin Shadek, the co-staff ace for Rutgers last spring, exited amidst yet another exodus in North Jersey after the 2025 campaign. Shadek struggled with walk problems with the Scarlet Knights but struck out 52 over 59 innings.

Summary

It was a strong overall summer for new head coach James Ramsey, the former first-round pick for the Cardinals back in 2012. Ramsey, a former standout in the ACC with Florida State, has been on the Yellow Jackets’ coaching staff for the past few seasons, and he’ll now take over from the now-retired Danny Hall.

Expectations are sky-high in 2026 for the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech comes in with one of the strongest offenses on paper, headlined by Hernandez and Burress. And if those transfers can hit like they did outside of Atlanta, the Yellow Jackets could have a legitimate path to Omaha.