Tech’s 13-3 start is showing plenty of promise for the rest of the season
We’re thrilled to announce that Georgia Tech Baseball alum Ben King is back to help break down what he’s seen in the first 16 games from the Cardiac Jackets. We’ll be checking in with him throughout the season to get his thoughts on the team. If you have any questions for Ben about the team we can put in a future article, comment or email us! fromtherumbleseat@gmail.com.
From The Rumble Seat: Ben, on the surface, what are the early returns on GT Baseball showing you?
Ben King: I’m warning you- don’t let the Jackets get hot. The boys have looked solid through the first month of the season, and I don’t even really think this team has totally hit their stride yet. If the young guys continue to develop and all the vets settle into their roles, this is a team that could put the ACC (and maybe even the entire country) on notice.
FTRS: Let’s start with the bullpen: Mason Patel/Jayden Paden have been absolute rockstars and are keeping us in games. Over the course of the season, how can that change our season outlook?
Ben: You truly can’t say enough about the work that both Mason and Jayden have turned in thus far. Patel has legitimately been one of the best pitchers in the country- he’s leading the nation with 5 wins and has yet to allow a run in 17.0 innings pitched. He’s always flashed swing and miss stuff (especially his change-up), his velocity has ticked up this season, and he looks like a bonafide bullpen ace. Jayden has also been outstanding in his first four appearances after a nearly two year absence from the mound. He’s got electric stuff, and he pitches with great pace that keeps offenses off balanced.
Having two guys that you can trust as lockdown multi-inning relievers is a game-changer for this team as they head deeper into conference play. This will ring especially true if we are able to get solid length out of the starting rotation. Look no further for the blueprint for success than game one of the Virginia Tech series- Tate McKee and Mason Patel combined to cover the entire game in a 4-3 Jackets victory. Using only two pitchers in the Friday night victory gave the coaching staff bullpen flexibility for the rest of the weekend and ensured that Jayden Payden was ready to roll for Sunday. If these two guys are able to consistently turn in these kinds of performances out of the Tech bullpen, the sky’s the limit for this team.
FTRS: In our season preview pod, you mentioned getting better at throwing early count strikes was a priority under Matt Taylor. Considering we’ve been able to hold opponents to half of the total runs we’ve scored (albeit early season), that surely has to be making an impact?
Ben: The pitching staff certainly looks like it has taken a step forward, granted we’ve only played three games against Power 4 competition thus far. We’ve already discussed the early season dominance of Mason Patel and Jayden Payden, and we can’t forget about the job that Tate McKee has done in the Friday night starter role. Tate has turned in a solid start every time he’s gotten the ball this year, and the importance of the Friday night guy setting the tone for the pitching staff each weekend can’t be understated. It’s been several years since Tech has had a legitimate Friday night starter, and if Tate is able to continue to grow into that role it is a great sign for the upside of this team.
We’ve also seen solid contributions out of the bullpen from veterans like Caden Caudette, Brett Barfield, Sam Swygert, and Caden Spivey as well as really encouraging performances from freshmen like Cooper McMullen, Ryan Johnson, and Cole Royer. All of these guys have done a great job of attacking the strike zone and challenging hitters, and that has played a big role in their early season success.
For this team to get to where they want to go, they need Tate to continue to develop into the Friday night ace he is capable of being and for the bullpen to continue to do its job. I think it’s also going to be important to find at least one more starter that can consistently turn in quality starts. Both Brady Jones and Riley Stanford have shown flashes of brilliance, but they’ve also both had a couple starts that I think they’d probably like to have back. They are two of the most gifted pitchers on the team in terms of stuff, and this is the first time that either of them has been a weekend starter. I think both are more than capable of being quality ACC starters, and I’m hoping that the experience that comes with more starts will allow them to grow into that role. If one (or preferably both of them) can solidify as a legitimate ACC starter, this team is primed to have a lot of success this year.
FTRS: Multiple guys down the lineup are making differences, which came at an important time with Burress having a down weekend at Virginia Tech, notably Schmidt/Lodise/Lackey to name a few. What’s impressed you the most from our regular position starters so far?
Ben: The Jackets always hit and this team is no exception. We’ve hit our fair share of home runs but we’ve also shown the ability to win games when the long ball isn’t there- we’re hitting a ton of doubles, stealing a lot of bases, and getting timely base hits when the moment calls for it.
It is honestly encouraging to me to see Drew Burress not having to be superhuman for this team to win games. He’s been great, but not quite at the level he played at during his National Freshman of the Year campaign last season. Burress is still one of the best players in the country and I think he’s due to catch fire in the coming weeks. That being said, there is no chance that last year’s team would have won an ACC road series on a weekend where he went 1-11, and I think the fact that this year’s team just did that really speaks to the depth that we have up and down the lineup.
Kyle Lodise, Kent Schmidt, and Alex Hernandez are superstars in the making, and I think the team’s most improved player so far has been Vahn Lackey. Vahn is an outstanding defensive catcher, and apparently he taught himself over the offseason how to be an above-average defensive third baseman as well. Now, his bat is starting to catch up with his glove, and he has been incredibly fun to watch. I think he has legitimate big league talent, and he’s only going to get better with more ACC experience. You also can’t say enough about guys like Carson Kerce and Parker Brosius. I describe both of those guys simply as “ballplayers,” and that term is some of the highest praise that I give out. They do everything right on and off the field, and the effort and energy that they play with is infectious to everyone on the team.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also point out that the Goose is (almost) loose. John Giesler is this team’s most experienced player and one of its undisputed leaders. He missed basically the entire first month of the season with a shoulder injury but it was great to see him get a couple of pinch hitting appearances against Virginia Tech. He is close to reentering the everyday lineup, and having his leadership back on the field will be a real boon for this team.
FTRS: What’s most important for you to see from this team over the next 5 games (Georgia State, Pitt, Gardner-Webb)?
Ben: I’m hoping to see the team keep their foot on the pedal and continue to develop momentum over the next five games. Georgia State is a quality opponent with a 12-4 record, and they always give a great effort against us. We will have to come out with a great effort tonight to take care of business. This weekend’s series against Pitt is a must-have. I know it’s early in the season to say that, but ACC wins are tough to come by and a home series against the Panthers is an opportunity that we can’t afford to squander. If the boys continue to execute and play clean baseball, there’s no reason to think we can’t rack up some more wins over the next couple weeks.