Baseball in Georgia is thriving: A thank you to Jackets, Bulldogs and Braves
Georgia has always been a baseball-centric state. But this season, however it ends for all our teams, has been a gift.
This is a thank you to our teams who’ve entertained us over the past few months.
Our state is most associated with football, but it’s always been baseball-crazed, too.
That starts with the Braves, given they’re the most popular professional team in the state with a reach that extends far beyond the South. Georgia also produces a lot of MLB talent; only California, Florida and Texas have more major leaguers right now.
The amateur circuit here is well renowned. This state invests in and develops baseball players.
We’ve had top recruits and prospects. We’ve had All-Stars and Hall of Famers. We’ve seen a bunch of National League pennants and two World Series championships. We’ve had College World Series appearances and a title from our schools.
But this year has been unique. Tech and Georgia have been competitive plenty, but to see both as top 5 programs makes our state a shining beacon of college baseball. The Braves, meanwhile, are off to their best start in over two decades. As good as they’ve been the past nine years, there haven’t been many who have been so fun to begin a season.
We’ll see how it ends, but that won’t erase the enjoyment these teams have provided. A credit to Georgia Tech, Georgia and the Braves for how they’ve represented the state.
We’ll start with the Yellow Jackets, the ACC’s regular season champs who rank No. 3 nationally entering the conference tournament. They’re 45-9, and what a delightful viewing experience they’ve been.
Tech’s offense is a behemoth. They hit for average. They slug. They boast star power. Coach James Ramsey’s group is one of the most prolific in recent memory. They’ve complemented that with a nice job in run prevention, leading the ACC in ERA.
The Jackets run-ruled Georgia 14-4 at Truist Park in their Spring Classic, so Tech faithful have the bragging rights. They might soon have a team to watch in Omaha, Nebraska, too. And the Jackets have a real chance at their first ACC Tournament championship since 2014.
Tech also has two standouts, catcher Vahn Lackey and outfielder Drew Burress, who are expected to be first-round picks in this summer’s draft. Notably, the Braves selected Burress out of high school and could have interest at No. 9 overall. Lackey will likely be long gone by the time the Braves pick. He’s projected as high as No. 3 to Minnesota — and he’ll be the latest in the lineage of Tech backstops in MLB.
The Bulldogs, the SEC’s regular season champs, are ranked just behind the Jackets at No. 4. They entered their conference tournament the betting favorites, and it would be their first time winning the SEC Tournament if they pull it off. Coach Wes Johnson’s club is more well-rounded than some of the past, with quality pitching to pair with an explosive offense that leads the nation in home runs (147).
Like Tech, Georgia fared well against better opponents. It became the first school in SEC history to win all five of its road series against top 25 opposition. Georgia’s offense ranks among the top 5 in the country in average, slugging percentage and runs per game. Its pitching hasn’t been as strong as Tech’s, but it’s done enough — particularly in SEC play — to complement the bats. The Bulldogs surrendered 5.09 runs per game with a .243 average against them.
A shoutout to Sandy Springs’ Daniel Jackson, the SEC’s player of the year. Jackson, who joined the 25-25 club as a catcher, is also a lauded draft prospect. He’s more athletic than the typical catcher and draws praise for his hard-hitting ability, making him a possible draftee over the first couple of rounds.
While Tech and Georgia fans will spar over their programs, they’ll come together for the Braves. They’re 34-16, building a comfortable lead in the NL East — nine games ahead of second place entering Thursday — and appearing well on their way to their eighth postseason berth in nine years.
The Braves do everything well to this point. Their offense is first in average and second in runs scored, home runs and OPS. Their pitching staff’s collective 3.11 ERA leads MLB. They’re eighth in fielding percentage, though it should be acknowledged the team has routinely made highlight-caliber snags to buoy its pitching.
There are individual standouts all over the place. First baseman Matt Olson is in early MVP discussions. Unheralded veterans like Mauricio Dubón and Dominic Smith have played their roles beautifully. Closer Raisel Iglesias still hasn’t allowed a run. New manager Walt Weiss and his staff rarely make miscues.
And the Braves aren’t near their final form. Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. just returned. Third baseman Austin Riley had a slow start. There are injuries all over the place, from those sustained in spring (such as starter Spencer Schwellenbach) to more recent (catcher Drake Baldwin). The Braves will improve on paper as the summer progresses. This team should enter October a viable threat to the reigning two-time champion Dodgers.
There’s a lot to play out with these three teams. It will be a defining weekend for the college programs, whereas the Braves have months before their most-telling period. But we’ll remember this spring fondly for how they’ve represented us.
Georgia loves baseball, and our teams have really rewarded us for it.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
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