Nov. 15, 2016
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech baseball head coach Danny Hall announced Tuesday the signing of 13 student-athletes – 12 from the state of Georgia – to National Letters of Intent to continue both their academic and athletic careers at Georgia Tech beginning in the fall of 2017.
The 2017 recruiting class is ranked No. 22 nationally by Perfect Game. Click Here for the full rankings.
“I really like this class. I feel like we’ve had two really good classes here in a row and this will be our third. We’ll sweat the draft a little bit on a few guys, which we do every year. I think we’ve added pitching depth, we’ve added infield depth, we’ve got outfielders and we’ve got a catcher so I think that this is a multi-faceted group. I think the fact that many of these young men are two-sport athletes gives us a chance to play guys at different positions which can really add to the depth of the team and I think that it increases their chances at getting playing time right away as a freshman,” stated Coach Hall. “All told, I think it is a really, really good and competitive class. We’re extremely excited about this class. Again, I think that the fact that we’ve put three really good classes in a row together gives us a chance to compete at a really high level not only in our league, but nationally.”
2017 Georgia Tech Baseball Incoming Class:
Oscar Serratos
Lawrenceville, Georgia – Grayson
6-3 * 195 * R/R
SS/RHP
East Cobb Astros
A middle infielder and right-handed pitcher, Serratos is ranked No. 4 overall in the state of Georgia at the shortstop position and No. 17 overall for the class of 2017 by Perfect Game. He is also ranked No. 36 overall at the shortstop spot and No. 181 overall nationally by Perfect Game in the class of 2017. A two-time Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American selection in 2015 and 2016, his Team Elite 17’s Prime team won the 2016 18U BCS Championships, while his East Cobb Astros team won the 2016 and 2014 WWBA Championships. He was named to the 2016 17U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2016 WWBA SE Qualifier 1 All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team and the 2015 15U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team. Last year as a junior, he hit .414 with 29 hits, 15 RBIs and 28 runs scored over 25 games for Grayson High School to pick up all-region and all-county honors.
Coach Hall on Serratos:
“Oscar is a two-way player for us because we like him as an infielder and we also like him as a pitcher. I think that he certainly has a really big upside. He’s really good defensively and can really pitch. He has great feel for pitching. We’re really excited to get him into our program.”
Kale Ledford
Oxford, Georgia – George Walton Academy
6-0 * 175 * R/R
C/3B
Georgia Jackets
Perfect Game ranks Ledford at No. 5 at the catcher position and No. 18 overall for the class of 2017 in the state of Georgia. The Oxford, Ga. native is ranked No. 21 nationally behind the plate and No. 185 overall by Perfect Game. A 2016 PG Underclassmen First-Team All-American and a 2015 PG Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American, Ledford hit .376 with six home runs, six triples, 12 doubles, 42 RBIs and 26 runs scored last season for George Walton Academy. He was named the 2016 Co-Player of the Year in Georgia’s Region 8-A and earned a spot on the 2016 Georgia Dugout Class A All-State First Team. Ledford was also named to the 2015 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase Top Prospect Team and the 2014 National Underclass Showcase Top Prospect Team. While playing with the Georgia Jackets, he earned a spot on the 2014 Perfect Game Elite Underclass Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2014 15U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team, the 2014 Perfect Game WWBA 14U national Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2013 Perfect Game 14U BCS All-Tournament Team.
Coach Hall on Ledford:
“Kale can play a lot of positions on the field. He played in a really good summer program in the Georgia Jackets. He has played third and can catch. He has one of the quickest releases from behind the plate probably in the country and he’s a good hitter. Kale’s played at a high level for a long time and we are excited to get him in here. We think that he can help us in a couple of different ways either in the infield or definitely behind the plate.”
Crews Taylor
Lawrenceville, Georgia – Archer
6-1 * 180 * L/R
SS/RHP
Mission Team
A 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American and a 2015 PG Underclassmen Honorable Mention All-American, Taylor is rated as the No. 19 best shortstop prospect out of the state of Georgia and No. 178 at the shortstop position nationally by Perfect Game. Taylor, who is also ranked as the No. 92 prospect overall for the 2017 class in the Peach State, earned a spot on the 2016 WWBA SE Qualifier 2 All-Tournament Team, the 2016 17U WWBA Qualifier All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U Super 28 All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U WWBA national Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2015 16U WWBA Qualifier All-Tournament Team. Last season as a junior, he hit .370 with 27 hits, 15 RBIs and 31 runs scored to earn all-state and all-county honors.
Coach Hall on Taylor:
“Crews is a middle infielder and a left-handed bat. He is a really competitive kid. He is one of those guys that because he is such a good athlete that he can play a lot of positions, but we see him as a middle infielder. We like the fact that he hits left-handed and we look forward to getting him here and working with him.”
Jake Brace
Suwanee, Georgia – North Gwinnett
5-11 * 170 * R/R
RHP/INF
Team Elite Prime
The senior hurler is ranked No. 15 in the state of Georgia and No. 293 nationally among right-handed pitchers by Perfect Game. Brace was a 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American his junior year after earning honorable mention accolades in 2015 as a sophomore. Last season as a junior, he led his North Gwinnett team to a 17-11 overall record and a 10-4 region record and earned 2016 Georgia Dugout Class AAAAAA All-State Honorable Mention recognition. He posted a 6-1 record in 10 appearances for North Gwinnett, turning in a 1.71 ERA over 49 innings of work his junior season to earn Gwinnett Daily Post First-Team All-County recognition. As a member of Team Elite 17’s Prime, his team won the 2016 18U BCS Championships. He was named to the 2016 WWBA World Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2016 WWBA National Qualifier All-Tournament Team, both the 2016 WWBA SE Qualifier 1 and 2 All-Tournament Teams, the 2016 18U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2016 18U BCS Finals All-Tournament Team.
Coach Hall on Brace:
“Jake is a pitcher, just a pitch-ability guy. He’s not going to wow you with size and he’s not going to wow you with velocity, but he throws three pitches for strikes and is just a very efficient guy. He played at North Gwinnett High School and in the Team Elite program which is one of the best amateur programs in the country. He is also a really smart kid, I think he got a perfect score on the SAT in Math, so definitely a good fit for Georgia Tech.”
Baron Radcliff
Peachtree Corners, Georgia – Norcross
6-4 * 212 * L/R
OF
Ninth Inning Royals
Perfect Game ranks Radcliff as the No. 8 outfielder and the No. 13 overall prospect in the state of Georgia for the class of 2017. Radcliff, who is also a standout quarterback for the Blue Devils, is ranked No. 41 nationally at the outfield position and is ranked No. 161 overall for the class of 2017 by PG. Last spring, he drove in 28 RBIs for Norcross’ Final Four team that advanced to the state semifinals for the first time since 1963. A 2016 Georgia Dugout Class AAAAAA All-State Honorable Mention selection and a 2016 Gwinnett Daily Post All-County Second Team selection, Radcliff’s father Vic Radcliff was drafted by the Kansas City Royals and played professional baseball from 1995-2000. As a member of the Ninth Inning Royals team, he earned all-tournament team accolades at the 2016 17U PG Evoshield Classic, at the 2016 17U BCS Finals, at the 2016 17U WWBA Qualifier, at the 2016 17U PG/EC Invitational and at the 2016 18U Memorial Day at LakePoint event.
Coach Hall on Radcliff:
“Baron is a great athlete. Probably a little raw as a baseball player, but one of those guys that we look at and say `Man, I can’t wait to work with this guy’. He has kind of been split between doing mostly football and some baseball, and so to see that kid and say we got a chance to get him nine months out of the year playing baseball there is a lot to dream on. He has great size, a great throwing arm and has power. I like the fact that he is the quarterback at Norcross High School which is one of the best state high school football programs in Georgia which shows he is an elite athlete. I think that when he concentrates on baseball he has the chance to be a really, really good player.”
Cameron Turley
Dacula, Georgia – Mill Creek
6-4 * 200 * R/R
C/INF/RHP
Georgia Jackets
A two-sport standout athlete at Mill Creek, Turley is ranked No. 8 overall at the catcher position and No. 46 overall in the state of Georgia in the class of 2017 by Perfect Game. A two-time Perfect Game Underclassmen Honorable Mention All-American (2015 and 2016), Turley is ranked as the No. 55 catching prospect nationally by Perfect Game. Last year, Turley was a 2016 Gwinnett Daily Post All-County Second Team selection on the diamond. Also a quarterback on the nationally ranked Mill Creek football team this season, Turley took part in the 2016 Perfect Game National Showcase in which he ranked in the top-10 in both catcher throwing velocity and poptime. He was a member of the 2014 15U BCS Championship Team, the 2014 WWBA 2017 Grads National Championship Team and the 2014 15U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational Championship Team. With the Georgia Jackets he was named to the 2016 17U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational All-Tournament Team, the 2016 18U Memorial Day at LakePoint All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team and the 2014 15U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team.
Coach Hall on Turley:
“A lot like Baron, Cam has been the starting quarterback at Mill Creek, one of the best high school programs in the state as well. He catches, pitches and plays for the Georgia Jackets, so he and Kale Ledford have played together for a while. He is really good defensively. He has a great body. Again, he is a guy that has spent a lot of time playing football, so we are excited to see what he can do when we get a chance to work with him on a daily basis as a baseball player. We’re really excited about Cam.”
Luke Waddell
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland
5-9 * 190 * L/R
SS/2B
Midland Tribe
Perfect Game ranks Waddell as the No. 3 shortstop and the No. 11 overall prospect in the state of Ohio for the class of 2017. Also ranked No. 141 nationally overall at the shortstop position by PG, Waddell is a two-time Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American (2015 and 2016). Last season as a junior, he helped lead his Loveland High School team to a 21-6 overall record and a 13-3 conference record to earn both First-Team All-Ohio Division I and Eastern Cincinnati Conference First-Team All-Conference accolades. He hit .500 with 42 hits, nine doubles and six triples, and drove in 22 RBIs in 25 games in 2016 as a junior at Loveland. As a sophomore, Waddell hit .404 with 36 hits, 23 runs, 18 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.
Coach Hall on Waddell:
“Luke is a two-sport athlete in Cincinnati. He is a really good high school running back up there in the state of Ohio, where much like Georgia high school football is the king. He plays in the Cincinnati Midland program, which again is a perennial power with the likes of two hall of famers in Barry Larkin and Ken Griffey, Jr. that played in that program. Luke is a middle infielder and lead-off hitter. A lot of people will tell you that they believe he is the best baseball player in the state of Ohio and I believe that. A fast guy that can really impact the game, not offensively, but he can also impact it defensively.”
Michael Guldberg
Marietta, Georgia – Walton
6-0 * 170 * R/R
SS/2B
East Cobb Yankees
Recognized as a 2016 All-NHSI Honorable Mention at the National High School Invitational event, Guldberg helped to lead his Walton High School team two a sweep of Pope to win the Georgia High School Association Class AAAAAA State Championship title and a 32-4 overall record in 2016. Tabbed a 2016 Under Armor Preseason All-American, he went on to be named a 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American. Ranked as the No. 11 shortstop prospect and the No. 62 overall player in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game, he was also named to the all-region first-team and was an all-county honorable mention selection as a sophomore in 2015. As a member of the East Cobb Yankees, he was a key part in the Yankees winning the 2015 15U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational and the 2014 14U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational. He was named to a number of all-tournament teams such as the 2016 WWBA National Qualifier All-Tournament Team, the 2016 18U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2016 18U Memorial Day at LakePoint All-Tournament Team, the 2015 WWBA National Qualifier All-Tournament Team, the 2015 15U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team and the 2015 16U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational All-Tournament Team to name a few.
Coach Hall on Guldberg:
“Michael plays in a really good high school program that were the state champs last year in Walton. He played this past summer for the East Cobb Yankees that were the Connie Mack World Series Champions. Michael is a really good athlete that can play any position on the field. The biggest thing on Michael is that he can play a lot of positions. He is a right-handed hitter, a good hitter, but has a really, really good baseball IQ. Another thing a lot of people don’t know about Michael is that his dad is the Executive Director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience here at Georgia Tech.”
Devonte Brown
Newnan, Georgia – East Coweta
5-10 * 175 * R/R
SS/RHP
Home Plate Chilidogs Searcy
Ranked as the No. 5 shortstop and the No. 30 overall prospect in the state of Georgia for the class of 2017 by Perfect Game, Brown was a 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American last year as a junior. Brown, who is also ranked nationally by Perfect Game as the No. 55 athlete at the shortstop position is also a right-handed pitcher on his East Coweta baseball team. Brown, who is also a running back on the East Coweta football team, led his ECHS Indians baseball team to its fourth straight region title and an overall record of 22-8 in 2016. As a member of the Home Plate Chili Dogs Searcy summer team, Brown earned 2015 16U WWBA National Championship and 2015 16U Memorial Day at LakePoint All-Tournament Team honors.
Coach Hall on Brown:
“Devonte is very athletic and plays in the infield and pitches. He is just really, really athletic and one of those guys that we are looking forward to working with every day. He has a chance to be a great player and we’re excited to have him and certainly look forward to getting him in here. Devonte’s athletic ability just jumps out at you.”
Joseph Mannelly
Atlanta, Georgia – Marist
6-3 * 215 * L/L
1B/LHP/OF
East Cobb Yankees
Mannelly is ranked as the No. 6 prospect at first base and the No. 72 overall prospect in the class of 2017 for the state of Georgia by Perfect Game. The 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American and the 2015 PG Underclassmen All-American Honorable Mention is also ranked No. 25 overall nationally at first base by Perfect Game. He helped lead his Marist baseball team to a 25-7 overall record and a perfect 18-0 record in region play last year as a junior. As a member of the 6-4-3 DP Cougars summer team, he was on the PG Super25 Championship Team and the 2015 16U WWBA Memorial Day at LakePoint Championship team. He also was named to the 2015 16U Memorial Day at LakePoint All-Tournament Team, the 2015 15U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational All-Tournament Team and both the 2014 and 2013 BCS Finals All-Tournament Teams.
Coach Hall on Mannelly:
“Joseph is from Marist High School, so he gets a chance to get tutored by Charlie Leibrandt who pitched in the Major Leagues for a long time. He also played last summer with the East Cobb Yankees. A left-handed pitcher who is a lot like Jed Bradley. When Jed came here he was a 6-4 lefty that threw 84 mph and ended up throwing 94 mpg when he left here. Joseph throws harder than Jed, I’ve seen him touch 90 mph. He is a big kid, 6-4, plays football at Marist where he is actually a tackle. Again, one of those guys that we are excited to get him to play baseball year around where he has a huge upside as a left-handed pitcher. He comes very a very athletic family, as his dad played football at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz. Joseph plays in a very, very competitive football and baseball program at Marist and we look forward to getting him down here at Tech.”
Colin Hall
Alpharetta, Georgia – Wesleyan School
5-11 * 175 * L/R
OF/RHP
East Cobb Yankees
A 2016 Georgia Dugout Class AA All-State First-Team selection, Hall is ranked at No. 10 in the outfield and No. 22 overall by Perfect Game for the state of Georgia. Named as a 2016 Perfect Game Underclassmen First-Team All-American, Hall is ranked No. 46 in the outfield and No. 199 overall nationally by Perfect Game for the class of 2017. Last year as a junior, he earned 2016 Gwinnett Daily Post All-County First-Team honors as well, as he hit .406 with two home runs, 19 RBIs, 33 runs scored, nine stolen bases and 15 doubles. Hall, who was also named a 2015 PG Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American, has participated in both the 2016 National Showcase and the 2015 National Junior Showcase events where he was ranked in the top-10 in outfielder throwing velocity and time to impact to help him earn a PG Grade 10 overall. Playing for the East Cobb Yankees, Hall was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player at the 2015 16U BCS Finals. He also earned all-tournament team accolades at the 2015 WWBA SE Qualifier 2, the 2015 16U Perfect Game World Series, the 2015 16U WWBA National Championship, the 2015 16U BCS Finals and the 2014 16U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational. Hall’s older brother Carter is a sophomore on the Tech baseball team this year.
Coach Hall on Hall:
“Colin is my son, but I think for many years he has had to look up to his brother (Carter) and watch his brother play. Probably two years ago, I think he really came into his own as a baseball player. He has always been able to hit and he can really throw so he can impact the game not only offensively, but also defensively. Just a natural guy that can hit the ball all over the baseball field. He has worked really hard to become a good outfielder. He is really going to have a plus tool with his arm. Colin kind of came into his own two years ago when he played for Team Elite and then he had a really good summer with the East Cobb Yankees last summer. I feel blessed to get a chance to coach both he and his brother while they are both here at Tech. More importantly, just the fact that he, like his brother, will end up getting a degree from Georgia Tech.”
Brant Hurter
Canton, Georgia – Woodstock
6-6 * 230 * L/L
LHP/1B
6-4-3 Cougars
Perfect Game ranks Hurter as the No. 2 left-handed pitcher and the No. 21 overall prospect in the class of 2017 from the state of Georgia. Also ranked nationally as the No. 21 lefty and No. 198 overall prospect by PG, Hurter was named the 6-4-3 Pitcher of the Year in 2015. Recognized by PG as a 2016 Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American and a 2015 Underclassmen All-American Honorable Mention, Hurter participated in the 2016 National Showcase event where he was part of the FB 90 Plus group, the top-10 velocity group at first base and was rated a PG Grade 10 overall. He was a part of five championships with the 6-4-3 Cougars, winning the 2016 17U PG Super25 National Championship, the 2016 18U PG Evoshield Classic, the 2016 17U PG Evoshield Classic, the 2016 17U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational and the 2015 WWBA 2017 Grads National Championship Qualifier. He was also named the Tournament Most Valuable Pitcher at both the 2016 17U Super25 and the 2016 17U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational events.
Coach Hall on Hurter:
“Brant is a 6-5 lefty that plays in the 6-4-3 program, which again we are blessed in this state to have so many great amateur programs. He is one of those guys that has gotten better every year and he just continues to get better. He was an integral part of some great tournament wins for the 6-4-3 program this past summer at the national level. He is very talented, but can still get a lot better. We look forward to getting him in here.”
Hugh Chapman
Smyrna, Georgia – Holy Innocents Episcopal
6-3 * 205 * R/R
RHP/C
6-4-3 Cougars
Rated as the No. 2 right-handed pitcher and the No. 41 overall prospect in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game for the class of 2017, he led his high school team of Holy Innocents Episcopal to a 25-13 overall record as a junior in 2016. Tabbed a 2016 PG Underclassmen High Honorable Mention All-American, Chapman is a teammate of fellow Tech signee Brant Hurter with the 6-4-3 Cougars. He was a part of five championships with the 6-4-3 Cougars, winning the 2016 17U PG Super25 National Championship, the 2015 15U Super25, the 2016 18U PG Evoshield Classic, the 2016 17U PG Evoshield Classic and the 2016 17U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational. Chapman was also named to a number of all-tournament teams with the Cougars, most notably the 2016 17U Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational All-Tournament Team, the 2016 17U WWBA Qualifier All-Tournament Team, the 2016 17U PG Evoshield Classic All-Tournament Team, the 2015 16U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament Team and the 2015 16U WWBA National Championship All-Tournament Team.
Coach Hall on Chapman:
“Hugh also played at 6-4-3, where he and Brant were on the same team. He is a right-handed pitcher that comes highly recommended from Jay Hood, one of our former players that helps coach him at Holy Innocents. Hugh is a competitive kid that plays basketball as well as baseball. He has good size. He has a really good fastball and a good breaking ball. Again, when you get these two-sport athletes and just get them concentrating on baseball once they get to college they usually can make a really big jump and I like that Hugh will be one of those guys.”
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