Live Looks: Northwestern vs. Georgia Tech 2/27-2/28/26

A bright sunny afternoon the day after rain always makes for some perfect baseball. No rainbows were present, but gold was still found atop the heads of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are among the top ranked teams in the country and Northwestern isn’t a slouch either. In the couple games I was in attendance for, there were many players who caught my eye.

Below are the players that stood out in this Big 10 vs ACC matchup.

Drew Burress, CF Georgia Tech

It wouldn’t be a Georgia Tech piece if I didn’t include Drew Burress. Entering the season, Burress ranked as my personal #2 college prospect and #3 overall, which I would say is about where he places in the general consensus. He patrolled center field for both games and nothing on the defensive end exactly wowed me. There was a missed fly due to the sun in the second game, but I’ll give more lenience because it was extremely bright that day and the sun came from behind the plate right into his eyes. However, there were a couple reads on fairly routine plays that I felt could’ve had better reactions. The jumps were late and while the plays were easily made, the natural instinct especially needed in center isn’t quite there.

What makes Burress the prospect he is isn’t his defense. His bat is top of the class talent, and it radiated at the plate. While not doing anything splashy in the two days I got to watch, he perfected all the minor things that complete a ballplayer. Not once did he look overmatched in his ten plate appearances. He knew when to spit on breaking pitches and recognized the sequencing. He knew to wait for the fastballs to pounce on taking each one of his hits up the middle. He hustled for two doubles and perfectly read the outfielders to know to take that extra base. The instincts may not be there on the defensive end but they’re certainly there on the basepaths where his plus speed can provide great value. I did come away with viewing his power at a more average grade due to his bat path being more line drive oriented, specifically with pitches on the outer edge of the plate. He still safely ranks as a top 10 talent with a high floor and moderate ceiling.

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