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Versatile ACC outfielder linked to the Cardinals in latest mock originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Georgia Tech is a powerhouse this season. At this point in the year, they hold a 30-5 record, which is good enough to be ranked the No. 2 team in the nation, right behind UCLA.
A big part of the reason for the Yellow Jackets' success this season is what they can do offensively. The team is led by two elite sluggers, Vahn Lackey and Drew Burress.
And both of these sluggers are top draft prospects, and could hear their name called early when the draft rolls along later this summer.
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Versatile ACC outfielder linked to the Cardinals in latest mock
Vahn has been able to lift himself this season to a higher draft stock. He's seen by some as the second-best option behind UCLA's Roch Cholowsky and could be selected by the Tampa Bay Rays.
For Burress, he isn't swinging it like he did last season, but is still viewed as a top-15 pick. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter projects him to land as the 13th overall pick, heading to the St. Louis Cardinals.
"After slugging 44 home runs and showing elite on-base skills during his first two seasons at Georgia Tech, Burress entered the spring as one of the top bats on the board. He is hitting .333/.472/.589 this spring that represents a 104-point dip in his slugging percentage, and he has just seven home runs in 35 games. He is still a first-round pick, but the downturn in over-the-fence production moves him 5-10 spots down the board."
While this isn't good news for Burress, it could be for the Cardinals. A top-of-the-line bat falling to them while still putting up good production is something front offices dream about.
However, he is a bit undersized, standing at 5'9", and there are some concerns with him not having much experience with a wood bat. Despite that, he is a hard worker, and scouts believe he will have no problem sticking in center field at the next level.
More MLB news:
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- Athletics could prioritize pure talent over health with their first-round pick
- Orioles projected to take a chance on hard-hitting Virginia transfer in MLB Draft
- Rays projected to take red-hot Georgia Tech slugger in MLB Draft
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