Ahead of the February 13th opener, we continue previewing this year’s potent Georgia Tech lineup. Last year’s team saw a few impact freshman make a name for themselves, one of them being Drew Rogers who caught and DH’d for the Jackets and projects to get a lot more playing time this spring.
A highly touted recruit out of the state of Arizona in 2024, Rogers was ranked as the third best high school catcher in the country and made it to campus where he was the backup to Vahn Lackey last year. Known for his advanced defensive skills, Rogers showed off what he can provide at the plate as well, posting a 1.039 OPS across 92 plate appearances. Had he gotten enough playing time, Rogers would have qualified for a number of freshman awards. Vahn Lackey obviously had priority as the starting catcher, but Drew’s bat was able to warrant him some starts as the designated hitter, something that is rare for freshman. Headed into 2026, he’s expected to be the full-time DH while plugging in behind the plate when Lackey needs time off defensively.
Rogers has some serious power in his bat and that was evident last year as he launched six home runs in just 28 games. Two of those round-trippers came in postseason play as he hit one against both Cal and Clemson in the ACC tournament. With the chance to be in the everyday lineup this spring, there’s no telling how much more power he might be able to tap into. At 6’1 and 220 pounds, he’s built for the long ball. He did run a very high strikeout rate a year ago at 35.9%, so unless he can bring that number down with more experience, the below average contact skills are a sacrifice the lineup will have to make in order to have his power in the lineup along with his defensive skills behind the plate when needed.
When he is given the chance to catch this spring, Rogers will be an impact defender. As Georgia Tech continues to churn out catchers, with Vahn Lackey being the most recent, there is no better place for Rogers to develop as a defender than where he is now. His arm strength and pop times certainly stand out as he caught six out of ten would-be base stealers a year ago and continues to improve as a receiver and blocker. Although his offensive profile comes with variance, the Jackets can be confident that the catcher position will be in good hands when Rogers fills in for Lackey.
Headed into his sophomore year, Rogers’ plus raw power and skills as a defender could certainly lead to him emerging as one of the bigger producers on the roster in 2026 as the Jackets look to return to Omaha for the first time since 2006.
More on Georgia Tech baseball:
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Georgia Tech Baseball Player Preview: Vahn Lackey
With the February 13th opener this Friday, it’s time to round out the player preview series, with Vahn Lackey being the second to last player we’ll be specifically taking a look at.
Georgia Tech Baseball Focus 
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