- Georgia Tech’s ACC Basketball Schedule Announced - September 13, 2018
- Georgia Tech Falls On The Road To South Florida - September 8, 2018
- Bart Named 2018 Johnny Bench Award Finalist - June 5, 2018
THE FLATS – Senior second baseman Wade Bailey and junior catcher Joey Bart have been elected as Georgia Tech baseball team captains for the upcoming 2018 season, head coach Danny Hall announced on Wednesday. The captains were selected in a team vote.
“I am thrilled to have those two guys leading our team, leading in the clubhouse and fully expect not only great leadership but also great play out of them this season,” stated Coach Hall.
Both Bailey and Bart have been recognized as preseason all-Americans by multiple outlets this season. Bailey has been named a NCBWA all-America second team selection and also earned a spot on the College Baseball preseason all-America third team. Bart is a consensus preseason all-American, as the third-year Jacket has already been recognized as a preseason all-American by Perfect Game/Rawlings, Baseball America (first team), NCBWA (second team), D1Baseball (second team), presented by adidas, and Collegiate Baseball (third team).
“Wade is in his fourth year here, started all four years, and is a tremendous player first of all and secondly is probably one of the hardest workers on our team. He is always down at the field working on something to get better. I know that he cares deeply about our team and his teammates,” continued Coach Hall.
A four-year starter in 2018, Bailey played and started in all 55 games for the Jackets last season where he led the team and ranked eighth overall in the ACC on the season with a .347 batting average. The middle infielder also led the team and finished tied for first overall in the ACC in doubles (21), fourth in runs scored (63) and eighth in hits (82). He also led the team with three triples, 27 walks and a .420 on-base percentage on the year. Bailey was second on the team with a .538 slugging percentage and six stolen bases, and was third on the team with 38 RBIs for the season. Bailey totaled 23 multi-hit games, 10 multi-RBI games and had a career-high 17-game hitting streak last season.
“Joey is only a junior, but obviously is one of our best players and one of the best players in the country. Again, he works extremely hard and wants to get better every day. I think having his teammates recognize that, one, he is a really good player and, two, that he works extremely hard is an honor,” said Hall.
A junior, Bart, like Bailey was named a team captain for the first time. A 2017 Johnny Bench award semifinalist, an ABCA/Rawlings all-region second team selection and an all-ACC second team honoree last year as a sophomore, Bart played and started in 44 games on the year last season. Despite missing the last 11 games of the season due to a hand injury, Bart hit .296 with a team-high 13 home runs and 43 RBIs on the season. He also totaled 55 base hits, including 13 doubles, and scored 36 runs. The power-hitting righty, who led the team with a .575 slugging percentage on the year, also recorded 12 multi-hit games, nine multi-RBI games and posted a career-long hitting streak of 10 games in late February to mid-March last season.
Tech will open up the 2018 season with the Atlanta Challenge on Feb. 16-18. The Yellow Jackets will host Minnesota on Feb. 16, Bradley on Feb. 17 and UConn on Feb. 18.