ATLANTA — Two Georgia Tech baseball players were selected in the 2020 MLB Draft on Thursday, marking the 40th consecutive year the Yellow Jackets have produced a selection and 20th-straight year Tech has had multiple picks.
Junior outfielder Michael Guldberg was selected in the third round (No. 98 overall) by the Oakland Athletics, while junior outfielder Baron Radcliff was selected in the fifth round (No. 146 overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies.
On the field for the shortened 2020 season (16 games), Guldberg amassed a whopping .450 batting average to lead the ACC, garnering 27 hits (five doubles) in 60 at-bats, striking out just three times total for the stretch. The Marietta, Ga. native was the last in Power 5 and one of the final three hitters in all of Division I to strikeout. “The Machine” reached base at a .521 clip and was 3-of-3 for stolen bases, while also managing a perfect fielding percentage in left field. Guldberg has finished No. 1 or 2 the last two seasons hitting in the ACC and has also been a first-team Academic All-American in the last two seasons.
For his career, Guldberg’s career batting average of .374 ranks eighth all-time at Georgia Tech and is the best hitter since current Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who hit .396 for his career in 2007-08.
Starting each of the Jackets’ 16 games in right field, Radcliff hit .259 for the season, amassing 15 hits, four doubles, two triples and three home runs to lead Tech with 17 RBI. Through 58 at-bats, the Norcross, Ga. native drew 13 walks for a .394 on-base percentage and slugged .552. In right field, he produced a solid .944 fielding percentage. For his career, the junior launched 19 home runs for 73 RBI, hitting .236 overall and slugging .470 to reach base at a .359 clip.
He was a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen bases for his career, all taken during his breakout sophomore year.
