Last season, the starting pitching for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets could have been argued as being a strength for the team, as they finished with a 4.87 ERA, and while the starting rotation does lose ace Mason Patel, the team is geared up and ready for a big 2026 season.
The Yellow Jackets return two pitchers that were key to the starting rotation next season: Brady Jones and Tate McKee, who both remained in the starting rotation the entire season, and Riley Stanford, who started last season in the pitching rotation, but found his way out of it during the second half of the season.
Being able to bring back three players from their five man rotation is something that new Yellow Jackets head coach James Ramsey should be thankful for, as that production will be a huge part of the Yellow Jackets success next season.
On top of that, Ramsey brought in a starting pitcher from Rutgers last season, Justin Shadek, to end the bottom of the rotation for the 2026 season, and will have a handful of pitchers returning to the team that could take that fifth spot in Caden Spivey, Chicoli Connor, or Carson Ballard. Maybe Ramsey uses a combination of the three next season to give them all experience on the mound.
One thing is for sure though with the Yellow Jackets in 2026: the starting pitching will either be top heavy, or one of the deepest rotations within the ACC, with only time to tell which direction it goes.