With the College World Series and MLB Draft officially in the rear-view mirror, the Yellow Jackets have captured quite a bit of momentum in the last handful of days.
While some of that momentum came in the form of transfers that are set to join the roster for next season, there have also been some large commitments for future classes.
Two of those commitments, Carson Kerce of Pope and Kyle Henley of Denmark, spent some time with JOL to discuss their decisions to commit to Danny Hall and the rest of the Georgia Tech coaching staff.
“For me, growing up 25 minutes from GT, I’ve always been around the campus and the athletics programs,” said Kerce when asked about his decision. “I know I will get a tremendous education as well.”
Henley had a similar explanation for the reason behind his commitment.
“I have always loved GT,” he said. ” Not just for the sports side of things, either. The academics are huge too, and it is close to home.”
Henley went in-depth on the moment he let coach James Ramsey know that Georgia Tech was going to be his future home.
“So I had just got off the phone with coach Ramsey, and me and my family sat down and talked about it for a while. I called him later that night with my family and told him. The family was so excited and so wasI.
I could really see how my proud my parents were in that moment; it was just an amazing feeling I will never forget.”
The duo of Kerce and Henley are 2/3 of a recent hot-streak that GT has seen in the 2023 class. Fellow Georgia Bomber and close friend Tyler Minnick is the third. The three in-state targets for GT had long been in discussion about committing to play on the Flats. Once one domino dropped, the others followed quickly.
“We have all grown very close,” said Henley. “We have been talking about going to GT all summer. We all play for Georgia Bombers 16u team, so once I found out they both committed, it only felt right I did also.
I had not met Carson and Tyler until this Spring, so it just kinda became a natural friendship. It definitely was not planned but it worked out an a amazing way.”
Henley projects as a speedy OF, while Kerce will likely start out in the middle infield.
Kerce gave a nice self-scouting report of himself, as it is likely many GT fans have never seen him play.
“I’d say I’m a really quick twitch athlete who can move and make plays in the field look easy because of my reads on the ball and my footwork in the infield. I’d say I have plus speed, my swing ends up working the gaps when I’m hitting leading to many doubles and triples. I’d credit the improvement on offensive side of the ball to all of the work I have put in with Wes Rynders and the other coaches that we have with the Georgia Bombers.”