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From Baseball America’s draft report for the state of Georgia:

The state’s college clubs had solid talent, with Georgia Tech likely to produce its fourth first-round pick in the last decade in lefthander Jed Bradley. But freshmen made up half of the Yellow Jackets’ roster, so the team’s impact on the draft would not be as strong as usual.

The state’s top performer was Georgia Tech righty Mark Pope, who emerged as the Yellow Jackets’ Friday starter and ace by going 11-4, 1.74. Scouts cited his lack of swing-and-miss stuff (88 SO in 114 IP) and lack of ceiling, though they expected him to be drafted ahead of some of the higher-ceiling high school prospects.

NATIONAL TOP 200 PROSPECTS

1. Jed Bradley, lhp, Georgia Tech (National Rank: 14)
2. Dwight Smith, of, McIntosh HS, Peachtree City (National Rank: 49)
4. Tyler Gibson, of, Stratford Academy, Macon (National Rank: 85)
7. Mark Pope, rhp, Georgia Tech (National Rank: 164)

OTHER PROSPECTS OF NOTE

9. Matt Skole, 3b, Georgia Tech
14. Connor Lynch, c, Pope HS, Marietta
18. Jake Burnette, rhp, Buford HS
20. Jacob Esch, rhp/ss, Georgia Tech
24. Josh Heddinger, rhp, Buford HS
25. Cole Pitts, rhp, Colquitt County HS, Moultrie
26. Kevin Jacob, rhp, Georgia Tech
51. Jake Davies, 1b, Georgia Tech

Mark Pope, rhp
Georgia Tech

Pope was highly regarded out of high school in Atlanta, leading his Walton High team to a state title as a junior and a runner-up finish as a senior. He was a 17th-round pick of the Braves but went to Georgia Tech, where he was a closer as a freshman and mid-week starter as a sophomore. Few were prepared for Pope to become the Yellow Jackets’ Friday starter as a junior, pushing likely first-rounder Jed Bradley to the Saturday spot. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference in wins (11) and innings (105) while ranking third in ERA (1.54) through the end of the regular season, yet he wasn’t impressing scouts. While he hit the mid-90s in high school, he now works with an 88-92 mph fastball with average life and command. He has good feel for his slider, either as a strike or a chase pitch, and most scouts grade it as major league average, more notable for its command than its bite. He’s more of a groundball pitcher than a strikeout artist, and his changeup gives him a decent third option. Pope doesn’t get rattled and pitched with a lot of confidence this season. Some scouts think there’s more in his arm if he can pitch off his four-seamer more as a pro. He was rising as the draft approached, though he had to leave his regional start with a back injury, which could make it tough to guess where he gets picked.

Georgia Tech has its own once-touted prospect who has faltered in

“Scouts don’t see another Top 200 prospect in the high school ranks in New Jersey, but they do see players with intriguing tools. Catcher Andrew Murray was a two-sport standout at Westfield High, the same high school that Stanford righthander Chris Jenkins attended. Murray is well put together at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds thanks to his time as a football player, but he’s let scouts know that he wants to play on the diamond. He has power and can handle the bat, but has below-average receiving skills and will likely end up as a first baseman or DH, putting a lot of pressure on his bat. He is committed to Georgia Tech.”

Two Tech pitchers and two recruits rate among Baseball America’s Top 200 Draft Prospects.

14. Jed Bradley

49. Dwight Smith Jr.

85. Tyler Gibson

164. Mark Pope

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CORNER OUTFIELDERS

SANDWICH ROUND TALENTS

Dwight Smith Jr. is

FIRST-ROUND TALENTS:

Jed Bradley was not drafted out of high school in Huntsville, Ala., but has pitched in the Yellow Jackets weekend rotation for the better part of the last three seasons as he has filled out his 6-foot-4 frame, going from 180-190 pounds when he came to school to a sturdy 224. A rotation stalwart his last two seasons, Bradley was at his best last summer, when he ranked as the Cape Cod League’s No. 4 prospect while tying for the league lead in strikeouts. While he’s not generally thought of as overpowering, Bradley knows how to miss bats. Scouts love his pitcher’s frame, and he has a clean, loose arm. Bradley’s fastball sits anywhere from 88-94 mph. In better starts, he’s at the higher end of that range, touching 95. His low 80s slider gives him a second plus pitch, and his changeup sits around 80 mph with fade. He had yet to give up a home run this season, and he earns high marks for his confidence and work ethic. Scouts have noticed Bradley’s stuff has not been as sharp out of the stretch this spring, and his changeup has lacked consistency, but he’s still expected to be drafted among the first 10 picks.