Scouting Report: Drew Burress – OF – Georgia Tech
Bats/Throws: R/R | Height/Weight: 5’9” / 180 lbs | Class: Sophomore | Age: 20
MLB Comps: Dan Uggla (stance/load/power), Vladimir Guerrero Junior (hitch/hand quickness/bat speed)
Hitting
At the plate, Drew Burress stays upright and then loads his weight onto his back foot, which allows him to explode to the ball with tremendous bat speed, driving the ball to all fields. His load and bat movement bring his hands closer to his body, allowing him to reach any pitch in the strike zone. Having the ability to hit the ball to all fields is impressive and valuable in and of itself, but Burress can hit the ball to all fields with power as well as contact.
In his program record four home run performance during his freshman campaign in 2024, Burress hit two home runs to left field, one to left center and waited on an outside fastball and deposited it into the trees in right field near the foul pole. Four home runs in a game is an incredible feat but having the discipline to stay back on a pitch on the outer third and drive it to the opposite field is as impressive. His pitch recognition and ability to stay back and let the ball to travel are what stand out most to me. Many less disciplined college power hitters would get out in front of a curveball and roll it over to their pull side. His plate discipline is highlighted by his career 111 walks to 79 strikeouts thus far at Georgia Tech.
Watching Burress at the plate, my immediate player comparison is Dan Uggla. Looking at the two of them side by side it is easy to see. Both players start with an open stance, load their weight onto the back foot, and have explosive mechanics that allow them to quickly turn on pitches and drive the ball with tremendous power. Burress’ pre-swing hitch and quick hands are also reminiscent of Vladimir Guerrero Junior.
Below is a video of Uggla and Burress’ swings side by side to further illustrate the similarities.
Here’s a comparison of Burress and Guerrero as they load up to swing.
Defense and Baserunning:
In addition to his tremendous hitting tools, Burress has plus speed, both on the basepaths and in the outfield. His speed allows him to take efficient routes to fly balls, helping to keep runners in check. For his 5’9″ frame, he has a strong arm, but it would not be surprising to see him shift to a corner outfield in his professional career. Especially if he adds more muscle to further enhance his power tool. While he is speedy, weaker arms lend themselves to the corner outfield positions as they are not as physically demanding as centerfield.
Although stealing bases is not a focal point of his game, he stole 10 bases in 2025 while only getting caught stealing once. He has good speed for such a strong power bat, and combined with situational awareness on the basepaths and in the outfield, he has become a complete player on both sides of the ball.
Conclusion
While Burress has been lauded for his offensive abilities, his numbers dipped slightly in his sophomore season. Looking at his stats, it seems as though the ACC has figured him out somewhat. That said he still performed tremendously hitting .333 with a 1.162 OPS. He will definitely be one of the first names off the board next year.
While the draft lottery has not yet been announced I think Burress would be a tremendous addition in the Athletics organization. He would fit right in with the plethora of great hitters the A’s have taken out of college ball in recent years. Combining the contact abilities of Jacob Wilson with the power strokes of Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers could make the A’s lineup akin to a modern-day Murderers’ Row.
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