AUGUSTA, Ga. – Former Augusta University baseball standout Kyle Lodise was selected as the first pick in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday evening. Lodise was picked 76th overall by the Chicago White Sox.
A Brunswick, Ga., native, Lodise spent two seasons at Augusta before transferring to Georgia Tech for the 2025 season. During his time as a Jaguar, he established himself as one of the Peach Belt Conference's most dynamic offensive threats.
As a freshman in 2023, Lodise started all 50 games and was named the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. He hit .333 with 72 hits, 59 runs scored, and a team-high nine home runs. He followed that up with an even more dominant sophomore campaign in 2024, leading the Jaguars with a .369 batting average, 65 hits, 14 home runs, 49 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. He earned Southeast Region Player of the Week honors in March 2024 after homering in four straight games and driving in 12 RBI across a four-game stretch before repeating as a PBC Team All-Conference selection.
"We are very proud of Kyle and his continued hard work," Augusta head coach Chris Howell said. "Kyle was a big part of our program for 2 years. He approached the game with passion and hard work from the first day he arrived here. He broke records and established friendships through Augusta University, and we are proud of his accomplishments at Georgia Tech and look forward to watching his professional career."
Lodise joined the Yellow Jackets for his draft-eligible season and made an immediate impact. He started 55 games at shortstop, slashing .329/.429/.667 with 39 extra-base hits—second-most in the ACC—and led the team in triples (3), while ranking second in runs (68), doubles (20), home runs (16), and walks (34). He was perfect on the basepaths with 13 stolen bases in as many attempts and led the Georgia Tech defense with 140 assists. He was named second-team All-ACC and was a Brooks Wallace Award semifinalist, given to the nation's top collegiate shortstop.
His standout year helped him climb draft boards throughout the season, culminating in his selection by the White Sox. Lodise was selected as the 1st pick of the 3rd round (76th overall) by the Chicago White Sox on the first day of the 2025 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.