Another nice portal pickup for Wes Johnson

Georgia continues to make waves in the NCAA transfer portal, Friday picking up Texas-Arlington infielder Ryan Black.

A native of Grand Prairie, Texas, Black is coming off a sophomore season that saw him bat .278 with five homers and 41 RBI.

However, he’s capable of much more than that.

As a freshman, Black hit .336 with seven home runs and led UTA with 57 RBI.

Black was rated the 9th-best player in the transfer portal by @64Analaytics and is expected to make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs in 2025.

"It was a pretty quick process. When I came down for my visit, I loved the city, I loved the city of Athens, the campus was beautiful, the campus was awesome, the facilities were beautiful and they're getting more done to it," Black said in a telephone interview with UGASports. "I just figured this was the place I was going to develop and Georgia was going to make me the best player I can be. Georgia checked all my boxes."

Another in a line of versatile performers coveted by head coach Wes Johnson, Black can play shortstop, second base, as well as the outfield.

"Coach Johnson likes the more versatile player and he told me his plans for me was to be bouncing around the infield between second, short, and third," said Black, who took an official visit to Georgia on Wednesday. "That's what I'm looking forward to."

Black said he's also looking forward to spending time in the new hitting area that's part of Georgia's Phase 2 reconstruction project at Foley Field.

"Those things are important because that's where you go to work every day. You don't want to be in some cages where you can't really see. You want to go to work at a place that you just love. You don't want to go work in cages that you don't like," Black said. "You've got to go somewhere where you love to hit. With the brand new cages, a brand new hitting lab, I felt that's just the perfect place for me."

The opportunity to work with hitting coach Will Coggin. also appealed to Black's desire to become a Bulldog.

"It was eye-opening. It was extremely eye-opening," Black said of his meeting with Coggin. "His knowledge of hitting is crazy. It's something I never thought I'd come across."

Black's the third transfer to announce his decision to become a Bulldog in two days, joining Miami-Ohio’s Ryland Zaborowski and first baseman Charlie Jones of the Air Force Academy.

Earlier, the Bulldogs added Georgia State pitcher Blake Chastain, USC-Aiken pitcher Justyn Byrd, and Chipola infielder Knox Bennett (walk-on).

More to come.