It may seem impossible to replace the production left by Charlie Condon and Corey Collins.
But Georgia coach Wes Johnson and his staff have given it their best shot.
The Bulldogs have supplemented the return of Slate Alford, Trey Phelps, Henry Hunter, and Kolby Branch with a bevy of proven players from other schools via the transfer portal he hopes will keep Georgia’s lineup just as potent, if not more, than last year.
Phelps could be the Bulldogs’ next big star.
As a true freshman, the draft-eligible sophomore enjoyed a banner first year for Georgia, earning second-team Freshman All-America honors after batting .353 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in just 42 games.
A projected first-round pick in the upcoming Major League Draft, Phelps also gives Johnson tremendous defensive flexibility with the ability to play five positions around the infield and outfield.
“Trey's off to a great start,” Johnson said. “He’s going to have a bigger target on his back this year, so for him, it’s how do you deal with that now. But I think being, having these older guys (Alford, Nolan McCarthy, and Branch) is massive. We’ve got guys who are older. It’s fun to be around those old guys who want to try to do something special and get better every day.”
Branch and Alford are back for another year after not being selected in last year’s MLB Draft despite impressive seasons at the plate.
Branch – Georgia’s starting shortstop – hit .265 with 15 homers and 52 RBI, while Alford hit .295 with 16 homers and 63 RBI.
They’re going to have a lot of help.
How impressed have the Bulldogs been with Kentucky graduate transfer Nolan McCarthy, who batted .288 with eight home runs and 41 RBI as a starting outfielder in helping lead the Wildcats to the College World Series?
Even though he’s yet to play a game, McCarthy has already been voted one of the team’s captains and is one of the top leaders on the squad.
“With Nolan McCarthy, I couldn’t be happier. We got him; I’m fired up,” Johnson said. “The fact that he’s already a captain … he’s a winner.”
The other two spots in Georgia’s outfield are expected to be patrolled by former Duke starter Devin Obee and former UNC-Asheville star Robbie Burnett.
Obee – the MVP of last year’s ACC Tournament – joined the Bulldogs after the fall and did not take long to make an impression. Last year, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Obee started all 60 games for the Blue Devils, batting .309 with 16 homers and 50 RBI along with an impressive on-base percentage of .399.
“He's been as advertised, I guess is what I would say so far,” Johnson said of Obee, who holds a degree in Political Economy and a certificate in Marketing Management from Duke. “We’re two weeks in, but he’s a tireless worker. It’s like he can’t get enough. It’s like we’ve got to kick him out.”
A 5-10 and 187, Burnett posted similar numbers with his former team, UNC-Asheville.
The former first-team member of the Big South Conference, the left-handed-hitting Burnett hit .323 with 17 homers and 45 RBI after hitting .379 with 13 homers his sophomore season. Two of Burnett’s 17 homers last year came in a game against the Bulldogs.
First baseman/third baseman Ryland Zaborowski (6-5, 236) brings big-time power from the right side. The Arizona native started 50 of 51 games last year for Miami-Ohio, hitting .305 with 10 home runs. The season before, however, he hit .305 with a conference-leading 20 home runs and 52 RBI.
Another potential power source is former Wofford catcher Daniel Jackson.
Jackson batted .357 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI for the Terriers. Although Johnson said there's some work to do defensively behind the plate, Jackson’s bat will come in handy.
We mentioned Hunter earlier.
The former Grayson standout batted .264 with four homers and 12 RBI last spring, but Johnson believes Hunter is capable of much more. Along with McCarthy, he might be the team’s best emotional leader, along with a reputation for being a great handler of pitchers and the overall job he does behind the plate.
Another newcomer – former Georgia State standout Brennan Hudson – is another plug-and-play athlete, who can catch, plus play in the infield and outfield. He also offers an impressive bat, after finishing second on the Panthers with a .326 average with 12 home runs and 32 RBI in 45 games.
Second baseman Ryan Black is another major addition.
The website 64Analytics rated Black the 15th-best overall transfer addition after a solid two seasons at UT-Arlington, including a freshman season that saw him hit .336 with a team-leading 57 RBI.
Black’s average dipped to .278 as a sophomore, but the second baseman enjoyed a solid fall and despite a recent hand injury appears good to go for preseason.
“He got an injection,” Johnson said. “But he’s fine now. The scans are all good. He couldn’t work his hand out and he just got a little weak. But he’s coming back.”
The Bulldogs also return Trey King, an excellent defender on the infield with an improving bat. Georgia also added former FAU Christian Adams, who missed much of the fall with a hamstring injury.
He’s healthy now, and after leading the Owls with a .343 average in 57 starts, one figures Adams will be in the lineup one way or the other.
Keep an eye on freshmen Bryce Clavon, Erik Parke,r and Cade Brown.
Clavon was one of the state’s top players at Kell High, where he doubled as the team’s starting quarterback. Parker decided to come to Georgia despite being drafted in the 15th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Brown was a slugging sensation at Parkview and impressed coaches with his exit velo during the early part of fall camp.
“Cade looked phenomenal hitting early. Bryce is looking better, and Erik’s looked better,” Johnson said. “All those guys, I’m excited about those three. They’re going to get some opportunities. They’re going to have to make do with that opportunity, but I’ve told all three of those young men that I’m not scared to play freshmen. We played Trey Phelps last year. I told those guys I’m not scared to play y’all. Go ahead, go win.”
