Georgia Baseball transfer portal pickups: What do the Dawgs gain?

Wes Johnson and his Georgia Baseball coaching staff have been busy in the transfer portal. From the moment it opened during the Bulldogs’ run to the Super Regionals, UGA was fielding calls and recruiting prospects. In the process, they’ve been able to land several talented players and potential stars for next season’s promising team.

The portal is closed now – at least for the majority of folks – and while Georgia can continue to add commits from players that are already in, we figured what better time to take a look at some of those that have announced their decisions to join the Bulldogs next season in Athens.

RHP Justin Byrd (USC-Aiken): A two-way player expected to be used primarily as a pitcher, Byrd missed the majority of the 2024 season due to injury. As a freshman in 2023, he struck out 18 batters in 17 innings (15 appearances) with a 2.65 ERA.

RHP Davis Chastain (Georgia State): A reliever this past season for Georgia State, Chastain made 17 appearances for the Panthers with 37 strikeouts in 23.2 innings. He threw 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two, against Georgia in February.

INF Ryland Zaborowski (Miami OH): A versatile player for Miami (OH) with the ability to play multiple positions throughout the field, Zaborowski’s biggest asset comes at the plate where he led the MAC in home runs with 20 in 2023 – one off the single season record for the school. His 142 total bases that season ranked ninth for a single season, leading the RedHawks in several categories at the plate including hits (62), RBI (52), runs (52), slugging percentage (.686) and OPS (1.088). This past year, his average went up from .300 to .305 but his power numbers dropped off slightly. He also managed to draw 10 more walks.

INF Charlie Jones (Air Force): A native of Georgia, Jones is returning to his home state after two strong seasons at Air Force. He hit .344 in 2024 with a .682 slugging percentage. Jones sent 13 balls out of the park, recording nine doubles and two triples for a grand total of 24 extra base hits on his way to 54 RBI.

INF Ryan Black (UT-Arlington): One of the top middle fielders in the portal, Black started all 56 games this past season for UT-Arlington, one of two players on the team do so. It came a year after his made 57 starts and earned All-WAC Second-Team honors as a DH in 2023. Hitting .336 with a team-high 57 RBI that year, Black came back and kept it up this past season. He once again finished first among Mavericks in RBI and was one of the team leaders in total bases, OPS and slugging percentage.

INF Christian Adams (Florida Atlantic): Georgia has gone to the Sunshine State for a transfer portal pickup once again, adding Adams – who led the Owls in batting average (.343), hits (71), total bases (108), slugging percentage (.522), walks (40) and OPS (.987) – just a year after taking Dylan Goldstein. Adams started all 57 games at second base.

OF Robbie Burnett (UNC-Asheville): An outstanding outfielder for UNC-Asheville, Burnett jumped on Georgia’s radar with a strong series to open the season against the Bulldogs. He hit home runs in each of the first two contests to kickoff a 2024 campaign that saw him send 18 out of play, totaling 61 hits and 45 RBI with a .323 batting average. Burnett was named All-Big South First-Team for a second straight season and was on the conference’s All-Freshman Team in 2022.

C Daniel Jackson (Wofford): Just a freshman this past season, there could be multiple years of Jackson in Athens. He was one of the top catchers in the portal and chose Georgia over the likes of LSU and others. In 56 games, Jackson committed just one error behind the plate. At the dish, he hit .357 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI. Jackson looks to be the immediate replacement for Fernando Gonzalez at catcher.

RHP Eric Hammond (Southern Cal): Hammond was selected in the 19th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Keller (Texas) High School but opted to go to school instead. He underwent Tommy John surgery as a freshman but returned to start 14 games in 2023. This past season he struggled to find consistency, starting seven of his 12 appearances. On his career, Hammond has 60 strikeouts in 83.0 innings but also 50 walks.

LHP Bradley Stewart (Eastern Kentucky): The 6-foot-3 lefty made 17 appearances as a freshman for Eastern Kentucky including seven starts. While his ERA is inflated, Stewart struck out 35 in 20 innings of work, holding opponents to a .263 batting average. He did however walk 29 showing signs of command struggles.

OF JoJo Jackson (Georgia State): Georgia fans are going to want to keep an eye on the MLB Draft with Jackson. While he’ll more than likely end up in Athens, there’s pro potential for the 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior outfielder. Jackson hit 15 home runs this past season as a switch hitter, going deep in all three games against NCAA Tournament bound Coastal Carolina. Twelve of his 15 home runs came in the final 24 games. Jackson has hit at least .310 each of the past two seasons in the Sun Belt.

INF/C Brennan Hudson (Georgia State): Hudson brings with him power from the left-hand side, hitting 12 home runs this past season at Georgia State. A two-year letterwinner with the Panthers, he finished second on the team with a .326 batting average and should be looked to as a depth piece for both first base and catcher.

LHP Alton Davis (Alabama): The 6-foot-5 left-handed reliever was one of the biggest additions for Georgia this offseason. Named a Freshman All-American in 2023 and to the Stopper of the Year list as a sophomore, Davis comes to Athens with 67.1 innings pitched and 70 strikeouts. Playing for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer alongside Kolten Smith, Davis threw the final two innings of a combined no-hitter earlier this week.

RHP Brian Curley (VCU): Curley made 19 relief appearances on a VCU team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Earning All-Atlantic 10 First-Team honors, Curley struck out 78 batters in 78.1 innings with a 2.87 ERA. While used for long relief this past season, Curley started three games as a freshman in 2023.

JUCO Additions: INF Knox Bennett (Chipola Junior College), RHP Lucas Morici (ABAC), INF Thomas Lane Saxon (East Georgia State), RHP Logan Spivey (Erskine), C Bryce Hubbard (Northwest Florida State), RHP Jordan Stephens (ABAC)

NOTE: Jackson, Curley, Zaborowski and Black were top-100 transfers in the most recent 64Analytics rankings. Davis, Burnett and Adams each were included earlier in the cycle.