The Georgia Bulldogs baseball team had a magical season in 2024. In head coach Wes Johnson’s first year with the program, they went 43-17, finished 11th in the nation according to D1Baseball.com, and came up just one game short of an Omaha bid. Despite losing the explosive bat of Charlie Condon in the 2024 MLB draft, the 11th-ranked Bulldogs feel optimistic going into the 2025 season.
“I think we’ve got a lot of guys that believe they can do it,” said returning star infielder Kolby Branch when asked if Georgia expects to be in the College World Series. “We’re playing for each other, and when everybody’s behind that, it becomes a good little team.”
One reason for confidence is the improved pitching staff that fills the Georgia roster. While the bats stole the show in 2024, this year might be more focused on the arms on the mound. Leighton Finley, Zach Harris and Kolten Smith return with new maturity, having played in high-leverage games last year. The team also welcomes transfer portal acquisitions in Justin Byrd, Davis Chastain and Alton Davis.
Charlie Goldstein, who started last season as the ace of the pitching staff before an injury sidelined him, has worked hard in the offseason to be available for the team’s 2025 run. While the timeline for his return is still unclear, Johnson expressed reason for optimism, saying he’d be throwing bullpen sessions in the leadup to opening weekend.
“It’s just so much depth… Last year, we had a great team, but this year, we just have a lot of depth and a lot of arm talent,” said Smith. “I want to say we’ve already had maybe 18-20 guys up to 95 already, but we’ve got that with command and great pitches.”
Johnson has served as a pitching coach for eight programs in college and professional baseball, including the Minnesota Twins and the LSU Tigers. He feels very proud of how his staff is operating and the leap they’ve taken from last year.
“I think we’re off to a really good start… we’ve been throwing the ball extremely well right now,” said Johnson. “I like our offense too… but pitching right now is just a tick ahead…”
While the Bulldogs will be contending with a loaded SEC, they exude preseason confidence knowing who comprises their rotation. If the Bulldogs can match their arms to the power of their offense from last season, there’s no reason they can’t bring glory home to Athens.
