Georgia baseball coaching search: UGA reportedly hiring SEC assistant

Georgia appears to have found its new head baseball coach. Multiple outlets are reporting that LSU pitching coach Wes Johnson is heading to Athens to be the UGA skipper.

LSU head coach Jay Johnson hired Wes Johnson to his staff in June 2022. Wes Johnson had been on staff with the Minnesota Twins since 2019 as pitching coach before joining the Tigers last year.

Johnson got into college coaching in 2008 at Central Arkansas. He coached Southern Arkansas hurlers in 2009 before returning to Central Arkansas for the 2010 and ’11 seasons. Before his jump to coaching in the majors, Johnson also coached pitchers at Dallas Baptist (2012-15), Mississippi State (2016) and Arkansas (2017-18).

Johnson’s experience at the college and pro level appealed to UGA, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Sources: Georgia is finalizing a deal to make LSU pitching coach Wes Johnson the school’s new head coach. Johnson has extensive SEC experience from his time at LSU, Mississippi State and Arkansas as a pitching coach. pic.twitter.com/PVCfZgHcHB

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 5, 2023

Johnson will remain with the Tigers for the rest of the postseason. LSU swept the Baton Rouge Regional to advance to Super Regionals.

Jay added the deal had been done “for like five days.” He planned to tell the players tomorrow morning, but when news broke postgame, #LSU had a quick team meeting in the outfield.

— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) June 5, 2023

Following Georgia’s exit from the SEC Tournament, UGA dismissed head coach Scott Stricklin after 10 seasons.