Baseball
Johnson, Wes
Wes Johnson
- Title:
- Ike Cousins Head Baseball Coach
- Phone:
- (706) 542-7971
In his two seasons directing the University of Georgia baseball program, Wes Johnson has led the Bulldogs to 86 wins and a pair of NCAA Tournaments as a national top eight seed. On May 21, 2025, it was announced UGA and Johnson had agreed to a contract extension through 2031.
Johnson, a renowned pitching coach, was named the Ike Cousins head baseball coach at the University of Georgia on June 5, 2023. At the press conference announcing his hire, UGA's J. Reid Parker Director of Athletic Josh Brooks noted Johnson had a proven track record of developing student-athletes and that his teams at every level had achieved impressive results. Brooks added he was confident Johnson would make Georgia Baseball one of the premier programs in the country.
Johnson made an immediate impact. In his first year, he directed the Bulldogs to their most successful season since reaching the College World Series Finals in 2008. The 2024 Bulldogs earned a No. 7 National Seed for the NCAA Tournament, captured the NCAA Athens Regional, hosted an NCAA Super Regional and came within one game of reaching the College World Series (CWS).
Georgia posted a 43-17 record (17-13 SEC) as Johnson established school records for most overall wins and most SEC wins by a first-year baseball coach, and Georgia finished with a top 10 national ranking for the first time in a full season since 2008. He became the first Georgia baseball coach to host and win an NCAA Regional in his first season along with serving as a Super Regional host. In a preseason poll, SEC coaches projected Georgia would finish sixth in the Eastern Division and instead the Bulldogs placed third and had the fifth best mark in the 14-team league.
In 2024, Georgia featured one of the nation's elite players in All-America Charlie Condon, a first round selection of the Colorado Rockies and the third overall pick in the MLB Draft, the highest in school history. He earned the Dick Howser Trophy, which is widely considered the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, and USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top amateur player. Condon received a then record $9.25 million signing bonus. Also at the end of the season, sophomore Kolten Smith and freshman Tre Phelps received invitations to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp. Corey Collins joined Condon as an All-American and became the first SEC player to lead the NCAA in on base percentage, posting a .574 mark.
In 2025, Georgia raced out to another impressive start that featured a 17-game winning streak and a program-best 28-2 mark through 30 games. The Bulldogs were a consensus top 10 ranked team, including reaching as high as No. 1 during the season. They captured seven SEC series in going 18-12 in league play and entered the NCAA Tournament with the nation's No. 2 RPI and the No. 7 overall national seed. The Bulldogs played host to their second straight NCAA Regional and concluded the season with a 43-17 mark. The Bulldogs blasted an NCAA-best 144 home runs and finished second nationally in On Base Percentage at .411. A total of 10 Bulldogs were selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
For the second consecutive season, the Bulldog pitching staff established a school record for strikeouts and lowered the team ERA. Also, the Bulldogs set a school record with a .983 fielding percentage. Robbie Burnett and Ryland Zaborowski were named semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy plus Burnett was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Trophy. Four Bulldogs earned All-SEC honors in first team third baseman Slate Alford and second team pitcher Brian Curley plus Burnett (outfield) and Zaborowski (utility). For the second year in a row, Georgia produced the SEC batting champion as Zaborowski hit .370 after Condon led the SEC and NCAA in 2024 with a .443 clip. Five Bulldogs made the CSC Academic All-District team including Burnett who became the first Bulldog to be named a first team Academic All-American.
A native of Sherwood, Ark., Johnson became the first pitching coach in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to make the move directly from the college ranks to the big leagues when he was hired by the Minnesota Twins in November of 2018. He served as a collegiate pitching coach since 2008 with stints in the Southeastern Conference at Mississippi State and Arkansas before joining the Twins. Minnesota was the leading the American League Central Division in June of 2022 when he opted to return to the college game at LSU.
Johnson remained with the Tigers until their 2023 season was complete, culminating in the program's seventh national title. They were the No. 5 NCAA Tournament National Seed and advanced to the CWS in Omaha, Neb. The Tigers made their first CWS appearance since 2017 and won their first national title since 2009. LSU finished with a 54-17 record. LSU had a school record 13 players (eight pitchers) selected in the MLB Draft including the first (Paul Skenes, RHP) and second overall (Dylan Crews, OF) picks.
The Twins won their division in Johnson’s first two years directing the pitching staff, and in 2020, the club ranked fourth in the Majors in ERA, WHIP and ninth in strikeouts per nine innings. Ace right-hander Kenta Maeda posted a 2.70 Earned Run Average (ERA) and a 6-1 mark to earn a runner-up finish for the American League Cy Young Award.
During his time as a college coach, 38 of Johnson’s pitchers have been drafted by MLB teams, and he has been at the forefront of utilizing Trackman technology. The 2023 LSU ace Paul Skenes (13-2, 1.69 ERA, SEC record 209 Ks in 122.2 IP), who was named the National Pitcher of the Year by multiple outlets, was the number one overall draft pick in 2023, signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a record $9.2 million bonus. As pitching coach at Arkansas, Johnson helped the 2018 Razorbacks reach the College World Series Finals as they finished 48-21. The top pitcher on that 2018 staff was Blaine Knight who went 14-0 with a 2.80 ERA and was a third-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles.
In his one season at Mississippi State, Johnson was instrumental in a dramatic turnaround by the Bulldogs going from worst to first. After winning only eight SEC games the previous year and having the highest ERA in the league, the 2016 club claimed the SEC regular-season title and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional. MSU won 44 games, its most since 1997. He produced six pitchers that were selected in the MLB Draft including Golden Spikes Award semifinalist Dakota Hudson who went 34th overall to the St. Louis Cardinals.
In four seasons at Dallas Baptist University (DBU), Johnson helped the Patriots to three NCAA Regional appearances, had 14 pitchers drafted and his pitching staffs set single season records for almost every major statistical category including ERA, strikeouts and saves. In 2015, DBU had five pitchers chosen in the first 12 rounds. Prior to Johnson’s arrival (1967-2011), DBU had only six pitchers drafted in the first 10 rounds. The 2015 Patriots won a school-record 46 games, hosted their first NCAA Regional and earned the program’s highest final ranking.
During his three seasons in the Southland Conference at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), Johnson’s pitching staffs set Division I school records in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, opponent batting average and fewest walks. In 2009 while on staff at Southern Arkansas, the Muleriders went 52-11 and were ranked No.1 in the Division II poll for 12 weeks. One of his star pitchers was Hayden Simpson who became the first-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 2010 MLB Draft.
Before going to UCA, Johnson spent four seasons as the head coach of Abundant Life High School in his hometown of Sherwood. He guided the Owls to a 102-25 record including one state title and two state championship game appearances.
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Arkansas Monticello in 1994. He completed a master's degree in kinesiology in 2017. Johnson and his wife Angie, have three children: Ryan, Anna and Ava.
The Wes Johnson File
Personal
Born: Sept. 9, 1971
Hometown: Sherwood, Ark.
Education: University of Arkansas Monticello, B.A. in Marketing, 1994; Master's in Kinesiology, 2017
Family: Wife, Angie; Children: Ryan, Anna and Ava
Coaching Career
1997-2002: Sylvan Hills (Ark.) High School, Assistant Coach
2003: Arkansas Baptist High School, Assistant Coach,
2004-2007: Abundant Life High School (Sherwood, Ark.) Head Coach
2008: Central Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2009: Southern Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2010-11: Central Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2012-2015: Dallas Baptist, Pitching Coach
2016: Mississippi State, Pitching Coach
2017-18: Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2019-22: Minnesota Twins, MLB Pitching Coach
2023: LSU, Pitching Coach (2023 National Champions)
June 5, 2023: Named University of Georgia, Head Coach
Year-By-Year Record
2024: Georgia 43-17 (17-13 SEC)
NCAA Athens Regional Champions, NCAA Athens Super Regional Participant,
Final National Ranking: No. 10
2025: Georgia 43-17 (18-12 SEC)
NCAA Athens Regional Participant, Final National Ranking: No. 15
Total: 86-34 (35-25 SEC)
Johnson, a renowned pitching coach, was named the Ike Cousins head baseball coach at the University of Georgia on June 5, 2023. At the press conference announcing his hire, UGA's J. Reid Parker Director of Athletic Josh Brooks noted Johnson had a proven track record of developing student-athletes and that his teams at every level had achieved impressive results. Brooks added he was confident Johnson would make Georgia Baseball one of the premier programs in the country.
Johnson made an immediate impact. In his first year, he directed the Bulldogs to their most successful season since reaching the College World Series Finals in 2008. The 2024 Bulldogs earned a No. 7 National Seed for the NCAA Tournament, captured the NCAA Athens Regional, hosted an NCAA Super Regional and came within one game of reaching the College World Series (CWS).
Georgia posted a 43-17 record (17-13 SEC) as Johnson established school records for most overall wins and most SEC wins by a first-year baseball coach, and Georgia finished with a top 10 national ranking for the first time in a full season since 2008. He became the first Georgia baseball coach to host and win an NCAA Regional in his first season along with serving as a Super Regional host. In a preseason poll, SEC coaches projected Georgia would finish sixth in the Eastern Division and instead the Bulldogs placed third and had the fifth best mark in the 14-team league.
In 2024, Georgia featured one of the nation's elite players in All-America Charlie Condon, a first round selection of the Colorado Rockies and the third overall pick in the MLB Draft, the highest in school history. He earned the Dick Howser Trophy, which is widely considered the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, and USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top amateur player. Condon received a then record $9.25 million signing bonus. Also at the end of the season, sophomore Kolten Smith and freshman Tre Phelps received invitations to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Training Camp. Corey Collins joined Condon as an All-American and became the first SEC player to lead the NCAA in on base percentage, posting a .574 mark.
In 2025, Georgia raced out to another impressive start that featured a 17-game winning streak and a program-best 28-2 mark through 30 games. The Bulldogs were a consensus top 10 ranked team, including reaching as high as No. 1 during the season. They captured seven SEC series in going 18-12 in league play and entered the NCAA Tournament with the nation's No. 2 RPI and the No. 7 overall national seed. The Bulldogs played host to their second straight NCAA Regional and concluded the season with a 43-17 mark. The Bulldogs blasted an NCAA-best 144 home runs and finished second nationally in On Base Percentage at .411. A total of 10 Bulldogs were selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
For the second consecutive season, the Bulldog pitching staff established a school record for strikeouts and lowered the team ERA. Also, the Bulldogs set a school record with a .983 fielding percentage. Robbie Burnett and Ryland Zaborowski were named semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy plus Burnett was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Trophy. Four Bulldogs earned All-SEC honors in first team third baseman Slate Alford and second team pitcher Brian Curley plus Burnett (outfield) and Zaborowski (utility). For the second year in a row, Georgia produced the SEC batting champion as Zaborowski hit .370 after Condon led the SEC and NCAA in 2024 with a .443 clip. Five Bulldogs made the CSC Academic All-District team including Burnett who became the first Bulldog to be named a first team Academic All-American.
A native of Sherwood, Ark., Johnson became the first pitching coach in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to make the move directly from the college ranks to the big leagues when he was hired by the Minnesota Twins in November of 2018. He served as a collegiate pitching coach since 2008 with stints in the Southeastern Conference at Mississippi State and Arkansas before joining the Twins. Minnesota was the leading the American League Central Division in June of 2022 when he opted to return to the college game at LSU.
Johnson remained with the Tigers until their 2023 season was complete, culminating in the program's seventh national title. They were the No. 5 NCAA Tournament National Seed and advanced to the CWS in Omaha, Neb. The Tigers made their first CWS appearance since 2017 and won their first national title since 2009. LSU finished with a 54-17 record. LSU had a school record 13 players (eight pitchers) selected in the MLB Draft including the first (Paul Skenes, RHP) and second overall (Dylan Crews, OF) picks.
The Twins won their division in Johnson’s first two years directing the pitching staff, and in 2020, the club ranked fourth in the Majors in ERA, WHIP and ninth in strikeouts per nine innings. Ace right-hander Kenta Maeda posted a 2.70 Earned Run Average (ERA) and a 6-1 mark to earn a runner-up finish for the American League Cy Young Award.
During his time as a college coach, 38 of Johnson’s pitchers have been drafted by MLB teams, and he has been at the forefront of utilizing Trackman technology. The 2023 LSU ace Paul Skenes (13-2, 1.69 ERA, SEC record 209 Ks in 122.2 IP), who was named the National Pitcher of the Year by multiple outlets, was the number one overall draft pick in 2023, signing with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a record $9.2 million bonus. As pitching coach at Arkansas, Johnson helped the 2018 Razorbacks reach the College World Series Finals as they finished 48-21. The top pitcher on that 2018 staff was Blaine Knight who went 14-0 with a 2.80 ERA and was a third-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles.
In his one season at Mississippi State, Johnson was instrumental in a dramatic turnaround by the Bulldogs going from worst to first. After winning only eight SEC games the previous year and having the highest ERA in the league, the 2016 club claimed the SEC regular-season title and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional. MSU won 44 games, its most since 1997. He produced six pitchers that were selected in the MLB Draft including Golden Spikes Award semifinalist Dakota Hudson who went 34th overall to the St. Louis Cardinals.
In four seasons at Dallas Baptist University (DBU), Johnson helped the Patriots to three NCAA Regional appearances, had 14 pitchers drafted and his pitching staffs set single season records for almost every major statistical category including ERA, strikeouts and saves. In 2015, DBU had five pitchers chosen in the first 12 rounds. Prior to Johnson’s arrival (1967-2011), DBU had only six pitchers drafted in the first 10 rounds. The 2015 Patriots won a school-record 46 games, hosted their first NCAA Regional and earned the program’s highest final ranking.
During his three seasons in the Southland Conference at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), Johnson’s pitching staffs set Division I school records in ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, opponent batting average and fewest walks. In 2009 while on staff at Southern Arkansas, the Muleriders went 52-11 and were ranked No.1 in the Division II poll for 12 weeks. One of his star pitchers was Hayden Simpson who became the first-round pick of the Chicago Cubs in the 2010 MLB Draft.
Before going to UCA, Johnson spent four seasons as the head coach of Abundant Life High School in his hometown of Sherwood. He guided the Owls to a 102-25 record including one state title and two state championship game appearances.
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Arkansas Monticello in 1994. He completed a master's degree in kinesiology in 2017. Johnson and his wife Angie, have three children: Ryan, Anna and Ava.
The Wes Johnson File
Personal
Born: Sept. 9, 1971
Hometown: Sherwood, Ark.
Education: University of Arkansas Monticello, B.A. in Marketing, 1994; Master's in Kinesiology, 2017
Family: Wife, Angie; Children: Ryan, Anna and Ava
Coaching Career
1997-2002: Sylvan Hills (Ark.) High School, Assistant Coach
2003: Arkansas Baptist High School, Assistant Coach,
2004-2007: Abundant Life High School (Sherwood, Ark.) Head Coach
2008: Central Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2009: Southern Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2010-11: Central Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2012-2015: Dallas Baptist, Pitching Coach
2016: Mississippi State, Pitching Coach
2017-18: Arkansas, Pitching Coach
2019-22: Minnesota Twins, MLB Pitching Coach
2023: LSU, Pitching Coach (2023 National Champions)
June 5, 2023: Named University of Georgia, Head Coach
Year-By-Year Record
2024: Georgia 43-17 (17-13 SEC)
NCAA Athens Regional Champions, NCAA Athens Super Regional Participant,
Final National Ranking: No. 10
2025: Georgia 43-17 (18-12 SEC)
NCAA Athens Regional Participant, Final National Ranking: No. 15
Total: 86-34 (35-25 SEC)
Georgia Baseball - NCAA Regional vs Oklahoma State - Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, June 01
Georgia Baseball - NCAA Regional vs Duke - Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, May 31
Georgia Baseball - NCAA Regional vs Binghamton - TV Highlights
Friday, May 30
Georgia Baseball - NCAA Regional vs Binghamton - Postgame Press Conference
Friday, May 30
