University of Georgia Athletics
Luke Bonfield Joins Georgia Baseball Staff
July 30, 2026 | Baseball
ATHENS, GA.----- University of Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Wes Johnson announced Thursday the addition of Luke Bonfield to the Bulldogs coaching staff.
The 31-year-old Bonfield will assist with the offense, recruiting and work with the outfielders too. He comes to Georgia after spending the past year as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) baseball team.
"We're thrilled to welcome Luke and his wife, Kathyrn and daughter Joelle, to the Georgia Bulldog baseball program," said Johnson. "I've known him since his playing days at Arkansas and watched him develop into one of the best young hitting coaches in college baseball who has been a part of College World Series (CWS) teams as a player and coach. He is a tireless worker, a phenomenal recruiter, and we're excited he's joining our staff."
Johnson was the pitching coach at Arkansas under Dave Van Horn during Bonfield's junior and senior seasons (2017-18). Bonfield was a part of two CWS teams during his career with the Razorbacks including the 2018 team that finished as the national runner up. Bonfield returned to the CWS three times while serving on Tennessee's staff including a part of the 2024 national championship team.
At Pitt in 2026, Bonfield helped the Panthers go 33-24 overall and 14-19 in the ACC under head coach Mike Bell. It was the first 30+-win season for the program since 2013, and it rewrote the offensive record book. Pitt finished second nationally with 397 walks and ranked fifth nationally in on-base percentage (.435), ninth in slugging percentage (.539), 12th in scoring (8.6 runs per game) and 13th in home runs (109).
Prior to joining Pitt's staff, Bonfield spent six years with the University of Tennessee's baseball program under Tony Vitello. He joined the Volunteers' staff as a student manager prior to the 2020 season after a productive collegiate career and two years of professional baseball in independent leagues. Bonfield was promoted to Director of Player Development in September of 2021 and moved into a new role as the Director of Recruiting Operations following the 2024 season.
During his time in Tennessee, he helped the Volunteers make five NCAA Tournament appearances, five Super Regionals, three trips to the CWS (2021, 2023 and 2024). The Volunteers would also combine for four SEC Titles in that timeframe while winning both the regular season and tournament crowns twice (2022 & 2024).
As an outfielder at Arkansas from 2015-18, Bonfield appeared in 205 games and posted a .287 career batting average. He tallied 199 hits, 120 runs scored, 26 home runs and 139 RBI during his four years in Fayetteville. The Skillman, New Jersey native helped lead the Razorbacks to the 2018 CWS. As a senior that year, Bonfield hit .296 with 10 doubles, nine homers and 44 RBI.
A top prospect coming out of high school, Bonfield played his prep baseball at IMG Academy in Florida and Immaculata High School in New Jersey. He was rated the 57th-best recruit in the nation by Perfect Game and was selected by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
Bonfield, and his wife Kathryn, have a five-month-old daughter Joelle.
The 31-year-old Bonfield will assist with the offense, recruiting and work with the outfielders too. He comes to Georgia after spending the past year as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) baseball team.
"We're thrilled to welcome Luke and his wife, Kathyrn and daughter Joelle, to the Georgia Bulldog baseball program," said Johnson. "I've known him since his playing days at Arkansas and watched him develop into one of the best young hitting coaches in college baseball who has been a part of College World Series (CWS) teams as a player and coach. He is a tireless worker, a phenomenal recruiter, and we're excited he's joining our staff."
Johnson was the pitching coach at Arkansas under Dave Van Horn during Bonfield's junior and senior seasons (2017-18). Bonfield was a part of two CWS teams during his career with the Razorbacks including the 2018 team that finished as the national runner up. Bonfield returned to the CWS three times while serving on Tennessee's staff including a part of the 2024 national championship team.
At Pitt in 2026, Bonfield helped the Panthers go 33-24 overall and 14-19 in the ACC under head coach Mike Bell. It was the first 30+-win season for the program since 2013, and it rewrote the offensive record book. Pitt finished second nationally with 397 walks and ranked fifth nationally in on-base percentage (.435), ninth in slugging percentage (.539), 12th in scoring (8.6 runs per game) and 13th in home runs (109).
Prior to joining Pitt's staff, Bonfield spent six years with the University of Tennessee's baseball program under Tony Vitello. He joined the Volunteers' staff as a student manager prior to the 2020 season after a productive collegiate career and two years of professional baseball in independent leagues. Bonfield was promoted to Director of Player Development in September of 2021 and moved into a new role as the Director of Recruiting Operations following the 2024 season.
During his time in Tennessee, he helped the Volunteers make five NCAA Tournament appearances, five Super Regionals, three trips to the CWS (2021, 2023 and 2024). The Volunteers would also combine for four SEC Titles in that timeframe while winning both the regular season and tournament crowns twice (2022 & 2024).
As an outfielder at Arkansas from 2015-18, Bonfield appeared in 205 games and posted a .287 career batting average. He tallied 199 hits, 120 runs scored, 26 home runs and 139 RBI during his four years in Fayetteville. The Skillman, New Jersey native helped lead the Razorbacks to the 2018 CWS. As a senior that year, Bonfield hit .296 with 10 doubles, nine homers and 44 RBI.
A top prospect coming out of high school, Bonfield played his prep baseball at IMG Academy in Florida and Immaculata High School in New Jersey. He was rated the 57th-best recruit in the nation by Perfect Game and was selected by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2014 MLB Draft.
Bonfield, and his wife Kathryn, have a five-month-old daughter Joelle.
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