By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina added a productive in-state outfielder through the transfer portal with a commitment from UNC Asheville sophomore outfielder Blaize Johnson.
The Kernersville native and first-team All-Big South selection announced his decision in a late Tuesday post on X (formerly Twitter).
Johnson gives the Tar Heels another experienced left-handed bat after a breakout season for the Bulldogs. He started all 51 games he played this season, mostly in left field, leading UNC Asheville to a fourth-place finish in the Big South with a .346 batting average.
Coach Scott Forbes will lose right fielder Carter French to graduation and likely lose center fielder Owen Hull to the MLB draft.
Johnson was ranked second in the league in slugging percentage (.632) and second in OPS (1.101), making him one of the conference’s most dangerous offensive players.
Johnson was one of five players in the country with a walk rate of at least 15% (17.5), a strikeout rate of less than 10% (9.2) and an ISO (isolated power, calculated by subtracting batting average from slugging percentage) of at least .250 (.286).
His production went well beyond average and power. Johnson led the Bulldogs and finished 10th in the Big South in runs (48), hits (64) and RBI (47). His 16 doubles led UNC Asheville and tied for sixth in the league, while his two triples tied for the team lead and tied for sixth in the conference.
Johnson’s commitment adds another intriguing piece to a UNC roster that is being reshaped through the portal after the Tar Heels’ latest run to the College World Series.
He brings immediate offensive upside, the ability to hit for extra bases and a profile that could fit well in a Carolina lineup that regularly looks for players who can combine power, plate discipline and defensive versatility.
As a freshman, he played in 41 games with 38 starts, hitting .328 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .555 slugging percentage. He had 45 hits, 13 doubles, six home runs and 29 RBI.
He followed that with an even bigger sophomore season, raising his batting average and on-base percentage while nearly doubling his home run total and emerging as an all-conference outfielder.
At UNC Asheville, he played for Coach Alex Raburn, who played three seasons at UNC and was on the 2013 team that won the ACC title and reached the College World Series. He finished his college career at Nebraska in 2017.
Johnson played at Northwest Guilford High School, where he was a two-time first-team Class 4-A all-state selection and also earned second-team all-state honors once.
UNC Asheville listed him as a catcher/utility player, but he became a fixture in the outfield for the Bulldogs and developed into their top offensive threat.
Johnson’s commitment gives the Tar Heels a proven college hitter with two seasons of production and a track record against Division I pitching. If his numbers translate to the ACC, Johnson could give UNC another middle-of-the-order option and a left-handed bat capable of producing extra-base damage while reaching base at a high rate.
The transfer portal closes on July 1.
Subscribe to read Tar Heel Tribune ad-free
Subscribe for a cleaner, smoother reading experience without the flashing banners, slow-loading elements, or those especially annoying pop‑up ads that interrupt the flow of the story. You’ll also get the first version of each story emailed to you. The only ads you’ll see are static, non-intrusive ads for UNC‑related books, and there are none currently on the site.
Photos via uncabulldogs.com
