Well with the 2013 season over we look forward to this upcoming class & see how they can make an impact straight from the get go in the 2014 season.

Reinforcements: Who makes an impact JW - TheBigSpur

Definite players

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- UTIL Elliott Caldwell: The two biggest attributes that will get Caldwell on the field quickly are his versatility and his bat. Caldwell can play various positions - corner infield, corner outfield, and has also experimented at catcher - and that will help him find a role. On the surface, the obvious answer is for Caldwell to play at third base, which is where he spent most of his one-year stint at Spartanburg Methodist. While he had some issues defensively at the position, the staff has a favorable view of him at that position but while there are some questions about where he’ll fit defensively, one aspect that goes unquestioned is that he’ll hit. He’s probably not a middle-of-the-order hitter but should fit nicely somewhere close to the six-hole.

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- RHP Canaan Cropper: While he doesn’t have the stature typically associated with a hard-thrower, Cropper is one of a few guys in this class who can bring a power arm immediately into the mix. The Gamecocks had a shortage of right-handed relievers and Cropper is someone I envision coming in to fill that role immediately. I think his fit as a freshman is out of the bullpen. A low-90s fastball with a plus slider has served many players well out of the bullpen.

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- RHP Wil Crowe: Maybe my expectations are too high for Crowe but I think there’s a legitimate possibility he can be in the weekend rotation by the midpoint of Southeastern Conference play. Crowe has good stuff - a fastball that will hang around 90 mph and tight curve ball - but what he also brings to the table is the toughness and strike-throwing ability that South Carolina pitchers are known for having. He is aggressive, confident, and a workhorse. While I was a bit on the young side and not evaluating talent at the ripe age of 16, I think he’s similar to former Gamecock Peter Bauer.

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- C Logan Koch: Even though he may be a recruit flying a bit under the radar, Koch is someone who is almost certain to have a role next season. Rising junior Grayson Greiner will catch the vast majority of the games next year but there will be around 15 games or so that he will need to rest. Koch should be the player to fill the void. At the time of his commitment, Koch was mainly a catch-and-throw guy. Now, he’s added some weight, muscle, improved his switch-hitting swing, and should be able to shoulder a double-digit game load.

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- OF Brock Maxwell: Upon first blush, it wouldn’t appear as though Maxwell has a role to move into next season. All three starting outfielders return and Maxwell can’t move to the infield. The Lambert High School product is, however, one of the recruits in the 2013 class that the coaches are highest on and the belief is he can come in and contribute right away. Corner outfielders Graham Saiko and Connor Bright are both versatile players and could move into the infield if Maxwell comes in and wins a spot immediately. Maxwell’s best attributes include his ability to use all fields, his arm and athleticism. He’ll develop a little more pop as he goes but I believe he projects long term as a right fielder.

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- RHP Cody Mincey: Scholarship junior college players are expected to come in and contribute immediately. Mincey, who fits the bill, has a chance to be the closer next year replacing Tyler Webb. A slightly-built right-hander, Mincey attacks hitters from different arm slots and has a low-90s fastball with sink and a slider.

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- LHP John Parke: Parke provides something that the Gamecocks are sorely lacking - a power arm from the left side. Parke made a nice jump his senior year both in velocity and consistency. Former South Carolina southpaw Arik Hempy was his high school pitching coach this year and Parke became not only an elite high school pitcher, but a guy that caught the eye of professional scouts as a top 10 round kind of pick. Parke projects as a reliever but he should grow into a starter as early as his sophomore season.

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- 1B/OF/RHP Taylor Widener: Where he plays is still a bit of a mystery but Widener will be on the field somewhere at points as a freshman. Is he an everyday player his first year? No, not likely, to me, he projects the best early in his career as a hitter but he will find himself on the mound some, too. I think he’ll end up as a 10-15 game starter as the designated hitter providing some juice from the left side.

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Posted by CayceCock13

Braves / Hornets / Rams Fan

Member since Oct 2012

17543 posts

Posted on 6/13/13 at 8:42 pm to CayceCock13

Reinforcements: Who makes an impact JW - TheBigSpur CONT.

On the edge

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- SS/RHP Jordan Gore: The fact that there are other players at his position is the main reason that Gore is listed in this category. As a position player, the Conway native profiles as a middle infielder. Max Schrock is firmly entrenched at second base while Joey Pankake is a two-year starter at short. Rising sophomore DC Arendas has the best opportunity to challenge Pankake at short this year as Gore could use a season to focus on getting bigger, stronger and adjusting to the rigors of college baseball.

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- RHP Trey McNickle: The Gamecocks were lacking a different look on the mound in the 2012 season and McNickle has an opportunity to provide that look. That being said, he’s a walk-on and has a redshirt year available. Sidewinder Hunter Privette will be on the team next year, redshirting freshman Austin Hill and redshirting junior Kris Nelson both want spots on the team, too. Four sidearmers aren’t going to be kept to fill eight spots, so the competition will be fierce next season.

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- LHP Josh Reagan: A walk-on next year, Reagan would benefit from a year in the weight room. His velocity usually hovers around 83 mph from the left side but he really knows how to pitch. He should probably slide down into the “Future contributors” category but he’s been so successful at the high school level, I can’t rule out that he could play next year for the Gamecocks.

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- RHP Reed Scott: Probably the player closest to the above category, Scott is a strike-thrower who hits his spots at will. He pitches down in the zone and sports a fastball with good sink. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot most of the time but does move over the top occasionally and almost sidearm from time to time. He’s like former reliever Matt Price early in his career in what he did with his arm slot but is far from Price in velocity. Scott is a low-to-mid 80s kind of guy, which is what keeps him from being in the same category as Crowe and the like. Scott is a winner, gets a lot of ground balls, and knows how to pitch as well as anyone in the class. He probably won’t play a huge role as a freshman but he will over the course of his career.

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- RHP Jackson Smith: Initially, Smith was recruited as a reliever but he there’s a chance he could be used as a starting pitcher at South Carolina. He tore his ACL last fall and was slow to come back during his senior season of high school. He did, however, pitch well at the end of the year leading his Harselle High School team to the state championship.

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- RHP Matt Vogel: Just like with the draft, Vogel is very hard to project with regard to how he will perform next season. Reports to me have been mixed. Some have said he’s been as high as 95 mph on his fastball this high school season and shown a hard, tight breaking ball. If that was 100 percent truth, he would have been drafted high enough to sign. Others have said his velocity is down and he’s been inconsistent. What I do know is he went through his senior season healthy, which is big news for him after having some arm issues. He also works well with pitching coach Jerry Meyers, who has had him in camp before. I think he’ll have a nice career at South Carolina, but I don’t know that he’ll play a very big role next year as a freshman.

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