Started By
Message
re: Baseball Recruiting Discussion
Posted on 6/13/13 at 8:42 pm to CayceCock13
Posted on 6/13/13 at 8:42 pm to CayceCock13
Reinforcements: Who makes an impact JW - TheBigSpur CONT.
On the edge
On the edge
quote:
- 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.
quote:
- 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.
quote:
- 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.
quote:
- 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.
quote:
- 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.
quote:
- 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.
1
Posted on 6/13/13 at 8:48 pm to CayceCock13
Reinforcements: Who makes an impact JW - TheBigSpur CONT.
Future contributors
Future contributors
quote:
- OF Gene Cone: There probably isn’t a signee who finished their season hitting the baseball better than Cone, who capped his senior year with a batting average over .450. Cone was locked in late but his best tools are defensively. He reads the ball and runs routes like former centerfield greats Jackie Bradley Jr. and Evan Marzilli; everything is smooth. He needs to work on his strength and speed. He’s a guy who fits the bill as a future contributor almost to a T. There’s a lot of upside and polish but he just needs to continue to develop.
quote:
- RHP Tyler Haswell: Want a sign of how good South Carolina’s program is right now? Haswell turned down scholarship offers at multiple Division I schools, including Georgia Tech, to walk on with the Gamecocks. He should be a scholarship player in the future but his first year on campus, he’ll be competing for one of eight spots on the squad.
quote:
- LHP Preston Johnson: Maybe he comes in and contributes right away but the left-hander didn’t have a great spring in junior college and has a redshirt year available.
quote:
- OF Zack Madden: A late addition to the class and a former College of Charleston scholarship commitment, Madden has a lot of raw tools. He has been compared to Adam Matthews at the same stage and he has a lot of upside. He has great speed and athleticism to go along with a decent arm. His baseball instincts need some work but a year as a redshirt and some time on the field will be good for his future development.
quote:
- LHP Cole McMillan: Mid-80s lefty with a decent breaking ball. McMillan will definitely redshirt and has some progressing to do as a player. He didn’t miss a lot of bats his senior year at Lexington High School and finished as probably the fourth-best pitcher on the team.
quote:
- OF Jae Roberts: Hitter is probably the most accurate position description for Roberts, who is likely to redshirt his first season on campus. He has performed well on big stages both on the summer travel circuit and the high school state championship game his senior year. He has great accolades as a hitter but I’m not sure he’s going to be good enough defensively to play in the outfield. He may be able to play first base but could find himself exclusively as a designated hitter at the college level. When he’s healthy and seeing it, he can really hit.
quote:
- INF Matt Williams: The fact that he can play almost anywhere on the field is Williams’ best attribute. A high school shortstop and right-handed pitcher, Williams will probably fit at third base at the college level. He’s a left-handed hitter that primarily uses the opposite field at this stage of his career. He’s a guy who should redshirt but he also has a chance to be a very good player after a couple of years in the program.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News