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South Carolina baseball transfer portal tracker: Roster changes for 2024 season

emily adams, greenville news
·4 min read
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COLUMBIA — South Carolina baseball had its most successful season in years in 2023, reaching its first super regional since 2018 and winning 40-plus games for the first time since 2016.

The Gamecocks finished below .500 in 2022, and key additions from the transfer portal helped fuel this year's turnaround. Vanderbilt transfer Gavin Casas was the Columbia Regional MVP and was second on the team with 19 home runs. Southern Mississippi transfer Will McGillis averaged .313 and hit 14 home runs as the Gamecocks' leadoff batter. Oral Roberts transfer Caleb Denny and Clemson transfer Dylan Brewer also earned spots in the starting lineup.

With several key players expected to depart for the MLB Draft, South Carolina has a handful of needs to fill before 2024. Here's who the Gamecocks have added and which players have entered the transfer portal as of July 8:

South Carolina players entering transfer portal

Michael Braswell, infielder: Braswell announced he was transferring to LSU after two seasons at South Carolina. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound sophomore started at second base for much of 2023 and finished with a .255 batting average, 23 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 2023.

Kevin Madden, infielder: Madden appeared in just 11 games for the Gamecocks in 2023. The 6-1, 200-pound fifth-year played three seasons at Virginia Tech before transferring to South Carolina in 2021-22. He recorded a .244 batting average, 26 RBIs and six home runs in 2022.

Brett Thomas, pitcher: Thomas, a 6-5, 240-pound right hander, made six relief appearances in 2023. He had a 5.14 ERA and struck out 11 batters in seven innings of work. Thomas had a 6.65 ERA and 25 strikeouts across 10 appearances with six starts in 2022.

Players transferring to South Carolina

Austin Brinling, outfielder: The 5-7, 181-pound Brinling transferred to North Florida in 2023 after two years at Daytona State and was an immediate star for the Ospreys. He hit .386, the fifth-best single season average in program history, with a .500 on-base percentage. He hit 31 RBIs and scored 60 runs, also stealing 20 bases.

North Florida outfielder Austin Brinling (28) can’t catch an out in centerfield during the seventh inning of an NCAA baseball game Saturday, May, 20, 2023 at Jacksonville University’s John Sessions Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville edged North Florida 3-2 in 11 innings.
North Florida outfielder Austin Brinling (28) can’t catch an out in centerfield during the seventh inning of an NCAA baseball game Saturday, May, 20, 2023 at Jacksonville University’s John Sessions Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. Jacksonville edged North Florida 3-2 in 11 innings.

2024 PREDICTIONS: Way-too-early 2024 South Carolina baseball predictions from Ethan Petry to NCAA Tournament

Tyler Dean, pitcher: Dean, a 6-3, 195-pound right hander, threw just 16 innings in two seasons at Virginia Tech. He made 13 relief appearances in 2023, logging 15 strikeouts with a 6.75 ERA.

Matt Duffy, pitcher: Duffy, a 6-2, 205-pound right-hander, was the 2023 MAAC pitcher of the year at Canisius after earning All-MAAC first-team honors in 2022. He finished this season with a 4.32 ERA and a career-high 124 strikeouts over 83.1 innings pitched.

Garrett Gainey, pitcher: Gainey comes to the Gamecocks alongside former Liberty pitching coach Matt Williams, who joined the South Carolina staff June 20. The 6-1, 200-pound left-hander played three years at Winthrop before transferring to the Flames in 2023. He recorded 44 strikeouts and had a 7.28 ERA in 13 appearances with nine starts this season.

Ty Good, pitcher: Good, a right-hander, joins South Carolina after four years at the College of Charleston. He was the 2023 CAA Pitcher of the Year, tossing a career-high 93 strikeouts with a 4.26 ERA. He went 7-4 in 15 starts and held opposing batters to a .212 average.

Blake Jackson, outfielder: Jackson, a 6-foot, 190-pound sophomore, had a breakout season for Charlotte in 2023. He averaged .277 and logged five home runs, 28 RBIs and 10 stolen bases, helping lead the Hornets to the Clemson Regional final.

The Southern Conference Baseball Tournament final was held at Greenville's Fluor Field between Wofford and UNC Greensboro on May 29, 2022. The winner advances to this week's NCAA Regionals. UNC Greensboro Kennedy Jones (7) reacts to hitting a ball out the park and brings in several runs.
The Southern Conference Baseball Tournament final was held at Greenville's Fluor Field between Wofford and UNC Greensboro on May 29, 2022. The winner advances to this week's NCAA Regionals. UNC Greensboro Kennedy Jones (7) reacts to hitting a ball out the park and brings in several runs.

Kennedy Jones, infielder: The 6-1, 212-pound Jones joins South Carolina after two years at UNC Greensboro, where he was a two-time All-Southern Conference selection. He led the Spartans with a .357 batting average, a .598 slugging percentage, 14 home runs and 43 RBIs in 2023.

Zac Morris, infielder: Morris, a 5-11, 185-pound redshirt junior, played both shortstop and first base in four seasons at Virginia Military Institute. He hit above .300 in both 2022 and 2023, logging 10 home runs, 49 RBIs and 25 stolen bases this season.

Parker Noland, infielder: Landing Noland, a 6-1, 208-pound graduate transfer, was a huge portal victory for the Gamecocks. Noland was a four-year starter at Vanderbilt and tied the SEC record for single-game RBIs in 2023 with 11 against Mississippi State. He averaged .277 at the plate with nine home runs and 39 RBIs.

Dalton Reeves, catcher: Reeves, a Lexington native, comes to the Gamecocks after two seasons at Presbyterian College. The 6-5, 215-pound junior led the Blue Hose offense with 12 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .241 batting average in 2023.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina baseball transfer portal: Tracking changes for 2024