Oct. 22, 2014
COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina baseball’s recruiting class has been ranked No. 5 in the nation as announced by Baseball America on Wednesday afternoon. It is the second consecutive year the Gamecocks have brought in a Top 5 class as last year’s group was ranked No. 3 in the country by Baseball America. This year’s class consists of 16 newcomers.
2014-15 GAMECOCK NEWCOMERS
Player Pos. Hometown (Previous School)Alex Calvert RHP/INF La Plata, Md. (La Plata HS)Thatcher Coleman C Hartsville, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)Banks Cromer LHP Columbia, S.C. (AC Flora HS)Alex Destino LHP/OF Weaverville, N.C. (North Buncombe HS)Everett Eynon INF Columbia, S.C. (AC Flora HS)Tyler Johnson RHP Midlothian, Va. (Trinity Episcopal)Jared Martin C Dunwoody, Ga. (Chattahoochee Valley JC (Ala.))Cole McMillan LHP Lexington, S.C. (Lexington HS)Brandon Murray RHP/1B/3B Hobart, Ind. (Hobart HS)Dylan Rogers RHP Union, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)Clarke Schmidt RHP Acworth, Ga. (Allatoona HS)Clark Scolamiero OF Simpsonville, S.C. (Greenville HS)Collin Steagall 1B Lexington, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)Madison Stokes INF Columbia, S.C. (AC Flora HS)Hunter Taylor C Onley, Va. (Nandua HS)Jared Williams INF Gilbert, S.C. (Glibert HS)
Alex Calvert – RHP/INF – La Plata, Md. (La Plata HS)
– Helped lead La Plata HS to 2013 Maryland state baseball championship game
– Posted a 7-2 record as a junior in 2013 season, earned all-county honors
– Son of former Gamecock Mark Calvert (1980-83)
– Also played football and was starting quarterback
Thatcher Coleman – C – Hartsville, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)
– Hit .279 as a freshman at Spartanburg Methodist, helped lead team to 2014 NJCAA World Series
– Played in 2013 SC North-South All-Star Game
– Prepped at Hartsville HS
Banks Cromer – LHP – Columbia, S.C. (A.C. Flora HS)
– Rated No. 9 best left-handed pitcher in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 25 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– Played on 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA state championship teams
– Winning pitcher for A.C. Flora HS in 2014 AAA state championship game
– Son of former Gamecock player and former MLB player Tripp Cromer
Alex Destino – LHP/OF – Weaverville, N.C. (North Buncombe HS)
– 2014 Louisville Slugger High School All-American by Collegiate Baseball
– Rated No. 53 best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 2 best high school prospect in the state of North Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 68 best high school prospect in the nation by Baseball America
– Rated No. 4 best high school prospect in the state of North Carolina by Baseball America
– 2014 Baseball America High School All-America Third Team
– As a senior in 2014 went 10-1 with a 1.43 ERA in 73.1 innings with 116 strikeouts. Also hit .529 with 15 homers and 43 RBI.
– Played on 2013 USA Baseball 18U National Team that won gold medal at 2013 IBAF `AAA’/18U World Cup in Taichung, Taiwan. Starting and winning pitcher in 10-4 victory over Japan in pool play. Also hit .400 (4-for-10) with four RBI in four games played.
– Participated in USA Baseball’s 2013 Tournament of Stars
– Rated on, “25 More Players To Watch” list from Tournament of Stars by Baseball America
– 2013 N.C. Baseball Coaches Association 3A All-State
– Played for South Charlotte Panthers AAU team
Everett Eynon – INF – Columbia, S.C. (AC Flora HS)
– Rated No. 4 best second baseman in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 26 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– 2014 South Carolina AAA All-State
– 2014 SC Select Team
– Played on 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA state championship teams
Tyler Johnson – RHP – Midlothian, Va. (Trinity Episcopal HS)
– Rated No. 21 best high school prospect in the state of Virginia by Perfect Game USA
– 2014 VISAA (Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association) All-State Division I First Team
– 2013 VISAA All-State Division I Second Team
– Played for Richmond Braves AAU team
Jared Martin – C – Dunwoody, Ga. (Chattahoochee Valley JC (Ala.))
– Hit .359 with two homers, 53 RBI as a sophomore in 2014 at Chattahoochee Valley
– Helped lead Chattahoochee Valley to 2014 NJCAA College World Series
– 2013 All-Central Division First Team
– Hit .354 with three homers, 45 RBI as a freshman in 2013 at Chattahoochee Valley
Cole McMillan – LHP – Lexington, S.C. (Lexington HS)
– Played in 2013 SC North/South All-Star Game
– Member of 2013 AAAA state championship team at Lexington HS
– Went 8-0 as a junior for Lexington HS in 2012, limited in 2013 due to shoulder injury
– High school teammate of current Gamecock pitcher Josh Reagan and first baseman Collin Steagall
– Hurled a no-hitter in the summer of 2012 at IP Classic in Georgetown, S.C.
Dylan Rogers – RHP – Union, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)
– 2014 All Region X First Team
– Helped lead SMC to 2014 NJCAA College World Series
– Went 10-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 76.2 innings as a sophomore in 2014 at SMC with six complete games
– Went 6-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 37.2 innings as a freshman in 2013 at SMC
– Prepped at Union County HS
Brandon Murray – RHP/1B/3B – Hobart, Ind. (Hobart HS)
– 2014 MLB Draft Selection (30th round/Philadelphia Phillies)
– Rated No. 83 best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA
– Top rated high school prospect in the state of Indiana by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 2 best high school prospect in the state of Indiana by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 98 best high school prospect in the nation by Baseball America
– Participated in USA Baseball’s 2013 Tournament of Stars
– Participated in 2013 Perfect Game All-American Classic
– Rated No. 9 standout of Tournament of Stars by Baseball America
– Named to 2013 All-USA Indiana Baseball Team by USA Today
– As a junior in 2013 went 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 58.2 innings, also hit .396 with 31 RBI
– As a sophomore in 2012 went 6-4 with a 3.03 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 62.1 innings pitched
– Played for Evoshield Canes AAU team and Region Storm AAU team
Clarke Schmidt – RHP – Acworth, Ga. (Allatoona HS)
– Rated No. 230 best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 18 best high school prospect in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game USA
– Georgia Region 5AAAAA 2014 Pitcher of the Year
– Participated in USA Baseball’s 2013 Tournament of Stars
– Played for Team Elite AAU team
– Older brother Clate currently pitches for Clemson
Clark Scolamiero – OF – Simpsonville, S.C. (Greenville HS)
– Rated No. 2 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Baseball America
– Rated No. 4 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 15 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 1 best outfielder in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA All-State
– 2014 SC Select Team
– Played for Greenville District 7 in summer of 2013 and helped lead team to Big League World Series championship
– 2013 All-USA Today South Carolina baseball team, only junior represented on the squad
– As a junior in 2013, hit .528 at Greenville HS
– Played for West End Baseball AAU team
– Also was starting quarterback on Greenville HS football team
Collin Steagall – 1B – Lexington, S.C. (Spartanburg Methodist College)
– 2014 All-Region X First Team
– Helped lead SMC to NJCAA College World Series
– Hit .341 with a .410 on-base percentage and a .608 slugging percentage in 2014 with SMC as well as 11 homers and 49 RBI
– Prepped at Lexington HS with current Gamecock teammates Cole McMillan and Josh Reagan
– 2012 South Carolina AAAA All-State
– Out of high school was rated No. 2 best first baseman in the state of South Carolina in the class of 2012 by Diamond Prospects
Madison Stokes – INF – Columbia, S.C. (AC Flora HS)
– 2014 MLB Draft Selection (40th round/New York Yankees)
– 2014 Louisville Slugger High School All-American by Collegiate Baseball
– Rated No. 3 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 4 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Baseball America
– Rated No. 6 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 1 best shortstop in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 484 best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA
– 2014 South Carolina AAA Player of the Year
– 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA All-State
– Played on 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA state championship teams
– Played for Evoshield Canes AAU team and Palmetto Sand Gnats AAU team
Hunter Taylor – C – Onley, Va. (Nandua HS)
– Rated No. 169 best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 6 best high school prospect in the state of Virginia by Baseball America – Rated No. 8 best high school prospect in the state of Virginia by Perfect Game USA
– 2014 Baseball America High School All-America Second Team
– As a senior in 2014, hit .554 with 12 homers and 39 RBI
– 2013 Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Group A Second Team
– As a sophomore in 2012 he hit .571 with 10 doubles, four homers and 35 RBI
– Played for Evoshield Canes AAU team; squad won 2013 PG WWBA World Championship
Jared Williams – INF – Gilbert, S.C. (Glibert HS)
– Rated No. 11 best high school prospect in the state of South Carolina by Perfect Game USA
– Rated No. 2 best second baseman in the state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– 2013 & 2014 South Carolina AAA All-State
– As a senior in 2014, hit .421 with 16 stolen bases
– As a junior in 2013, hit .425 with 26 stolen bases
– 2012 South Carolina AA All-State
– 2014 SC Select Team
– 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 All-Region selection
– Named to Perfect Game WWBA All-Tournament team in 2013
– Named to the 16U Perfect Game World Series All-Tournament team & Louisville Slugger MLB Prime 9 in 2012
– Played for Diamond Devils AAU team
Baseball America Top 25 Recruiting Classes
1. Louisiana St.
2. Virginia
3. Florida
4. Arkansas
5. South Carolina
6. North Carolina
7. UCLA
8. Stanford
9. Oregon State
10. Florida State
11. Texas
12. Missouri
13. Miami (Fla.)
14. Oregon
15. San Diego
16. FIU
17. Oklahoma State
18. Vanderbilt
19. San Diego State
20. Maryland
21. Wichita State
22. Ole Miss
23. Texas Tech
24. Mississippi State
25. Southern California
—— South Carolina won the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 2010 and 2011 at the College World Series. South Carolina has 11 College World Series appearances, including six in the last 13 years. The Gamecocks own the second-highest win total in the nation in the last 15 years (2000 to the present) with a 713-289 record. South Carolina is one of five schools to appear in the NCAA Regional every season in the last 15 years, including 11 NCAA Super Regional appearances in that span, one of only two schools to accomplish the feat.
