Aug. 15, 2011
Columbia, S.C. – Drew Meyer, a 2002 All-American at South Carolina and former major leaguer with the Texas Rangers has returned to Columbia and will serve as an undergraduate student assistant coach for the 2012 season on the South Carolina baseball team. Meyer will serve as the bench coach and work with the infielders. Meyer played three seasons at South Carolina from 2000-02 before beginning a nine-year career in professional baseball highlighted by a stint in Major League Baseball in 2006 with the Texas Rangers.
The 2000 and 2002 teams at South Carolina that Meyer played on won the SEC Championship with the ’02 squad reaching the College World Series and earning National Runner-up. Meyer’s position is similar to the one held by Brian Buscher last year as Buscher earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology. Meyer will be working towards completion in his bachelor’s degree in business management.
“We are very excited to have Drew back at South Carolina as a part of our coaching staff,” said head coach Ray Tanner. “He had an outstanding career here and will be a great teacher and coach for our student-athletes.”
The former Gamecock shortstop was a 2002 second-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Collegiate Baseball as well as third-team All-American by Baseball America. He twice was named All-SEC including a first-team selection in 2002. He played in 209 games in a three-year career for the Garnet & Black only missing one game. Meyer still holds single-season records at Carolina from 2002 for at bats (334), hits (120) and singles (86) as well as tied for the record in games played (75) with three other teammates from the 2002 squad. He is the only player in Carolina history to start 75 games in a season. In addition to his single-season records, Meyer is the school’s career record holder for singles with 209 and he totaled 285 career hits in three seasons, which is third highest in school history. Meyer also is third all-time in runs scored (212) and tied for fifth in triples (9)
Meyer was selected in the first round of the ’02 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers as the 10th overall pick, the highest drafted player in South Carolina history. Meyer made his MLB debut on April 21, 2006.
