Oct. 15, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Baseball America has ranked the South Carolina 2010 baseball recruiting class No. 19 in the country. This year’s group features 16 newcomers including 10 high school prospects and six junior college transfers. In addition, six of the players have been previously drafted.

2010 GAMECOCK RECRUITING CLASS

Recruiting Class Breakdown
10 High School Prospects
6 Junior College Transfers

By Position
Pitchers (7): Alex Brooks, Wes Cook, Bryan Harper, Spencer Jordan, Forrest Koumas, Thomas Little, Drake Thomason
Infielders (4): Wil Leathers, Peter Mooney, Erik Payne, Jake Watson
Outfielders (1): DeSean Anderson
Catchers (4): Greg Brodzinski, Patrick Harrington, Dante Rosenberg, Brent Worsham

By State
South Carolina (6): Alex Brooks, Spencer Jordan, Forrest Koumas, Wil Leathers, Thomas Little, Drake Thomason
Florida (2): Peter Mooney, Dante Rosenberg
North Carolina (2): DeSean Anderson, Jake Watson
Virginia (2): Patrick Harrington, Erik Payne
Alabama (1): Wes Cook
Georgia (1): Brent Worsham
Nevada (1): Bryan Harper
New Jersey (1): Greg Brodzinski

DeSean Anderson – OF – High Point, N.C. (Ragsdale HS)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (30th round/Boston Red Sox)
– Named to 2010 All-Impact Team by Impact Baseball
– Hit .476 in his senior season
– Rated No. 3 best high school prospect in the state of North Carolina by Impact Baseball
– Rated No. 428 high school prospect in the nation and No. 17 best high school prospect in state of North Carolina by PG Crosschecker

Greg Brodzinski – C/3B – Turnersville, N.J. (Bishop Eustace Prep)
– 2010 National High School Baseball Coaches Association All-District Honors (District 2)
– Earned second team All-State honors his senior season in 2010 in the state of New Jersey
– 2010 Louisville Slugger Preseason HS All-American by Collegiate Baseball
– Rated No. 5 best high school catching prospect at 2009 East Coast Professional Showcase by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 234 best prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 3 high school prospect in the state of New Jersey by PG Crosschecker
– As a senior in 2010, batted .510 with 11 HR and 47 RBI
– As a junior in 2009, batted .411 with six HR and 38 RBI
– As a sophomore in 2008, batted .418 with nine HR and 42 RBI

Alex Brooks – RHP – Lexington, S.C. (Lexington HS)
– 2010 South Carolina AAAA All-State
– 2010 SC/NC Select All-Star
– Compiled a 6-2 record as a senior at Lexington HS
– Rated No. 7 best right-handed pitcher in the state of South Carolina and No. 18 best prospect in state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Posted a 2.05 ERA as a junior in the 2009 season at Lexington HS

Wes Cook – LHP – Montgomery, Ala. (Central Alabama JC)
– Rated No. 179 best junior college prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Named the 2010 JC Pitcher of the Year in the state of Alabama
– 2009 & 2010 NJCAA All-American, named to third-team in 2009 and first-team in 2010
– Posted an 8-3 record as a sophomore in 2010 with 108 strikeouts in 111 innings pitched; finished with a 3.49 ERA
– Compiled a 10-0 record with a 2.30 ERA in 2009, hurled 94 innings
– Averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings as a freshman in 2009

Bryan Harper – LHP – Las Vegas, Nev. (College of Southern Nevada)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (27th round/Chicago Cubs)
– 10-1 record as a sophomore in 2010 at College of Southern Nevada; 88 strikeouts in 57.2 innings, a 2.18 ERA
– Helped lead College of Southern Nevada to 2010 NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
– Rated No. 16 best junior college prospect in nation by Baseball America
– Rated No. 98 best junior college prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 264 best prospect for 2010 MLB Draft by PG Crosschecker
– Played one season at Cal State Northridge (2009) before transferring to College of Southern Nevada
– 2008 MLB Draft Selection (31st round/Washington Nationals)
– Two-time all-state selection in Nevada (2007, 2008)
– Played on same junior college team with younger brother Bryce, who was the first overall choice of the 2010 MLB Draft

Patrick Harrington – C – Virginia Beach, Va. (Kellam HS)
– Rated No. 172 best high school prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 3 best high school prospect in Virginia by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 28 best prospect in state of Virginia for 2010 MLB Draft by Baseball America
– Rated by most publications as one of the top 10 catchers/athletes in the country
– 2009 Virginia AAA All-State second team

Spencer Jordan – RHP – Florence, S.C. (Florence Darlington Tech)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (41th round/Atlanta Braves)
– Compiled a 4-3 record with a 3.96 ERA in 47.2 innings with 38 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2010 at Florence Darlington Tech

Forrest Koumas – RHP – Elgin, S.C. (Lugoff-Elgin HS)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (48th round/Texas Rangers)
– 2010 HS Louisville Slugger All-American by Collegiate Baseball
– South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year by ESPN Rise magazine
– 2010 National High School Baseball Coaches Association All-District (District 3)
– Rated No. 215 best high school prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 3 best high school prospect in South Carolina by PG Crosschecker and Diamond Prospects
– Helped lead Lugoff-Elgin HS to 2010 3A state championship in South Carolina
– In Game 3 of The Finals, Koumas was the winning pitcher and hit a two-run homer in the 3-1 victory
– 2010 South Carolina AAA Player of the Year
– 2009 & 2010 South Carolina AAA All-State
– 2010 3A Player of the Year in South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Finished 2010 season with a 9-1 record, 1.66 ERA, 124 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched and allowed just 45 hits
– 2010 SC/NC Select Team

Wil Leathers – INF – Greer, S.C. (Riverside HS)
– 2010 South Carolina AAA All-Stater
– 2010 SC/NC Select All-Star
– Rated No. 426 best high school prospect in nation and No. 9 best high school prospect in state of South Carolina by PG Crosschecker
– Top second baseman in the state of South Carolina and No. 17 best prospect in state of South Carolina by Diamond Prospects

Peter Mooney – SS – Loxahatchee, Fla. (Palm Beach CC)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (46th round/St. Louis Cardinals)
– Rated No. 93 best junior college prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 58 best prospect in state of Florida for 2010 MLB Draft by Baseball America
– Hit .356 as a sophomore in 2010 with 10 doubles, 3 HR and 28 RBI
– 2009 & 2010 Rawlings NJCAA National Gold Glove recipient for top defensive player of the year at his position
– 2009 MLB Draft Selection (37th round/Chicago Cubs)
– 2009 FCCAA All-Southern Conference first-team honors
– Hit. .383 as a freshman in 2009 with nine doubles and 22 RBI
– His brother Mike lettered in baseball at Florida
– Teammate of Gamecock signee Dante Rosenberg at Palm Beach CC

Erik Payne – 3B/OF – Richmond, Va. (Mills Godwin HS)
– Played in 2010 VHSCA All-Star game
– Hit .333 as a junior with 20 runs scored, six stolen bases and a .444 slugging percentage
– Rated No. 462 best high school prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 11 best high school position player in the state of Virginia by PG Crosschecker
– 2009 Virginia AAA All-State first team

Dante Rosenberg – C – Coral Springs, Fla. (Palm Beach CC)
– Selected to 2009 FCAA All-Star game
– Played at Coral Springs Christian Academy in high school and was MVP of the squad
– Teammate of Gamecock signee Peter Mooney at Palm Beach CC
– Son of former Chicago White Sox player Steve Rosenberg, who also lettered at Florida

Drake Thomason – RHP – Taylors, S.C. (Eastside HS)
– 2010 MLB Draft Selection (46th round/Boston Red Sox)
– Rated No. 306 best high school prospect in nation by PG Crosschecker
– Rated No. 4 best high school prospect in South Carolina by Diamond Prospects
– Rated No. 6 best high school prospect in South Carolina by PG Crosschecker
– As a junior in 2009, compiled a 3-3 record with one save, a 0.99 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched
– Also a quarterback on high school football team, invited to play in 2009 North-South All-Star game
– 2010 SC/NC Select Team

Jake Watson – SS/3B – Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Christian)
– Hit .431 his senior season with six HR and 39 RBI
– Named to 2010 All-Impact Team by Impact Baseball
– Named to 2010 All-Observer Team by the Charlotte Observer
– Rated No. 7 best high school prospect in state of North Carolina by Impact Baseball
– Rated No. 499 best high school prospect in nation and No. 22 best high school prospect in state of North Carolina by PG Crosschecker

Brent Worsham – C – Villa Rica, Ga. (Middle Georgia College)
– Lettered for two seasons at Middle Georgia College
– Played for Carrollton HS in Villa Rica, Ga.

South Carolina is the defending national champion in college baseball after winning the title at the 2010 College World Series. South Carolina has nine College World Series appearances including four in the last 11 years under head coach Ray Tanner. Under Tanner’s leadership, South Carolina owns the fourth highest win total in the last 11 years in the nation with a 522-217 record. South Carolina is one of eight schools to appear in the NCAA Regional every season in the last 11 years including eight NCAA Super Regional appearances in that span, one of only six schools to accomplish the feat.

Carolina owns more overall wins than any SEC team in the last 11 years and more conference wins than any SEC team in the last 11 years with a 200-129 conference record. South Carolina is the only SEC school to record 40 or more wins each season from 2000-present and the only SEC school to reach the NCAA Regional every season in the last 11 years. The Gamecocks also have the most NCAA Super Regional appearances of the 12 SEC schools in the last 11 years.

Head coach Ray Tanner is the second winningest coach in Southeastern Conference history with a .692 winning percentage in 14 seasons at the helm of the Garnet & Black.