News digest, July 26

Coastal hires Shewmaker

Former Vanderbilt Tyler Shewmaker has been added to the staff of first-year Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall as director of player development and recruiting. Shewmaker also served at Campbell and Kentucky Wesleyan, his alma mater.

Coastal

Wofford hires Picollo

Mike Picollo posts on X that he has been been hired as director of player development at Wofford. Picollo started his playing career at UNCW and finished it at St. Joseph's career. His brother, Ryan, also played at St. Joseph's and was drafted in by Seattle in the 20th round of the MLB draft.

Miles goes to Longwood

Former Presbyterian pitcher Eric Miles has been hired as pitching coach at Longwood. He moves over from Campbell, where he served as director of pitching development and camp coordinator.

Commitment

* B.J. Banyon OF, Jr., Charleston Southern, to Southern Indiana.

* Jake Barbee, RHP/OF, Robinson (NC) HS, to USC Upstate, 2025.

Decommitment

* Tysen Brasington, OF/RHP, May River HS, 2025, from Charleston Southern.

News digest, July 25

Commitments

* Ben Filler, RHP, Winter Springs (Fla.) HS, to Coker, 2025.

* Tuckey Gandy, LHP, Fort Mill HS, to Coker, 2025,
* Ben Leikam, LHP, Fr, Wichita State, to North Greenville.

* Julian Mlodzinski, RHP, So., Pensacola State, to Florida International.

* Hunter Pankey, RHP, So., Pensacola State, to Erskine.

* Bennett Shealor, C, So., George Mason (Blacksburg High), to Gardner-Webb.

* J.B. Walters, IF, Fort Mill HS, to Concord, 2025,

Pro signings

* Eli Jones, RHP, South Carolina, Minnesota Twins.
* Dalton Reeves, C, South Carolina, Lincoln Saltdogs.
* Trey Pooser, RHP, Kentucky (Hanahan HS/College of Charleston transfer), Tampa Bay Rays.

* Bryce Shaffer, LHP, Coastal Carolina, Tampa Bay Rays.

Honors

NJCAA  all-academic

First team: T.J. Anderson, Florence-Darlington Tech; Tyler Davis, Spartanburg Methodist; Blake Exizian, USC Union; Colin Ingle, USC Union; Niko Laing, USC Sumter; Kris Levensteins, USC Union; Jameson Madden, USC Union; Blake Martin, Spartanburg Methodist; Brooks Mauro, Spartanburg Methodist; Grayson Peel, USC Sumter; Cooper Raines, USC Sumter; Julian Scott, Spartanburg Methodist; Joshua Smith, Spartanburg Methodist; L.J. Soloman, USC Union; Riley Ward, USC Sumter; Steven Ward, USC Union.

Second team: Lukas Arvantides, USC Sumter; Elijah Franz, Spartanburg Methodist; Steve McCormick, Spartanburg Methodist; Devin Mitchell, Florence-Darlington Tech; Landon Nerase, USC Sumter; Brandon Phillips, Spartanburg Methodist; Joshua Raines, USC Union; Corey Scott, Spartanburg Methodist;  John Shennan, Spartanburg Methodist; Andrew Stephens, USC Union.

Third team: Alex Anderson, Spartanburg Methodist; Owen Austin, Spartanburg Methodist; Connor Boan, USC Union; Joshua Campos, Florence-Darlington Tech; Derek Duval, Florence-Darlington Tech; Nolan Evatt, Spartanburg Methodist; Peyton Friend, USC Union; Quinn Gammage, USC Sumter; Colby Helms, USC Union; Andrew Johnson, Spartanburg Methodist; Scott McKinney, Spartanburg Methodist; Graham Morlan, USC Union; Ashton Phillips, Spartanburg Methodist; Calvin Robertson, USC Sumter; Maddux Smith, USC Sumter; Cayden Towell, USC Sumter; Jonathan Urena, Florence-Darlington Tech; Ethan Wilson, Spartanburg Methodist.

All-academic

News digest, July 24, Part 2

Goodbye 11.7 scholarships for baseball!

The amount of scholarships allowable for NCAA Division I baseball programs is expected to almost triple for the current 11.7 limit, according to a Yahoo Sports report.

The report says commissioners of power conferences finalized new roster limits for several sports in anticipation of a new revenue-sharing model after the settlement of a lawsuit brought against the NCAA (House vs. NCAA).

Baseball is expected to have a roster limit of 34, with all players eligible for scholarship aid. Schools are not required to provide the full amount of scholarships, but expectations are that most - if not all - ACC and SEC teams will greatly increase scholarship funding for baseball.

If approved, football's scholarship limit for NCAA Division I would increase from 85 to 105, softball's from 12 to 25 and volleyball from 12 to 18,
Scholarships

PC's Pollock earns contract extension

Presbyterian College has announced a 10-year contract extension for coach Elton Pollock. Pollock, a PC grad, just completed his 20th season at the school.
Pollock

Gamecocks announce two fall games

South Carolina has announced it will play Air Force in Columbia on Oct. 26 as one of two exhibition games during fall practice. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Founders Park on an open date for USC's football team.

Air Force is coached by Mike Kazlausky, who played and coached for new Gamecocks coach Paul Mainieri when Mainieri was at Air Force from 1989-94.

A Nov. 7 game at College of Charleston on Patriots Point was announced earlier this summer.  College of Charleston, of course, is coached by former USC assistant Chad Holbrook.
USC

Commitments

* Carter Blankinship, OF, Fort Mill HS, to Georgia Southern, 2025.

* Hunter Overholt, RHP/Inf., Abbeville HS, to USC Lancaster.

Rankings

Baseball America way too early Top 25 for 2025: 1. LSU. 4. Clemson. 17. South Carolina.
BA 25

Honors

ABCA team academic excellence awards

* NCAA Division I: Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, South Carolina, Wofford.

* NCAA Division II: Anderson, Benedict, Coker, Lander.

* High school: Easley, Fort Mill, Landrum, West-Oak, 

Smarts

News digest, July 24

Lancaster joins Newberry staff

Former Coastal Carolina standout Seth Lancaster has joined the staff of Newberry coach Jay Snyder. Lancaster, a member of the Chanticleers' 2016 national championship team, comes to the Wolves after two seasons at Radford.

Snyder, who was promoted to head coach after Russell Triplett left to become coach at The Citadel,  also announced Gordie Theisen will remain as pitching coach.

Newberry

Schools seeking games

Newberry, North Greenville and Spartanburg Methodist are all seeking games to complete their 2025 schedules.

Commitments

* Noah Berge, C/IF, Hamilton HS, Chandler, AZ, to Winthrop, 2025.

* Jake Bidoglio, 1B/3B, Florence-Darlington Tech, to Belmont Abbey.
* J.T. Carter, C, R-So., Catawba Valley, to Anderson.

* Ryan Foody, P/IF, Fr., Charleston Southern, to Stony Brook.

* Davis Lewis, IF, North Greenville, to Virginia Tech.

* Logan Goss, RHP, Powdersville HS, to Limestone, 2025.

* Ryan Stewart, OF/P, Clover HS, to Limestone, 2025.

Pro signings

* Jackie Bradley Jr., OF, New York Mets (ex-South Carolina).

* Daniel Eagen, RHP, Presbyterian, Arizona Diamondbacks.

* Garrett Gainey, LHP, South Carolina, Tampa Bay Rays.

* Chase Harlan, 3B, Clemson signee, Los Angeles Dodgers.
* Kenny Leiner, RHP, Limestone, Baltimore Orioles.

* Carson Messina, LHP, Summerville, Toronto Blue Jays.

* Rocco Reid, LHP, Clemson, Arizona Diamondbacks.

* Tristan Smith, LHP, Clemson, Cincinnati Reds.

* Blake Wright, 3B, Clemson, Colorado Rockies.

News digest, July 22

Gamecocks hire Gordon

South Carolina has hired Chris Gordon as director of player development. His job will include analytics and coordinating USC's baseball camps. Previous stops included Texas, Duke, East Tennessee State and Milligan, his alma mater.

USC

Trailblazers look for games

North Greenville is looking for up to five midweek games for the 2025 season. Contact mdilworth@ngu.edu.

USC recruit on All-American Classic roster

South Carolina recruit Peter Mershon of Eastside High is on the East roster for the 22nd annual Dick's Sporting Goods All-American Classic presented by Perfect Fame USA. The teams will play games in the Phoenix area Aug. 16-18.

Stars

 

Pro signings

* Sam Antonacci, IF, Coastal Carolina, with Chicago White Sox.

* Cole messina, C, South Carolina, with Colorado Rockies.

* Austin Gordon, RHP, Clemson, with California Angels.

Commitments

* Hudson Lee, LHP, R-Fr., Wake Forest (Dorman High), to Clemson.

News digest, July 20

Wright helps USA take second place

Davis Wright from Spartanburg Methodist got a win for the United States team in its final game of pool play in the Honklbalweek tournament in the Netherlands. He struck out three and allowed two hits in four shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Spain on Tuesday.

Team USA, consisting of NJCAA players, lost to Japan, 10-4, in the championship game on Friday.

Davis made two appearances in the tournament, pitching five shutout innings, allowing three hits, walking two and striking out three.

Petry an all-star

South Carolina's Ethan Petry has been named to the East roster for the Cape Cod (summer collegiate) League's all-star game. Petry, who plays for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, is batting .361 with 6 homers and 15 RBI.

Commitments

* Lukas Aravantides, LHP, R-So., USC Sumter, to Southern Wesleyan.
* Corey Fortson, OF/3B. Westover HS, Albany, Ga., to Florence-Darlington Tech.

* Michael Gillen, RHP, So., Seton Hall, to Clemson.

* Jensen Howard, IF, So., USC Sumter, to Southern Wesleyan.

* Payton Howard, OF, Sr., Campbell, to North Greenville.

* Todd Hudson, RHP/OF, So, River Bluff HS/Liberty U, to Miami.

* Niko Laing,  IF, So., USC Sumter, to Southern Wesleyan,

* Rayth Peterson, IF, Sr., Illinois Chicago, to Francis Marion.

* Tristan Tillman, IF/OF, So., USC Sumter, to Southern Wesleyan.

* Cayden Towell, RHP, So., USC Sumter, to Southern Wesleyan.

* Jackson Winer, 1B/LHP, Bishop England HS, to Coastal Carolina, 2025.

Transfer portal

* Anderson Fulk, OF, Jr., Liberty U/York HS, Florence-Darlington Tech.

Pro signings

* Cole Mathis, IF, College of Charleston, Chicago Cubs.
* Charlie McDaniel, LHP, Presbyterian, San Francisco Giants.

* P.J. Morlando, OF, Summerville HS (USC commitment), Miami Marlins.

2025 draft

* D1Baseball top 100 college prospects: 5. Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina; 7. Cam Cannarella, Clemson. 19. Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina.

D1 100

* PerfectGame USA mock draft:  7. Chicago Cubs: Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina; 11. Oakland Athletics: Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson; 12. Cincinnati Reds: Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina.

PG mock