Dylan Eskew injury update: USC pitcher scratched from start after being struck in head by ball during batting practice

South Carolina starting pitcher Dylan Eskew was injured prior to the Gamecocks’ game against Arkansas Sunday. Eskew was stuck in the head by a ball Saturday, according to Jack Veltri.

During that sequence, Eskew was in the bullpen during batting practice when a ball made its way over. Eskew was struck in the head and put into concussion protocol.

Because of that, Eskew will not pitch Sunday against the Razorbacks. Jarvis Evans Jr. will get the start in his place.

Eskew is a big piece to South Carolina baseball this season. Expected to take a chance in the 2024 MLB Draft, Eskew returned to the Gamecocks for 2025.

“I was ready to go. I was expecting my agent and everyone, we assumed was going to move on,” Eskew told GamecockCentral. “When we didn’t have a coach, I told Monte (Lee) I would love to come back if nothing works out, but if I get anything I’m going to have to take it. I’m only getting older. It’s time to move on.”

With another year of eligibility in his back pocket, Eskew expressed interest in returning to South Carolina. Then he got a call from coach Paul Mainieri, with some good news.

“I heard Coach Mainieri got hired, and he called me a day or two later and said he’s still interested in having me back,” Eskew said. “We kind of felt each other out a little bit and we felt like each other fit with one another, and here we are.

“That’s one thing me and Coach Mainieri talked about is that ‘I don’t want you to come back and just think that this is your last year. Once you saw that motivation like you can get drafted and have the year that we think you can have, you will get drafted. So just going in with those aspirations and keeping the goals high so you can reach high.”