Eli Jerzembeck injury update: Paul Mainieri reveals season-ending injury for South Carolina pitcher

One week after coach Paul Mainieri revealed that South Carolina would be without right-handed pitcher Eli Jerzembeck for the season-opening series, the head coach confirmed that Jerzembeck has been lost for the season.

Mainieri told reporters, according to The State’s Jordan Kaye, that Jerzembeck has a stress fracture in his elbow. He’ll undergo surgery in early March. Problems turned up about a week ago.

“Eli actually went to see a doctor yesterday,” Mainieri said last week. “He’s having a little bit of some issues right now. We’re not really sure what exactly the problem is. But he’s not going to be available to us certainly for this weekend and probably next week. It would probably explain why some of his struggles were happening in these first three weeks.”

Many around MLB Draft circles view Jerzembeck as a big-time professional prospect. He missed all of 2024 and part of 2023, though, with Tommy John surgery. During his freshman campaign (pre-injury), Jerzembeck impressed in garnet and black, striking out 36 batters in 31.2 innings. He also logged a 2.84 ERA in his hybrid starter/bullpen role.

Jerzembeck was going to be counted on to play a pivotal role on weekends if he was healthy. Instead, he’ll hit the shelf.

“I really feel for the kid because obviously he missed all of last year and now we’ve just got to hope and pray for the best for him,” Mainieri said.

South Carolina has gotten off to a 5-0 start to the season, sweeping a weekend series against Sacred Heart and then winning a pair of midweek games against Winthrop and Queens.

On3’s Kevin Miller also contributed to this report.