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South Carolina star Gavin Casas withdraws from 2023 MLB Draft

Alex Weberby:Alex Weber•07/08/23
South Carolina first baseman Gavin Casas celebrates after a home run against Clemson
Gavin Casas (Caroline Barry/GamecockCentral)

South Carolina baseball just got a big boost for next season. On Saturday afternoon, Gamecock first baseman Gavin Casas announced he would withdraw from the MLB Draft, just one day before the draft was set to begin.

He released this video announcing his big decision:

As a junior in 2023, Casas was a solid hitter in the Gamecock lineup, hitting for a .259 batting average while crossing the plate 60 times. He also recorded 10 doubles, 19 home runs and 56 RBIs on the year. His return as a rising senior will be immense for a South Carolina team that could really use the extra veteran presence and reliable first baseman.

Gavin Casas ought to be in for a huge final season of college ball next spring.

More on the 2023 MLB Draft

The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft will begin during All-Star week, with the first two rounds getting underway at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 9. Rounds 3-10 will then begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10, with rounds 11-20 starting at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 11.

This year’s MLB Draft is a historic one, as a draft lottery was used to determine the order for the first time. The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics each had a 16.5% chance to receive the No. 1 overall pick. Ultimately, Pittsburgh won the right to have the first selection, with Washington finishing right behind them at No. 2. Oakland, however, fell all the way down to No. 6 overall.

While the MLB Draft is always unpredictable, the consensus is that this year’s top prospects both hail from LSU, who won the 2023 College World Series. Pitcher Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews headline this year’s class, which is considered a deep one.

Within the first ten rounds of the draft, each slot is assigned a certain value. Each team has a bonus pool that they are able to spend on these picks, and players will sign at, above or below their assigned slot value.

In rounds 11-20, there is no assigned slot value and MLB teams are free to spend up to $150,000 to sign their picks from the second half of the draft. If they exceed the $150,000 mark, that added amount will be deducted from their bonus pool.

Following the final day of the 2023 MLB Draft, selected players will have until August 1 to sign a contract.