Dylan Brewer enjoying the game while making the most of his opportunity

Dylan Brewer spent the first three years of his career before he came to South Carolina pressing. He was determined to not let that happen again. 

But, as the season started and the games began counting, old habits died hard. Brewer found himself in the same boat again through the first three weeks of the season. 

That’s not the case now though with Brewer freer mentally while being an integral piece of the Gamecocks’ offense halfway through SEC play. 

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“I got here and I loved it. Like I love being here. The season started and reality hit. Like, ‘I’m a Gamecock,’” Brewer said. “So I was trying to win over fans and over-pressing. I just wasn’t playing well. I just needed to settle down and just be me.” 

An in-state prospect coming over through the portal from archrival Clemson, Brewer admitted he was trying to impress too hard too early in the season while starting for South Carolina in the outfield.

That internal pressure caused him to start a measly 2-for-13 with six strikeouts to one walk. He drove in just one in that stretch. 

But, oddly enough as soon as the Clemson series ended and was in the rearview, Brewer began to play really well. 

Since then (64 at-bats), he’s slashing .297/.452/.609 with 14 RBI and 21 strikeouts to 15 walks. Brewer’s batting average on balls in play (BABIP) over that stretch is .342. 

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Brewer has been even better over the last three weeks (38 at-bats). Since South Carolina inserted him into the lineup at Mississippi State he’s slashing .368/.529/.710 with 11 strikeouts to 10 walks and four home runs to pair with seven RBI.

Brewer’s scored a staggering 17 times as well. 

“I think mainly what changed was how I went about the games,” Brewer said. “Just every day trying to get the most out of things and have. Instead of pressing like I’ve done the last three years. As soon as I focused on having fun and being with my teammates and enjoying it I started playing well.” 

Because of his tear, South Carolina’s started Brewer in 10 of 14 SEC games this year.

“I’m pleased with the progress he’s made over the course of the season. He’s gotten better. He started as a starter then was on the bench for a while but didn’t pout, just went to work,” Mark Kingston said. “Now he’s a very key guy for our offense. I’m happy with him and happy with what he brings there. He gets on base, works counts and has that power.” 

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He’s been a boon for a South Carolina offense dealing with a few injuries of late. And he’s settling into the lineup and now moving all the way up to the top third of late. 

The Gamecocks haven’t had a traditional leadoff hitter most of the year. But Brewer’s done well there the last two games hitting in the top spot of the order. 

In those two games–one at Vanderbilt and another at home to Charleston Southern–he’s 2-for-6 with two walks, two strikeouts, a home run, one RBI and five runs scored. 

While it’s an incredibly small sample size, his BABIP is .333 in those two games.

“I do like it. It’s different than being at the bottom of the order,” he said. “I hit there all fall and spring. So I’m kind of used to it. I was able to adjust to it pretty easily.” 

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The sixth-ranked Gamecocks (31-6, 10-4 SEC) are going to need Brewer’s production at the top of the order this weekend, hosting No. 3 Florida in a battle of SEC East titans this weekend. 

It’s a chance for South Carolina to continue to build its national seed resume. But it’s also a chance for Brewer to continue his solid run through SEC play. 

“He’s got a really good on-base percentage now…He’s left-handed, which is always nice to have at the top,” Kingston said. “He’s got occasional power with six home runs now and he can steal a base. He just brings a lot of athleticism to that spot.”

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