How current Gamecocks are performing in summer baseball league action

So far this summer, there have been a handful of players from South Carolina playing in collegiate summer leagues to improve their game before the fall and 2025 season. Since the last update, there have been some new faces to join the mix. Let’s take a look at how each Gamecock as July starts to near an end.

Evan Stone

In seven games with the Lexington County Blowfish, Stone is hitting .333/.412/.667 with a 1.079 OPS in 30 at-bats. He’s picked up 10 hits so far, four of which were doubles and two homers with six RBI. The Gamecock outfielder is also 2-for-2 in stolen bases.

Will Tippett

Tippett has played 21 games for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League. During that stretch, he’s hit .200/.300/.300 with one homer and one RBI in 40 at-bats. He’s struck out 19 times and walked eight while stealing three bases in three attempts.

Ethan Petry

Newsflash: Petry is still tearing the cover off the baseball this summer. Playing alongside Tippett with the Red Sox, the now-junior slugger is hitting .371/.483/.771 with seven homers and 17 RBI in 87 at-bats. He was named a Cape Cod League All-Star for his efforts at the plate, which have been remarkably impressive. With his friend and teammate Cole Messina off to the pros, Petry will return as the Gamecocks’ leading hitter for next year.

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Talmadge LeCroy

Recently joining Tippett and Petry with the Red Sox, LeCroy got off to a great start by homering in his first at-bat of the summer. In six games, he’s hitting .350/.435/.500 with the solo homer accounting for his only RBI so far. He’s racked up seven hits in 20 at-bats.

Ryan Bakes

Bakes has been with the Rockford Rivets in the Northwoods League. He’s played a good bit, with 116 at-bats in 24 games. During that stretch, the backstop is hitting .233/.414/.488 with five homers and 18 RBI. He’ll be competing for starting catcher duties next season with Messina now gone.

Ricky Williams

Williams has yet to officially pitch for the Gamecocks in the two years since he transferred from Clemson. He had been recovering from Tommy John surgery. But now pitching again for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters in the Northwood League, the right-hander finished his summer with a 8.53 ERA in 19 innings. He struck out 18 and walked 13.

Xavier Pelzer

With the Upper Valley Nighthawks in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Pelzer is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA  in 7.1 innings. His command has seemingly been an issue as he’s walked nine and only struck out three. He hasn’t made an appearance since July 1.

Wyatt Evans

Getting into the transfers, Evans has been with the Frederick Keys in the MLB Draft League this summer. In six games (two starts), the left-hander is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings. He’s struck out 11 and walked six.

Ashton Crowther

With Crowther’s summer season now over, he finished 0-2 with a 5.73 ERA in four appearances, two of which were starts. The Miami transfer struck out 10 and walked five while with the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League.

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Nathan Hall

In 18 games with the Cotuit Kettleers in the Cape, Hall is hitting .351/.422/.421 with one homer and six RBI. He’s picked up 20 hits in 57 at-bats. He’s also 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts.

Nolan Nawrocki

Playing with his former Clemson teammate Hall with the Cotuit Kettleers is Nawrocki. In 22 games, the Clemson transfer is hitting .260/.313/.403 with three homers and 12 RBI. He’s played 20 games at third base this summer, which is where he expects to compete at in 2025.

Max Kaufer

Rounding out the transfers, Kaufer has been playing for the Whitecaps in the Cape. In nine games, the Texas A&M transfer has hit .280/.355/.360 with no homers and two RBI. He’s played all of those games behind the plate, where’s he thrown out 30 percent of base runners.

Gavin Braland

Joining the Gamecocks next season as an incoming freshman, Braland has been getting some reps with the Purcellville Cannons in the Valley League. In 18 games, the catcher is hitting .356/.443/.407 with 21 hits in 59 at-bats and 11 RBI.

Elijah Grant

Another incoming freshman, Grant is also playing in the Valley League, but with the Front Royal Cardinals. In 27 games, he’s hitting .229/.319/.301 with 19 hits in 83 at-bats and eight RBI. He’s stolen seven bases in 11 attempts.

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