Paul Mainieri updates injury report as South Carolina begins fall practice

South Carolina baseball will begin its first week of full team practices for the fall on Monday. Over the next six weeks, the Gamecocks will have 27 workouts/practices with two scrimmages against outside opponents.

But before things ramp up, first-year head coach Paul Mainieri met with the media Monday morning and updated how the team is looking from a health standpoint going into fall ball. He said they have a healthy group “to get a good look in these scrimmages.” But there will be some players out for the time being.

Mainieri said right-handed pitcher Riley Goodman will not play in the fall or in the 2025 season. The incoming freshman will be out after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.

“Riley hurt his arm in high school last year. Had to have Tommy John surgery. We know that he’ll be out for the season,” Mainieri said.

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Otherwise, Mainieri didn’t deem any other players out for the season, as the rest of the injuries aren’t as long-term for now.

“We do have a few pitchers that are out for the fall as well. Parker Marlatt and Eddie Copper will not pitch in the scrimmages,” Mainieri said. “I guess there’s an outside chance, maybe towards the end, but we’re not going to push yet. They both had to deal with some injuries coming off last season.”

Marlatt and Copper both chiseled out big roles on the Gamecocks’ pitching staff in 2024. Marlatt went 3-0 with a 4.38 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched. He last pitched on June 2 against James Madison in the NCAA Tournament.

Copper, meanwhile, quickly became South Carolina’s midweek starter on the mound and made seven starts. The right-hander went 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA, 27 strikeouts and 11 walks over 23.2 innings. He last pitched on April 3 and missed the rest of the year with an elbow injury.

Mainieri also said freshman infielder Tyler June is “very limited in what he can do” right now. He added that June underwent labarum surgery on his throwing shoulder coming out of high school.

Returning catcher Ryan Bakes won’t participate in Monday’s scrimmage, Mainieri said. Bakes, who hit .211 in 12 games last season, is dealing with a “little wrist issue.” Mainieri is hopeful Bakes won’t be out for long and the wrist issue will clear up within a few days.

The only other notable injury Mainieri mentioned was to right-hander Jackson Soucie, who joins the team from the JUCO ranks. In 10 appearances (three starts) at Wabash Valley College, he went 2-0 with a 5.04 ERA in 25 innings in 2024. He struck out 37 and walked 14.

“Unfortunately, he’s been having some nagging arm issues since he’s arrived here. So I don’t really know what we have there,” Mainieri said. “He was tremendous last year in junior college, but I just don’t know what availability he’s going to have for us, particularly this fall.”

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Without mentioning anyone else by name, Mainieri did say there were a couple others banged up and that he doesn’t know when they will be back. He did point out the Gamecocks have been dealing with their share of illnesses, though.

“We have had a share of some unique illnesses in these first six weeks, all the way from cyst to mono to colds and those type of things,” he said. “So we’re dealing with a lot of little stuff like that. I think we have 21 pitchers available right now to pitch in the games, outside of the ones that are ill or have temporary injuries.”

South Carolina will have four scrimmages on the docket this week. The team will play at 4:30 p.m. on Monday-Wednesday. Monday’s scrimmage will be two innings, Tuesday will be 2.5 and Wednesday will be three. The Gamecocks will scrimmage again on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and go for three innings.

All scrimmages are free and open to the public and will take place at Founders Park.

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