What to know as South Carolina opens the 2023 baseball season

South Carolina baseball is back and it’s time to get ready for the opening series of the year. 

The Gamecocks begin the season hosting UMass Lowell, a team that played for a conference title last season. 

Before things get started at Founders Park, here are a few things to know.

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Offensive identity 

All eyes will be on the Gamecocks’ offense, which is looking for a bounceback 2023 after a rough 2022. South Carolina spent the offseason trying to bring in veteran bats and the Gamecocks like where they stand right now. 

“I think we want to be a lineup that goes out there and grinds out at-bats one through nine,” Braylen Wimmer said. “You look at the best offenses in the country they have guys that are grinding out at-bats one through nine and it’s a pain for them to get through the order.”

The Gamecocks finished last year slashing a paltry .263/.360/.407 as a team but want to change that in 2023. Monte Lee comes in as an associate head coach to work with a bevy of young talent and transfer portal bats.

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The goal is to be similar to Texas A&M, which took a pesky, grind-it-out style of offense all the way to the College World Series. The Aggies slashed .289/.398/.469 last season and took two of three games against the Gamecocks. 

“Honestly, we’re pretty similar to A&M. They had four or five lefties who had good bat-to-ball skills. I think that’s what we have,” Will Sanders said. “We want each other to succeed. That’s going to be the best thing. We’re all good. We’re all talented. We all work and want it for each other. That’s what is going to make us a great team.”

Figuring out the bullpen

The rotation is set, and it’s a doozy. Sanders leads things off on Friday, followed by Noah Hall–one of the best statistical pitchers in the SEC last season–and Jack Mahoney, a freshman All-American coming off Tommy John surgery. 

It certainly looks the part of a formidable rotation and South Carolina will need to figure out the reliever roles behind them. The good news is South Carolina has options. 

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“Who are the guys who’ve done it for you in the past? Obviously, Cade Austin’s had a lot of great moments for us in the back of the bullpen,” Mark Kingston said. “Nick Proctor is a guy we brought in from California who’s been really effective in the back of the bullpen. We kind of know where their level is in terms of what they’ve done for you in the past.”

Those two will have major roles along with freshman phenom Eli Jerzembeck, James Hicks, Matthew Becker, Jackson Phipps and others. But those roles won’t be solidified until after the season begins. 

South Carolina starts the year with eight games in 10 days, giving the staff plenty of chances to tinker.

“We’re not ready to name a pure, one-inning closer right now. I think we have too many guys capable of doing it right now. We just need to see what it looks like when the lights go on, because it could be any of those guys.”   

Wimmer moving to short

Wimmer came to South Carolina as a shortstop prospect and, while it took him a few years to get there, he’ll make his first collegiate start there Friday afternoon. 

“I’ve always known I could,” Wimmer said. “Obviously, I have confidence in myself to take the job any time. I’m going to keep battling for it all year long.” 

After struggling some at short in the fall last year, Wimmer’s been sensational in the fall and preseason leading up to 2023. Pair that with him slashing .312/.361/.466 last season and he has the makings of an impactful player. 

“The comparison is night and day. This time last year we thought he was a very good second baseman but his arm needs to be on the right side of the field,” Kingston said. “He decided to come back and forgo the draft after being drafted by the Phillies and came back on a mission that he wanted the opportunity to be the shortstop. From day one, he’s just been incredible.”

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If he continues his run of defense, the Gamecocks won’t have to worry defensively in the six-hole. 

“We’ve had him for a while and he’s never played defense like this,” Kingston said. “But (he’s) never showed the arm strength or accuracy on a consistent basis for us to slide him to the left side. This year he’s done that.” 

Injury report

South Carolina will be without two pitchers for the season: Roman Kimball and Ricky Williams. Both will have Tommy John surgery and be back for 2024. Gamecocks freshman Connor Fuhrman, who wasn’t expected to shoulder a heavy load this year, will have a knee procedure and won’t be on the active roster. 

The lone injury that could return this season is Jacob Compton, who is out at least four weeks dealing with a back injury. 

“The next step for Jacob is to just get the brace off and have the doctor look at how the healing has proceeded. From there we’ll have a better idea. I’m hoping for maybe about a month from now he’s swinging the bat and itching to get some playing time. But we’re still a little bit away from knowing that for sure.” 

Series details

Who: South Carolina vs. UMass Lowell

When: Friday/Saturday/Sunday (4 p.m./2 p.m./1:30 p.m.)

Where: Founders Park (Capacity: 8,242)

How to watch/listen: SEC Network Plus/South Carolina Radio Network

Projected pitching matchups (2022 stats):

Friday: RHP Will Sanders (7-3, 3.43 ERA) vs. RHP LJ Keevan (5-5, 4.71 ERA)

Saturday: RHP Noah Hall (3-5, 4.34 ERA) vs. RHP Brian Foley (freshman)

Sunday: RHP Jack Mahoney (no stats) vs. RHP Matt Draper (3-5, 3.86 ERA)

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