Of the four Gamecocks selected in the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft, three opted to return to South Carolina for the 2023 season, each citing their own reasons to play college baseball for another year.
Senior pitcher Noah Hall was a 20th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers. He returns for a second season at South Carolina after coming second on the team in strikeouts and third in both ERA and WHIP in 2022.
For Hall, returning is about demonstrating his worth and establishing himself as an impactful player.
“The draft really just gave me motivation – just seeing all these people pass up on me," Hall said. "I know the work I put in and I know I’m very confident in that, and I just felt like the whole entire time, all I thought about was that they were sleeping on me and I can’t wait to get back this year and prove them wrong.”
Senior infielder Braylen Wimmer and redshirt junior pitcher James Hicks were the other two Gamecock players selected in the draft.
Hicks was selected in the 15th round by the Baltimore Orioles. He only saw two outings last season due to injury, as he was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2022.
Wimmer was an 18th-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies. He had proved to be an influential part of the Gamecock offense in 2022 and led the team in both hits and stolen bases. He finished second in runs scored and third in batting average.
For Wimmer, returning to South Carolina was about more than simply preparing for the next draft. He found that his focus in the past season was being a desirable draft pick.
“I want to come back and play for the love of the game and just embrace every moment I get here,” Wimmer said.
Head coach Mark Kingston anticipates that the return of all three players will also impact the success of the team as a whole.
“Those three guys are huge contributors for us this year and they’ve also really taken the reigns of leadership. So, I just think it’s been a huge positive for us to get those guys back both in the things you’ll see on the field, but also what’s going on in the locker room and the weight room,” Kingston said.
Fellow teammates also expect the trio's return to be influential. Junior pitcher Jack Mahoney is anticipating strength and success on the 2023 roster, especially with the return of Wimmer, Hicks and Hall.
“We knew it was hopefully going to be a special group to be a part of and it’s shaping up to be a good one,” Mahoney said. “I’m sure they’re all glad they stayed, and I know we, our teammates, are very happy they stayed.”
The trio sees its return as an opportunity for growth and a display of talent ahead of the next MLB draft. This season, they each hope to get some attention and demonstrate their ability.
“We wanted to leave a name for ourselves at South Carolina, and we didn’t do that at all last year,” Hall said.
The Gamecock baseball team's 2023 season opens this weekend as it hosts UMass Lowell in a three-game series at Founder’s Park. The games are scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.