The Gamecocks’ roster may need some maintenance before it is ready for the 2025 campaign, but it may not be the kind most people anticipate from South Carolina baseball coach Paul Mainieri and his staff.
Although there are undoubtedly areas that USC needs to improve upon and prepare the newcomers to the team for contribution, Mainieri and his staff also have some difficult choices to make. The South Carolina baseball team is overstocked due to new roster regulations that permit more scholarships but fewer roster spots; players and coaches will need to collaborate before fall ball to get the numbers straight.
As a result, teams across the country are expecting an increase in transfers and some recruits from the 2024 class may not join their originally committed programs. This situation is also impacting future recruiting classes, as players seek full scholarships while teams have fewer roster spots available. In recent weeks, the South Carolina Gamecocks have seen several recruits withdraw their commitments, with some 2024 signees choosing other schools.
On Wednesday, Emory Horton, an in-state 2025 recruit, announced on social media that he was decommitting from the South Carolina baseball program, stating he was “reopening his recruitment.” It is unclear whether Horton’s decision was influenced by new roster rules, the coaching change from Mark Kingston to Paul Mainieri, or other factors. Horton, a pitcher and first baseman, originally committed to the Gamecocks last fall but now appears poised to join another program after his senior year, leaving South Carolina with 15 commitments in their 2025 class.
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