South Carolina pitcher Will Craddock announces transfer to SEC program

The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball program is entering a new era, as head coach Kevin Schnall was hired earlier this month. The Gamecocks are coming off of a program-low 35 losses this past season, as head coach Paul Mainieri resigned early in the season.  

As such, several South Carolina players opted to enter the transfer portal as the program undergoes a huge transition. 

One of those was infielder Will Craddock, who spent his true freshman season with the Gamecocks. Over the weekend, Craddock announced via a post on his Instagram that he would be joining the Mississippi State Bulldogs following his lone season in Columbia.  

The Anderson, S.C. native had a big season for South Carolina even as a true freshman, hitting .260 with 10 home runs across 51 games for the Gamecocks. But South Carolina struggled throughout the season, so you can’t blame Craddock for wanting a fresh start. In a recent interview with 247Sports, Craddock thinks the experience he had playing in the SEC will help him in 2027 and beyond.  

“Having that experience will be huge,” Craddock said. “I had a pretty good year last year, but I obviously battled some ups and downs, and I think that will ultimately help me become a better player. In this league, you are going to get beaten up, face adversity, and just go through the gutter sometimes, but you have to find a way to fight out of it.”

Although South Carolina’s baseball schedule has not been released just yet, the Gamecocks will likely face their former player. The Gamecocks played Mississippi State in a three-game series last year, getting swept in all three games.

As for what this means for South Carolina, losing a player like Craddock hurts, but the Gamecocks are bringing in some big hitters over from Wake Forest. In recent days, the Gamecocks have landed commitments from the likes of JD Stein, and Luke and Andrew Costello.

Best of luck to Craddock on the next phase of your career!

ALSO READ: South Carolina target Davion Jones moves up commit date following visit with Gamecocks