New South Carolina baseball coach Paul Mainieri will have the luxury of an elite group of junior college talents joining the program in his first year with the Gamecocks.

At the time of this writing, USC has received commitments from seven junior college prospects as pitchers Brandon Stone (Johnson County Community College), Brandon Clarke (State College of Florida), Jackson Soucie (Wabash Valley College), Kemper Nix (Spartanburg Methodist College), and Brendan Sweeney (Blinn College) and position players Jase Woita (Kansas City Kansas Community College) and Cayden Gaskin (Northwest Florida State College) will join the program this fall.

The group of JuCo players are sure to make a major impact on the team next season.

According to Dream Big Athletics and former MLB scout Tad Slowick, the Gamecocks have five of the top-54 junior college prospects in the country committed in the class.

Right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone slots in as the #1 overall JuCo player in DBA’s rankings and, obviously, the #1 pitcher and right-handed pitcher.

Brandon Clarke, a left-handed pitcher, is ranked #11 regardless of position and #6 among pitchers. He ranks as the 3rd-best lefty in the junior college class.

Another left-handed pitcher, Jackson Soucie, is the #14 JuCo product according to DBA. He also is the 8th-highest pitcher in the rankings and the 4th-best lefty.

First baseman/third baseman Jase Woita is 23rd on DBA’s list, and he is also the 11th-ranked position player in the rankings. No players listed as first basemen are ranked higher than Woita.

Cayden Gaskin, a utility player who can play middle infield or outfield, is ranked 54th in DBA’s junior college rankings. He is the 27th-rated position player, and only two players ranked ahead of him are listed with realistic multi-positional versatility on their DBA page.

All of these junior college stars are eligible for the 2024 MLB Draft, but only Brandon Clarke (who pitched for the Alabama Crimson Tide before heading to junior college) attended the 2024 MLB Draft Combine. Clarke likely will be selected in the draft, and depending on how high he is picked, he could opt to head to the professional ranks instead of enrolling at the University of South Carolina.

“DO NOT APPROACH HIM …”

Agents of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are searching for an escaped inmate last seen at a Walmart in Greenville County, according to agency spokesperson Renée Wunderlich.

Billy Reed Fletcher, 43, is said to have escaped from the Carter County Detention Center in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Come Monday, June 24, 2024, Fletcher was recorded leaving Walmart Supercenter #641 on White Horse Road in Greenville County, S.C. 

“On June 20, 2024, Billy Fletcher … walked off from his work detail at the Carter County Jail,” wrote the Carter County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) on Facebook. “Billy Fletcher was being housed for a Violation of Probation. There is an active warrant for Billy Fletcher for Escape.”

***

***

Authorities describe Fletcher as 6-foot-2 and approximately 230 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. They encourage anyone with information to contact SLED by calling 803-737-9000 or emailing tips@sled.sc.gov.

They can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Greenville by calling 864-23-CRIME (or 864-232-7463), going online at 23crime.com, or using the P3 Tips Mobile app. An anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers can be worth up to $1,000.

This story may be updated.

***

PRESS RELEASE …

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR …

Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

***

WANNA SOUND OFF?

Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to proactively address? We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.

Of all the positions of the South Carolina football roster that need an influx of young talent, defense tackle needs it the most.

Barring an unforeseen redshirt, the Gamecocks only have one defensive tackle on scholarship who has more than two years of college eligibility remaining. Versatile, athletic tackle Caleb Williams (a 4-star prospect out of Virginia) has already committed to the Gamecocks in the class of 2025, but USC will need to bring in at least one more tackle to help fill out the roster, preferably one who has enough size to play nose.

Carolina has been involved with several interior defensive linemen this cycle, and one of them appears ready to shut down his recruitment.

Bryce Jenkins, a former teammate and friend of current Gamecock 5-star freshman Dylan Stewart, named the South Carolina football program among his top-4 schools. He also went ahead and announced that he will make his college decision public next Saturday, July 6th.

Jenkins’ top-4 includes the South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers, Maryland Terrapins, and Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Maryland was believed to be the heavy favorite for a good portion of his recruitment, but Shane Beamer’s team has made a push to try to land his commitment.

As a player, Jenkins is a 4-star prospect according to On3, ESPN, and Rivals, and the big fella is listed at 6’4″/6’5″ and between 315 and 335 pounds. A true nose tackle, he has enough size and strength to plug up the middle of the battle on the line of scrimmage, but he is an underrated athlete who moves better than a person his size should have any business moving.

Jenkins took a visit to Columbia earlier this June, and the Gamecocks made a strong impression. He does have some experience playing on the offensive line, as well, but he is expected to be a defensive tackle at the college level.

You can watch some of his film here.