 "Photo: Katie Kirkland/The Gamecock")
 "Photo: John Bazemore/The Associated Press")
The USC baseball team still has one thing in common with teams of the past - key players still get drafted.
After another 40-plus-win season, seven Gamecocks were picked in the MLB draft, four of whom are underclassmen. USC also had two key recruits get picked in the draft.
The first Gamecock to go surprised many, as junior shortstop Steven Tolleson was picked by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round as the 165th pick. Tolleson, who batted .293 with 46 RBIs and six homers last season, said after finishing the Atlanta regional his situation would have to be perfect for him to leave Columbia.
Tolleson said he had heard from teams wanting to draft him in the third round. His signing bonus is expected to be between $150,00 and $200,000.
Steve Pearce's decision to stay at USC another year seems to have paid off, as the senior first baseman's stock rose for a 10th-round pick last year to a an eighth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 241st. Pearce claimed the Gamecock's triple crown title for the second-straight year, batting .356 with 63 RBIs and 21 home runs.
The final Gamecock to go on the draft's opening day was senior pitcher Zac McCamie, who went to the Florida Marlins in the 17th round as the 516th. McCamie was one of three weekend starters for the Gamecock pitching rotation this year, finishing with a 3.50 ERA and 108 strikeouts.
Day two of the draft saw four Gamecocks picked up, as senior pitcher Aaron Rawl went in the 21st round to the Philadelphia Phillies as the 637th pick. Rawl was the ace of the pitching staff this year and USC's most consistent pitcher. Rawl finished his career with 35 wins, third all-time at USC. This season, Rawl won nine games with a 3.80 ERA.
"I would have like to go on the first day," Rawl said. "I didn't get drafted last year, but I got my chance this year. I'm pretty thrilled about it."
USC waited six more rounds for another player to be picked, as junior Davy Gregg went to the Chicago Cubs as the 820th pick in the 27th round. Gregg batted .301 with his only career home run and 19 RBIs this year.
Gregg is the only player to sign with a team. He signed Monday.
While he was plagued with arm injuries all season, sophomore pitcher Arik Hempy managed to be the 933rd pick in the 31st round by the Baltimore Orioles. Hempy, an All-SEC freshman last season, did manage to win two games this year with a 2.63 ERA.
The final Gamecock drafted was sophomore pitcher Forrest Beverly. Beverly went as the 1,248th pick in the 42nd round to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Beverly, a 2002 draft pick of the Cubs, finished the season with a 1-0 record and a 5.71 ERA.
Two Gamecocks were surprised to not be picked in the draft. Junior outfielder Michael Campbell was expect to be taken in the top 200 players but failed to have his name called. Campbell's outfield teammate Brendan Winn was also left out of the draft. Winn, who had his named called in 2000, 2002 and 2004, failed to be drafted after his senior season. Winn battled back problems all season but still managed double-digit home runs.
The two Gamecock recruits drafted were Stratford High School first baseman Justin Smoak and pitcher Kenny Maiques from Rio Hondo Community College. Smoak, expected to be a starter at first base next season, went in the 16th round to the Oakland A's. Maiques was a 37th round pick for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Be the first to comment on this article!