It’s no secret that the Gamecocks will have one of the best pitching duos in the SEC atop their rotation in sophomore Wil Crowe and junior Jack Wynkoop.
Beyond that, however, pitching roles are a little muddled.
As of today, it seems like Sunday starter will be sophomore left-hander Josh Reagan, leaving sophomore right-hander Taylor Widener free to take over as the closer. Widener will replace Joel Seddon, who was drafted in the 11th round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Oakland A’s.
As a freshman, Widener went 3-0 with an impressive 1.79 ERA as a middle reliever and spot starter, and the Aiken, South Carolina, native held opponents to a meager .170 batting average. In the Gamecocks’ season ending loss to Maryland, Widener pitched a career-best 6.1 shutout innings of relief while allowing just two hits.
If Widener winds up as the Sunday starter, the closer role would fall to senior Cody Mincey. The righty, while small in stature, was big for the Gamecocks in 2014. The former junior college transfer doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but possesses good control and knowledge of the game.
In 2014, the former Hartsville high school star helped anchor the bullpen with a stellar 1.04 ERA and perfect 5-0 record. Head coach Chad Holbrook will look for more of the same from his senior pitcher in 2015.
If all goes well, Mincey projects to be one of the top set-up men in the nation.
Rounding out the group of veterans is junior lefty Vince Fiori. When he was used as a situational lefty last season, Fiori impressed, allowing just three earned runs in 19.2 innings. This year, the veteran looks to fill a more permanent role as a full-time middle reliever.
Fiori is still being evaluated as a potential Sunday starter, along with fellow lefty Josh Reagan. Holbrook may experiment with each of them, though Reagan looks to carry the momentum at the moment.
Sophomore Reed Scott’s role is yet to be determined. The right-hander from Georgia looked strong last year as a mid-week starter and spot reliever, going 2-0 with a 1.94 ERA in 14 appearances. Scott has the versatility to work as both a starter and a reliever, and his role could evolve as the season progresses.
Accompanying the four veterans are a slew of young arms. Quite a few freshmen could see action this year, but one looks to have an immediate impact — ranked as the No. 230 high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game USA, Clarke Schmidt comes into the season brimming with confidence. The Georgia 5A player of the year left Allatoona High School with an ERA of 1.55 and 100 strikeouts in 55.0 innings his senior year.
Regardless of how the typical order of relief shakes out, Coach Holbrook has to feel confident.
“We feel like we have two No. 1’s,” Holbrook said.
With strong starters, some of the pressure can be taken off of the relievers. The veterans should anchor a strong group of young guys that all hope to improve as the year progresses.
And with 25th-ranked College of Charleston coming to town, this weekend should be a good measure of these relievers' potential.