Whether it’s starting a midweek game or coming out of the bullpen, freshman pitcher Eli Jerzembeck has shown that he is willing to pitch anywhere if it helps the team win.
Jerzembeck topped head coach Mark Kingston’s freshman recruiting class as the best right-handed pitcher from North Carolina and the 16th best right-handed pitcher in the nation, according to Perfect Game.
“We’ve brought in some talented freshmen that are ready to pitch, but are ... raw,” junior pitcher Will Sanders said. “It just means talented, not really good at the game, good at what goes into pitching, holding runners, just getting signs, not missing signs.”
Jerzembeck made his collegiate debut for the Gamecocks on Feb. 21 in a start against the Winthrop Eagles. Jerzembeck pitched 4.0 innings, giving up one run on four hits with four strikeouts. However, this outing was only a precursor of what was to come for the right hander.
Since that start, Jerzembeck has mostly come out of the bullpen for head coach Mark Kingston. In 10.0 relief innings, Jerzembeck has given up one run and eight hits over seven appearances.
Jerzembeck’s consistency out of the bullpen has been noticed by other pitchers on South Carolina’s staff, making him someone that the starters can rely on.
“It makes us feel a lot better,” junior pitcher Jack Mahoney said. “If we don't even have our best stuff that day — if we can only give the team four or five (innings), it’s a really good feeling, handing the ball off to guys like Jerz and some of the other guys in the pen.”
However, Jerzembeck’s starts have not been as consistent. In his first start, he pitched four innings giving up one run on four hits. A month later, Jerzembeck made his second start of the season against Charlotte and lasted just 2.2 innings. In that start, he gave up five runs — four earned — on five hits, as the Gamecocks suffered just its second loss of the season.
“He needs to learn how to relax a little bit more and channel all of his energy,” Kingston said. “He was going a little fast at times. Most of the teams in the country right now are using the watch, and so there were times he was sped up so much that he forgot to look for the pitch on the watch until he was already on the rubber. So, just freshman stuff."
Despite switching between starting and bullpen roles, Jerzembeck said he is ready to pitch whenever he is needed.
“I feel like I can bounce back as quick as possible,” Jerzembeck said. “I don’t feel like I put too much tax on my body when I pitch so I’m ready to go whenever the coaches need me.”
Jerzembeck’s 16.2 innings pitched are the most of any freshman on the team, including fellow true freshmen Connor McCreery, Trey Wheeler and Austin Williamson plus redshirt freshman Sam Simpson. He is also the only one of the true freshmen to start a game for the Gamecocks. Kingston said Jerzembeck is very competitive and confident because "his stuff is electric"
“You see the talent. You see the elite fastball. You see the command of all his offspeed pitches,” Kingston said. “He didn’t walk a batter (in his first start).”
Despite Jerzembeck’s mostly bullpen role, Kingston said he is looking to get him more “valuable" innings as the season continues.
“Getting innings right now under his belt are extremely important,” Kingston said, “So in a two-game midweek situation, getting him a start, getting more innings under his belt rather than just getting in for an inning or two — I think that’ll pay dividends.”
With the Gamecocks facing the Tar Heels at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C. on Tuesday, Jerzembeck could again come out of the bullpen with sophomore pitcher Matthew Becker starting on the mound.
The game starts at 7:00 PM and will be available to stream on SEC Network+.