Matt Williams says South Carolina pitching staff could add from transfer portal

Coming off an NCAA Super Regionals appearance, the South Carolina pitching staff will be rebuilt and reworked this offseason, with new pitching coach Matt Williams opening up about how he wants to build the squad.

Some of it right now is just waiting for the MLB Draft.

“Well still trying to learn a lot about these guys,” Williams said. “I know there’s some interesting pieces. I think the draft will determine, I mean, what the staff will look like. There’s a couple guys that have the opportunity to possibly sign.”

Among the pitchers expected to be in consideration in the MLB Draft are Jack Mahoney and Will Sanders.

Mahoney put together a 7-4 record with a 4.16 ERA this season, striking out 84 in 84.1 innings worth of work. Sanders was 4-4 with a 5.46 ERA, striking out 77 in 62.2 innings pitched.

“Hopefully we can get some of those guys back and if we do I mean I think it’s got a chance to be a really good staff,” Williams said. “Right now we’re also trying to work in the portal and find some pieces that may fit and kind of go from there.”

During the 2023 season, the South Carolina pitching staff had a 4.19 ERA. The Gamecocks went 422-21 overall, with a 16-13 mark in SEC play.

The program reached the Super Regionals for the first time since 2018, coach Mark Kingston‘s first season at the helm. But if the Gamecocks really want to reach the next level, getting to Omaha with a chance to win a national title again, the South Carolina pitching staff probably needs to be a little better.

There’s where Williams comes in.

He’s trying to construct a roster that can handle just about any situation. And he’s looking to the transfer portal to help round out the South Carolina pitching staff.

“I mean it’s looking at things, maybe there’s some characteristics on a certain pitch that may fit in our bullpen,” Williams said. “Maybe their fastball’s got some outlier characteristics or their breaking pitch is really good and we can see them in a role. It’s just kind of us watching them and seeing what the metrics say and envisioning something down the road and just making a decision on them.

“I think the big thing is just getting to know the kid, having conversations with them. The more conversations you have with them, the more you get to know them. Are they the right fit?”

The post Matt Williams says South Carolina pitching staff could add from transfer portal appeared first on On3.