Gamecocks in Minor League Baseball - June 2 update

We’re just about two months into the Minor League Baseball season, and several South Carolina alumni are representing the Gamecocks across all levels. A handful are just settling in with their respective organizations, while others are continuing their journey to the show.

Here’s where the 19 players stand with their clubs heading into the middle part of the season.

RHP Cade Austin – Beloit Sky Carp (Miami Marlins, A+)

Austin is in his third minor league season, first with the Marlins organization, after being taken in the 19th round of the 2023 draft by the New York Yankees. He’s appeared in just 7 games and pitched to a 3.09 ERA so far with High-A Beloit after spending some time on the injured list. In his last appearance on May 28, the Chapin High School alum pitched two shutout innings, while striking out three.

RHP Matthew Becker – FCL Twins (Minnesota Twins, Rookie)

Becker has appeared in just two games across two levels to begin his 2026 campaign. On April 26, he was a part of Single-A Fort Myers’ combined no-hitter, contributing 3.2 innings. He was reassigned to rookie ball as the FCL Twins’ season got underway in May, where he gave up four runs in 2.2 innings in his sole appearance.

INF Jonah Bride – Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers, AAA)

After playing 45 games at the MLB level last season between the Miami Marlins and Minnesota Twins, Bride signed a minor league contract with the Rangers in the offseason. Bride has hit for a near-.800 OPS in 49 games this season. With 5 home runs and 33 RBI, there’s an outside chance Bride can be selected to the big league roster if he continues to produce.

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Catcher Colin Burgess – Rome Emperors (Atlanta Braves, A+)

Burgess is in his second season as a member of the Braves organization after signing a minor league contract last May. In 33 games so far, Burgess has struggled at the dish, hitting to just a .206 batting average. He is having a stellar year defensively, however, throwing out 19 of 64 runners on the base paths, leading to a career-best 30% caught stealing percentage.

RHP Thomas Farr – Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds, AA)

A fifth-round pick of the Reds in the 2021 draft, Farr has seesawed with Chattanooga and High-A Dayton since 2023. This season, Farr has pitched in 13 games for the Lookouts out of the bullpen. He’s thrown to a 7.32 ERA, with 16 earned runs allowed in 19.2 innings.

RHP Garrett Gainey – Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays, A+)

Gainey steamrolled across all major league levels in his first full professional season last year, eventually ending with two appearances in Triple-A Durham. This season, Gainey was assigned to High-A and has struggled. In nine starts, Gainey has a 5.77 ERA despite a 3-1 record. On a positive note, Gainey has 49 strikeouts in 43.2 innings, while his 1.443 WHIP suggests that ERA could start to come down.

RHP Noah Hall – Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets, A+)

Hall is in his second season at High-A after being selected in the 7th round of the 2024 draft. His 2025 campaign was stellar, pitching to a 2.72 ERA in 25 games while striking out 115 batters. This season, Hall hasn’t had the same success, with a 6.54 ERA in 10 starts. His big stain so far is his walk rate, as he’s allowing almost 7 free passes per nine innings.

RHP Eli Jerzembeck – South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs, A+)

Jerzembeck made his professional debut this season after losing parts of three years to injury, dating back to his time as a Gamecock in 2023. His first 14 innings with Single-A couldn’t have gone better, as he pitched to a 1.93 ERA with 18 strikeouts. He was quickly promoted to High-A, where he’s allowed 6 runs in 8.2 innings. Jerzembeck got the win in his last appearance, however, throwing two no-hit innings on May 30.

RHP Eli Jones – Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota Twins, AA)

Jones has already been promoted in his second professional season. He began the year with High-A Cedar Rapids, where he threw to a 4.46 ERA in 40.1 innings. Since being promoted to Double-A, Jones has a 4.20 ERA in four starts. In his last start on May 26, Jones allowed two runs on 4 hits in 2.2 innings.

RHP James Hicks – Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros, AA)

This is Hicks’ fourth minor league season and his third at the Double-A level. This year, Hicks has a 5.32 ERA in 44 innings across nine starts. The splits show that Hicks has been a significantly better pitcher on the road, where he has a 3-1 record and a 2.95 ERA. At home, he’s 0-3 with a 7.54 ERA.

RHP Brett Kerry – Salt Lake Bees (Los Angeles Angels, AAA)

Kerry is in Year 6 in the Angels organization after going in the fifth round in 2021. His season ERA is sitting at 5.86 in 50.2 innings, but his last four starts have told a much different story. Since the beginning of May, Kerry has a 2.45 ERA, allowing just six runs. In his most recent start, Kerry allowed one earned run in five innings against Round Rock. The lone run was a solo homer off the bat of Jonah Bride.

RHP Daniel Lloyd – Chesapeake Baysox (Baltimore Orioles, AA)

Lloyd is in his second full season at Double-A out of the bullpen. This season, Lloyd has a 4.98 ERA across 21.2 innings. Like Kerry, Lloyd had a terrific May with a 1.84 ERA in 14.2 innings. Across parts of three seasons at the Double-A level, Lloyd has been a steady presence with a 3.97 ERA in 81.2 innings.

RHP Jack Mahoney – Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, AA)

Mahoney was just recently activated from the 7-day injured list on May 30 following a rehab assignment with the FCL Rockies. In his first start back, he threw three shutout innings, allowing four hits while striking out two. Overall, it’s been a great start to his season, dating back to before the injury. He’s allowed just two earned runs in 15 innings, good for a 1.20 ERA. If he continues the pace back from injury, Mahoney could be on track for Triple-A.

Catcher Cole Messina – Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, AA)

Messina is Colorado’s No. 21 prospect right now on its Pipeline Top 30 prospects list, and he’s had a productive season behind the dish while forming a Gamecock battery with Mahoney. In his third minor league season, Messina has a .225 batting average with a .735 OPS. 10 of Messina’s 23 base hits have been for extra bases, including three home runs. Defensively, Messina has thrown out 4 of 19 base runners.

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1B/OF Ethan Petry – Wilmington Blue Rocks (Washington Nationals, A+)

Petry is Washington’s No. 13 prospect on the Pipeline Top 30 list after going in the second round of the 2025 draft, and he’s been mashing in his second professional season. Through 38 games, Petry has a .310 batting average with a .932 OPS. His nine home runs and 32 RBI are both second on the team as he’s looking to fast-track his way to Double-A.

RHP Will Sanders – South Bend Cubs (Chicago Cubs, A+)

Sanders, a 2023 fourth-rounder, is on rehab with High-A. He began the season with Triple-A Iowa, but has been limited to just three starts and 15.1 innings while dealing with injuries, mustering a 6.46 ERA. Sanders struggled to a 5.04 ERA between Iowa and Double-A Knoxville in 2025, and he’s trending in the wrong direction through the first portion of the season.

RHP TJ Shook – Colorado Rockies (MLB)

As of Monday, Shook will be leaving the list, as the Rockies just selected his contract to make his MLB debut. He spent his season up until this point with Triple-A Albuquerque after signing a minor league deal at the beginning of the 2026 season. He had a 2.86 ERA in 22 appearances out of the bullpen. The 28-year-old Columbia native should figure to get an opportunity to shine in a Rockies bullpen that ranks 27th out of 30 MLB teams in ERA.

RHP Chris Veach – Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees, AA)

Veach was an undrafted free agent who signed with the Yankees in 2024 and is quickly rising through the organization. He began his season with 14.1 innings at High-A Hudson Valley and allowed just one earned run. Since joining Double-A, Veach has allowed 4 runs in 5 appearances, but his season ERA still sits at 2.37. If he can find a way to replicate his prior success, Veach could be a unique story to follow through the minor leagues.

INF Braylen Wimmer – Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies, AA)

The last of three Yard Goats, Wimmer has spent some time on the Injured List and Development List this season. An eighth-round pick from 2023, Wimmer has a .273 batting average through 55 at-bats to begin his year.

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