Gamecocks in the MLB: May recap

Another month of the Major League Baseball season is in the books as the calendar turns toward a busy summer stretch ahead. While there aren’t many South Carolina baseball alums in the big leagues this year, the ones who are have continued to make an impact for their respective teams.

As June gets rolling, let’s take a look at how each former Gamecock is doing so far this season.

Carlos Cortes — (Sacramento) Athletics

After a red-hot first month of the season that included earning AL Player of the Week honors, Cortes cooled off a bit in May, though that didn’t come as a huge surprise given the pace he had been producing at the start of the year.

From May 17-24, Cortes hit safely in seven consecutive games. He’s still hitting well over .300 this season at .328 in 132 at-bats. He hasn’t been an everyday player for the A’s as he primarily serves as the team’s fourth outfielder. But he’s made the most of his opportunities when he’s been out there.

May stats: AB: 68, H: 18, AVG: .265, OBP: .370, SLG: .368, HR: 1, RBI: 4, K: 9, BB: 11

Carmen Mlodzinski — Pittsburgh Pirates

In what seems to be a bit of a surprising move, the Pirates placed Mlodzinski on the restricted list ahead of Sunday’s series finale with the Minnesota Twins. The restricted list is a roster designation for players who are unavailable to play for non-baseball or personal reasons. It removes a player from the active roster while the team still retains the player’s contractual rights.

The right-hander had been moved from the Pirates’ starting rotation to the bullpen on Friday after Jared Jones returned from a right UCL injury. Mlodzinski was slated to pitch out of relief on Sunday; however, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington told reporters that Mlodzinski informed the team Sunday morning that he wasn’t ready to pitch.

It’s worth noting that Mlodzinski reportedly has not requested a trade. Cherington believes he’ll pitch for the Pirates on their road trip that ends June 7.

May stats: GS: 4, App: 5, W-L: 3-1, ERA: 3.38, IP: 26.2, SO: 16, BB: 9, HR: 1, OBA: .275

Jordan Montgomery — Texas Rangers

Montgomery, who helped the Rangers win the World Series in 2023, is back with Texas in 2026 after some rough, injury-riddled years with the Arizona Diamondbacks. But he hasn’t pitched yet this year and hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since 2024 as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

The veteran left-hander was on pace to return four weeks earlier than expected from surgery, but incurred shoulder soreness after his first live batting practice session last week, so his current schedule has reportedly been adjusted by a week. If all goes well moving forward, he could be back with the club sometime around or after the All-Star break.

Clarke Schmidt — New York Yankees

Much like Montgomery, Schmidt is also on the injured list as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The latest reports indicate that the right-hander has been rehabbing in Tampa at the Yankees’ spring training facilities. He started throwing off a mound on April 10 but hasn’t been cleared to face hitters.

Manager Aaron Boone stated on May 25 that Schmidt will continue his rehab in New York as the team returns to Yankee Stadium for a six-game homestand on Tuesday.

Christian Walker — Houston Astros

Overall, it’s been a strong start to the season for Walker, who has hit 16 home runs and driven in 43 runs. His slash line took a dip in May, hitting just .200 for the month, but he still managed to club nine homers. He notably hit four homers in three games from May 23-25 while picking up nine RBI along the way.

May stats: AB: 105, H: 21, AVG: .200, OBP: .276, SLG: .467, HR: 9, RBI: 19, K: 25, BB: 8

TJ Shook — Colorado Rockies

Shook has been in Triple-A this season in the Colorado Rockies organization, but on Monday, the 28-year-old received his first-ever Major League call-up. He will become the sixth former South Carolina player currently in MLB and the fourth on an active roster in 2026.

Shook will wear No. 52 with the Colorado Rockies, who are currently on the road taking on the Los Angeles Angels before returning home for a six-game homestand starting this weekend.

The right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA in 22 appearances for the Albuquerque Isotopes. He’s struck out 29 batters and walked eight over 28.1 innings.

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