Former Gamecocks on MLB top prospect lists
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL
While college baseball's been going on for two months now, the major and minor league seasons are just getting started with over 30 Gamecock alums making a roster this spring.
Including Jordan Montgomery, who starts this year on the New York Yankees' injured list, the Gamecocks have eight players currently on big-league rosters and a few more making waves in the minors.
The Gamecocks have eight former players that are on their organization's top 30 prospects list, including three players in their respective organization's top 15 prospects, three in the top five and one that makes MLB's top overall 100 prospects list.
Also see: The latest on the big five for the Gamecocks in the 2020 class
Taylor Widener comes in as the No. 81 overall prospect in the minor leagues after a 5-8, 2.75 ERA season last year with 176 strikeouts. He's also the Arizona Diamondbacks' No. 3 overall prospect and will start this season in Triple A.
Clarke Schmidt (Yankees) and Wil Crowe (Washington) both come in at No. 5 in their respective organizations' top prospects.
Fellow pitcher Braden Webb has skyrocketed up the Milwaukee Brewers' rankings, coming at the start of this season as the No. 12 prospect and starting in Double-A Biloxi.
He's joined in the Brewer top prospect list by former teammate Adam Hill, who was traded to Milwaukee this offseason and comes in as the Brewers' No. 27 prospect.
After a strong year last season and being traded to Seattle, Dom Thompson-Williams is the Mariners' No. 15 prospect.
On a meteoric ascend through the minors, Tyler Johnson is the White Sox's No. 28 prospect and will start in Double A while Max Schrock, the Cardinals' No. 26 prospect, starts one step away from the big leagues in Triple A Memphis.
See a full list below of where each former Gamecock is starting this season.
Also see: Observations from last weekend's series in Tuscaloosa
Major League Baseball: Jackie Bradley Jr., Boston Red Sox; Sam Dyson, San Francisco Giants; Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks; Jordan Montgomery, New York Yankees (60-day IL); Steve Pearce, Boston Red Sox; Whit Merrifield, Kansas City Royals; Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays; Grayson Greiner, Detroit Tigers
Triple A: Tyler Webb, Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis); Peter Mooney, Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado); Max Schrock, Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis); Taylor Widener, Reno Aces (Arizona)
Double A: Kyle Martin, Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia); Joel Seddon, Midland RockHounds (Oakland); Jack Wynkoop, Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado); Wil Crowe, Harrisburg Senators (Washington); Tanner English, Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Minnesota); Tyler Johnson, Birmingham Barons (White Sox); Braden Webb, Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee); Arkansas Travelers (Seattle)
Single A: Evan Beal, Greensboro Grasshoppers (Miami); Alex Destino, Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox); John Parke, Winston Salem Dash (White Sox); Josh Reagan, Vermont Lake Monsters (Oakland); Clarke Schmidt, Tampa Tarpons (Yankees); Jonah Bride, Stockton Ports (Oakland); Eddy Demurias, Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati); LT Tolbert, Kane County Cougars (Arizona); Adam Hill, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee); Carlos Cortes, St. Luice Mets (Mets); Madison Stokes, Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia)
Rookie Ball: Cody Morris, AZL Indians (Cleveland)
Released: Bryan Harper, Michael Roth, Evan Marzilli, Gene Cone, Marcus Mooney