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Ten Gamecocks land on Baseball America draft rankings

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL

The MLB Draft is quickly approaching, just over three weeks away, and it's no surprise that a few Gamecock commitments—and one player—find themselves on a prominent prospect list.

Baseball America put out its latest prospect report, expanding their list from 400 to 500 overall players with 10 current or potentially future Gamecocks making the cut.

TJ Hopkins || Photo by Katie Dugan
TJ Hopkins || Photo by Katie Dugan

TJ Hopkins is the lone current Gamecock to make the list, coming in at No. 350 out of 500 prospects. Hopkins is in the middle of a solid senior campaign, leading the team slashing .290/.368/.535 with 40 RBI.

Also see: Three-star receiver eyeing potential visit

After him, the Gamecocks have a bunch of commitments dotting the list, including two inside the top 100 overall prospects and four inside the top 150.

Infielder Tyler Callihan is South Carolina's highest-rated prospect, coming in at No. 37 overall and enters the draft as a potential top two round pick this summer out of Providence (Fla.) High School.

Prep pitcher Brett Thomas, who finished up a really good senior season recently, is No. 99 overall on Baseball America's list, with the national outlet saying Thomas "fits as a late Day 2 pick, but he’ll come with a high price tag and a South Carolina commitment that could scare teams off."

Also see: Notes on when the hoops signees will get to campus

Junior college shortstop Ivan Johnson, who's hitting .393 with nine homers for Chipola College is No. 112 with high schooler Brennan Milone at No 133.

Milone's had a strong senior season as well, playing in the middle infield and could project more as a third baseman if he comes to college.

Jax Cash is the only other prep player in the top 500 with the catcher at No. 482. Cash is coming off Tommy John surgery and is expected in this summer for rehab and will be ready to swing a bat by the time fall scrimmages start.

Also see: Looking at the Gamecocks' offensive line board

The rest of the Gamecocks' commits are junior college pitchers that, if they make it to campus, could make an impact right away.

Righty Thomas Farr is ranked No. 210 overall with Luke Little at No. 235, Andy Peters at No. 454 and Brannon Jordan rounding out the pitchers at No. 460.

Farr and Jordan should make it to campus out of junior college and have a chance to step right away into the starting rotation. The likelihood Little lands on campus is small, but Peters is coming off Tommy John surgery and told GamecockCentral earlier this year he'll enroll this summer and rehab.

The MLB Draft starts June 3 and runs through June 5 with 40 rounds over those three days.

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