TJ Hopkins has tools to be one of the 'premier players in the country'

He knows the kind of talent the senior is and knows how he can impact a lineup when he’s in it. Now, it’s up to Hopkins, who is coming off a serious back injury, and the Gamecocks to keep him healthy so he can play 60-plus games.

“If he does, he’s one of the premier players in the country. He’s a five-tool player. I don’t know for sure what our record was last year when he played, but I know it was really good. He’s one of the key parts for us,” Kingston said. “If he’s healthy and playing like we all know he an play, he’s one of the premier players in the country.”

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A closer look shows just how good the Gamecocks have been when Hopkins has been in the starting lineup.

In three seasons at South Carolina, Hopkins has made 110 starts ranging from all three outfield positions to the designated hitter spot. Of those 110 games, the Gamecocks have won 72 of them and lost just 38.

In 132 career games, Hopkins is slashing .300/.375/.435 with eight home runs, 70 RBI and 93 runs scored.

But, entering his senior season, he hasn’t strung together a healthy season since his freshman campaign.

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His sophomore year he battled a quad injury and last year was a fractured vertebrae in his back that sidelined him as the Gamecocks made a postseason run that ended one game from the College World Series.

Struggling through a few injuries over the last two seasons, he’s made some adjustments to his typical routine, focusing more on stretching and health rather than taking a volume of swings every day.

Instead of taking close to 300 swings a day, he said, he’s dialed it back a little bit and is focusing on taking batting practice and said he’s in a good place mentally with his swing.

He joked that he’s taken less than 100 swings off the team’s famed pitching machines while other guys on the team have taken thousands.

“As I’ve gotten older I realized that’s not the way to go about it,” Hopkins said. “I’ve just kind of been going with it, and my swing feels better than ever. I’m happy I realized my routine and going about it now that way.”

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He’s focusing more before practice now on stretching and working with the team trainers to avoid any injuries and the frustrations that come with sitting out games.

And, if he stays healthy, Hopkins won’t have to worry much about watching from the dugout; he’ll factor in heavily to the Gamecocks’ outfield rotation and is currently in a competition with Noah Campbell for the team’s leadoff spot.

Coming into his final season, Hopkins said the only real goal he has is to play in over 60 games, which would mean the Gamecocks make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

Other than that, there are no personal goals; he just wants to be in the lineup winning.

“I haven’t even really thought about that,” he said. “I’m just so excited to get going. I don’t set goals, I just want to be healthy all season and help this team win as much as I can.”