USC baseball roster finalized

South Carolina finalized its active 35-man roster for the 2014 season.

Players from the preseason roster that did not make the final cut are (reasons other than redshirting simply due to not being quite ready to play are listed):

INF Matt Williams

RHP Josh Knab

RHP Alex Satterfield

RHP Preston Johnson

RHP Robert Lawhon

OF Jae Roberts

Senior Forrest Koumas is sitting out this year rehabbing his arm following Tommy John surgery and is not on the active roster. Freshman Caanan Cropper is on the 35-man roster but will not play as he rehabs his arm after having Tommy John surgery in January. Since he is on scholarship, he cannot be replaced on the roster and will redshirt this season.

At his Friday press conference, Holbrook said Williams, who will redshirt, has a bright future ahead of him and was not put on the active roster this season so as not to burn a year of eligibility with Joey Pankake and others ahead of him at third base.

"We want to maximize his experience and his eligibility here," Holbrook said. "I don't want Matt to be a reserve player and get a minimum number of at-bats and a minimum number of opportunities and it cost him a year of eligibility. He's too good a player for that.

"It's best for Matt, it's best for our program. I have a chance now that Matt Williams is an everyday player for us for four years. That makes me feel good as his coach, and I think that makes Matt feel good."

Holbrook said the decision to redshirt Williams this season came in part because of a decision he failed to make last year with DC Arendas.

"I learned a valuable lesson last year with DC, I don't mind saying it," Holbrook said. "He got 11 or so at-bats and that cost him a year of eligibility. I'm still hurt by that, and I made sure I'm not going to do it (again) to a kid who can play every day in our program, and Matt Williams is a future everyday player here."