On Tuesday, June 9, Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall became the next head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks. He is set to make $1.3 million in 2027, the first year of a five-year contract with South Carolina. On July 1, 2027, he will receive a $50,000 increase in his salary and will continue to receive that bonus on an annual basis.
With the coaching move, Schnall is bringing with him a lot of help from Conway, S.C. This help includes not only some of his assistants at Coastal Carolina but also some of his players who entered the transfer portal and became Gamecocks.
South Carolina’s 2027 baseball roster is filled with former Coastal Carolina players.
A wave of pitchers committed to South Carolina after Schnall took the job on June 9
As of June 10, seven players from Coastal Carolina have committed to South Carolina in the transfer portal after Schnall took the head coaching job in Columbia.
Pitchers Hayden Johnson, Daniel Parker, and Colby Richardson committed to South Carolina in the portal on June 9, the same day Schnall was hired.
Johnson was going to be a big pitcher for Coastal Carolina this past season. In 2025, he had a 2.82 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings of work. He was a big part of the Chanticleers getting to the College World Series in 2025.
A stress fracture in his elbow during the 2026 college baseball season kept him sidelined the entire year. However, he can fill in as South Carolina’s Friday night starter in 2027.
Parker and Richardson were both freshmen at Coastal Carolina this past season, who showed lots of potential for breakout sophomore seasons. In 34 innings of work, Parker had a 4.76 ERA and 32 strikeouts. Richardson had a 5.10 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings of work.
Both Parker and Richardson combined for a 7-1 record on the mound in 2026.
Johnson, Parker, and Richardson all will play under not only Schnall at South Carolina, but also pitching coach Matt Williams. He was the trio’s pitching coach at Coastal Carolina and is following Schnall to Columbia to coach the Gamecocks on his staff.
Brice Estep and Walker Mitchell commit to South Carolina from Coastal Carolina
Catcher Brice Estep and third baseman Walker Mitchell also committed to South Carolina on June 9.
Estep is a veteran catcher who will be a senior in 2027. In 2026, during his junior season, he had a .232 batting average in 99 total at-bats. Estep also finished with eight home runs, 25 RBIs, and a .417 on-base percentage.
Mitchell is a veteran infielder who will also be a senior in 2027. In 2026, he had a .313 batting average and a .431 on-base percentage in 217 at-bats. Mitchell also tallied 17 doubles, 54 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases.
Both Estep and Mitchell are veteran presences who will help the Gamecocks a ton. Estep showed some potential as a power bat for South Carolina next season. As for Mitchell, he is a solid hitter who can be a threat on the base paths with his base-stealing ability.
Jackson Winer and Luke Jones commit to the Gamecocks on June 10
On June 10, two-way player Jackson Winer and right-handed pitcher Luke Jones entered the portal and also made the switch from Coastal Carolina to South Carolina and joined Schnall in Columbia.
Winer is listed as a left-handed pitcher and a first baseman. In 2026, he got opportunities only to hit as a freshman. Winer had a .241 batting average in 83 total at-bats. He also had five home runs and 19 RBIs.
Due to injuries in the starting rotation, Jones stepped in as a starter during his sophomore season with Coastal Carolina in 2026. In 79 innings of work, he had a 4.44 ERA and 67 strikeouts. He also posted a 4-2 record on the mound.
Winer and Jones will be big development stories for South Carolina next season. Jones is looking to take his pitching skills up a notch to become a reliable starter for the Gamecocks in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. Winer has time to develop his pitching skills more. That way, he becomes an option for Schnall as a two-way player in his first season in Columbia.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Coastal Carolina starting pitcher Luke Jones throws against Texas during an NCAA baseball game on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
