USC baseball loses four players to transfer portal following SEC tournament exit
Four South Carolina baseball players have entered the transfer portal, a USC spokesperson confirmed Friday.
Infielder Jalen Vasquez, pitcher Aiden Hunter and outfielders Thad Ector and Elijah Lambros each entered the portal after USC’s season (27-28, 13-17 SEC) ended Tuesday with a 2-1 loss to Florida in the SEC tournament. The news of those transfers was first reported by The Big Spur, which also reported that pitcher C.J. Weins and outfielder Matt Hogan intend to enter the portal as well.
All four of the confirmed transfers are underclassmen, with Hunter, Ector and Lambros each finishing their first year with the program. Hunter received the most playing time of the group, throwing 48.1 innings — mostly in relief — but he struggled to the tune of a 7.63 ERA.
Both Ector and Lambros played sparingly. Lambros appeared in 36 games but tallied just 33 at-bats, serving primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner. Ector, meanwhile, came to USC ranked as the No. 6 player in Georgia by Perfect Game but had just one hit in 15 at-bats this season.
Vasquez, a sophomore, registered just 37 at-bats between two seasons with the Gamecocks but has been valuable as a backup infielder at third, shortstop or second base. Though his playing time was limited, Vasquez delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly against Ole Miss this season and drew starts at third base down the stretch. He hit his first collegiate home run on May 13 in a win over Kentucky.
The Gamecocks could have a very different lineup next season. They’ll lose team leader Andrew Eyster to graduation, and veterans Brandt Belk, Josiah Sightler and Braylen Wimmer will have professional options to consider.
This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 10:07 AM with the headline "USC baseball loses four players to transfer portal following SEC tournament exit."
