South Carolina Baseball: Two Gamecock commitments will suit up for Team USA
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina baseball has one of the top recruiting classes in the country for the class of 2024. Two of the top players in the ’24 cycle are Gamecock commitments PJ Morlando (ranked 3rd nationally by Perfect Game) and Carson Messina (ranked 62nd nationally by Perfect Game).
Morlando is one of the top offensive players in the country in next year’s class. As a corner infielder and corner outfielder, Morlando swings the bat from the left side and has tremendous power. He displayed that power by winning the National High School Home Run Derby last week, blasting multiple long balls into the third deck at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners.
Messina is a two-way star for Summerville High School as a corner infielder and right-handed pitcher. As an offensive player, Messina has significant power like his brother Cole Messina, an All-American catcher for the Gamecocks. Where Messina has his highest-upside future, though, is as a pitcher. He touches the mid-90s already as a high school junior and has a great slider.
Before either player has to make a decision about whether or not they will play for South Carolina baseball or head to the pros, Morlando and Messina will be teammates. Both players have been selected to be part of Team USA’s U-18 training camp roster.
In total 40 players will compete for 20 active roster spots. The training camp will be held in August, and the 20-man roster will be announced on the 25th of the month. Last fall, Morlando and Messina were part of Team USA’s U-18 squad that brought home the gold medal in the Baseball World Cup Qualifiers.
Former Major League All-Stars Michael Cuddyer (manager) and Latroy Hawkins (pitching coach) are coaching the team along with assistant coaches Butch Chaffin and Jason Maxwell.
Like they did in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Gamecocks could run into the issue of losing a few commitments to the professional ranks. George Wolkow and Raudi Rodriguez both were drafted in the 2023 MLB Draft (Wolkow has signed, and Rodriguez is expected to, as well), and Morlando and Messina could be taken in the 2024 MLB Draft and sign professional contracts.