South Carolina Baseball: Gamecocks pick up in-state commitment

On Sunday, Mark Kingston's South Carolina baseball squad finished off a series win over the top-5 Kentucky Wildcats at Founders Park with a 10-0 shutout win. After the game ended, news came out that the Gamecocks picked up another victory when class of 2025 prospect Cam Austin announced a commitment to the program.

A life-long Gamecock fan, Austin is a Barnwell High School product who was also an All-State quarterback for the Warhorse football team. On the diamond, Austin splits his time between the outfield and the pitcher's mound, but he is expected to get his first looks in the outfield with the Gamecocks.

At 6'0" and 175 pounds, the newest South Carolina baseball commitment is an impressive athlete as evidenced by a recent 4.54 40-yard dash time (for reference, though not all prospects ran, the high school QB would have posted the fastest quarterback 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine this year). That speed should translate well to success on the basepaths and covering ground in the outfield at Founders Park.

Austin is a good hitter from the left side of the plate, providing some pop and good bat-to-ball skills to the top of his high school lineup. The future Gamecock has the potential to add more power to that swing as he has a strong frame that seems capable of adding good strength after some time in the USC weight room.

Austin has a lot going for him off of the field, as well. He is an honors student, academic All-American, and a high-character individual. Cody McCollum, Austin's head coach with the Barnwell Warhorses, sang his praises after news of the commitment broke. In a conversation with Jeff Miller of The People-Sentinel, McCollum said Austin is "an amazing player but an even better person. No one works harder...the Gamecocks are lucky to have him."

Austin is currently playing in the South Carolina High School League AA Baseball Playoffs, and he has another year of high school ball before he reports to campus. He is the 17th commitment in the class of 2025 for the Gamecocks.