South Carolina Baseball: Gamecock infielder hitting the transfer portal

South Carolina baseball coach Mark Kingston was fired on Monday, and with the season ending just one day prior, there were bound to be some players who elected to leave the program through the transfer portal.

Recently, even before the NCAA Tournament began, a trio of pitchers announced their intentions to find new baseball opportunities as Jackson Phipps, Austin Williamson, and Jevarra Martin revealed they were transferring.

On Monday, a position player joined the three pitchers in the portal as infielder Tristan Salinas posted on social media that he was entering the transfer portal, as well.

Salinas did not see any game action this season, so thanks to taking a redshirt, he will have four more years to play college baseball at another school. He was a highly regarded prospect (top-500 overall recruit nationally) coming out of high school in the class of 202

Infield defense was a major issue for the Gamecocks in 2024, and with Gavin Casas and Parker Noland both out of eligibility and a few other infielders struggling mightily with the glove this spring, some playing time will be up for grabs heading into 2025. Returners Ethan Petry (rising junior), Will Tippett (rising junior), Talmadge LeCroy (rising senior), and Tyler Causey (rising senior) all played some on the infield this season and have eligibility to be back in garnet and black next season.

In the modern world of college athletics, there is sure to be more roster attrition through the transfer portal this offseason. However, on the flip side of that, South Carolina baseball will bring in some talent via the portal, as well. Contributors like Gavin Casas, Blake Jackson, Austin Brinling, Chris Veach, Ty Good, Garrett Gainey, and others transferred into the program during the last two offseasons.

Who the Gamecocks hire as their next head coach (obviously) will play a huge role in which players (and how many) will exit or enter the program from the transfer portal, but the roster movement likely is far from done.