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South Carolina baseball sees first player from 2026 team enter transfer portal

The Gamecocks' 2026 season ended on a 13-game losing streak.
ByMorgan Moriarty|
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South Carolina junior Josh Gunther (24) is presented the Tom Price Award by Bob Bradley for being the top SC player in the series with Clemson, after the game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Sunday, March 1, 2026. Clemson won the game 7-2 and the series with state rival University of South Carolina 2-1.
South Carolina junior Josh Gunther (24) is presented the Tom Price Award by Bob Bradley for being the top SC player in the series with Clemson, after the game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Sunday, March 1, 2026. Clemson won the game 7-2 and the series with state rival University of South Carolina 2-1. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The South Carolina baseball season was a rough one in Columbia, to say the least. The Gamecocks eclipsed 30 losses for the first time in school history, as head coach Paul Mainieri resigned early in the season. 

Under interim head coach Monte Lee, the Gamecocks finished 22-36, and the season ended on a 13-game losing streak. Just over a week after South Carolina's season ended, the Gamecocks moved on from Lee, although there was a chance that the coach could compete for the full-time head coaching job. 

As South Carolina's coaching search officially heats up, some Gamecock players are looking to enter the portal after a poor season at South Carolina. 

On Tuesday, we saw our first Gamecock player enter the portal, in starting pitcher Josh Gunther. Gunther, who was a junior this past season, made seven starts for South Carolina. He struck out 44 batters on the mound, and finished with a 7.41 ERA on the season. Prior to arriving at Columbia, he started his collegiate baseball career at Wake Forest, where he spent two seasons. 

With the Demon Deacons, he also struck out 47 batters and had six saves during the 2025 season. Since he is a junior, he is expected to have at least one more season of eligibility. Although Gunther had high expectations joining South Carolina's roster, he gave up 24 runs starting in late March until the end of the season.  

It's clear that a fresh start elsewhere is what Gunther thinks that he needs. For now, that is the first Gamecock to enter the portal, but Gunther may certainly not be the last. 

ALSO READ: Former South Carolina baseball star leads MLB Conference in impressive stat

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