The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, June 2, and the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team wasted no time bolstering the bullpen. The Gamecocks picked up a key commitment on Sunday from Wake Forest junior right-hander Josh Gunther.
BREAKING: Per himself, Wake Forest RHP Josh Gunther has committed to South Carolina. Gunther posted a 3.41 ERA with 47 K in 29 innings of work—a big-time arm heading to the Gamecocks. pic.twitter.com/r0vtMxHvyV
— On The Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft (@OnTheClock_1) June 8, 2025
The Alabama native was a standout in high school, posting a 10-1 record with a 0.73 ERA and 97 strikeouts in his senior year, earning Pitcher of the Year honors.
During his tenure at Wake Forest, Gunther made 54 appearances over two seasons with the Demon Deacons, making major moves in 2025. After posting a 6.32 ERA as a freshman, he lowered that number to 3.41 across 29 innings this year. He struck out 47 batters, walked 18, and held the opposition to a .194 average.
In his freshman year, he appeared in 28 games and logged 38 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. Gunther pitched a scoreless inning in his debut game against Illinois. He continued to flash dominance throughout the season, including a career-high five strikeouts in two shutout innings against Louisville. He also pitched scoreless innings against Boston College, UNC Wilmington, Florida State, and Notre Dame. as well as recording scoreless innings in the ACC Tournament against North Carolina and in the NCAA Regional vs. VCU.
Gunther becomes the fifth pitcher that South Carolina has added through the transfer portal, the second true reliever joining Louisiana-Monroe transfer Josh Gregoire. Head coach Paul Mainieri and the Gamecocks have also added Purdue first baseman Logan Sutter, Samford two-way player Cullen Horowicz, USC Upstate right-handed Amp Phillips, and Sacred Heart's Elijah Foster.
The transfer portal will remain open until July 1, and South Carolina's staff is focused on depth and pitching reliability heading into next season.