Top Gamecocks signee will turn pro with Diamondbacks

It looks like one of South Carolina's baseball signees won’t be playing for the Gamecocks next year.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Blaze Alexander has signed with the Diamondbacks. Arizona drafted Alexander in the 11^th round of the Major League Baseball Draft last week.

Baseball America's Jim Callis reported Alexander's signing bonus is for $500,000, which is $375,000 more than any player taken after the 10th round.

Alexander committed to USC in 2015 when he was at Bishop Verlot (Fla.) High School and Chad Holbrook was still the Gamecocks’ coach. He played last year for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and hit .403 with eight homers and 27 RBIs this year.

Alexander was ranked No. 85 on Baseball America’s Top 500 list heading to the draft.

USC had six signees taken in the draft. Owen White went in the second round and Taj Bradley went in the fifth and both will likely sign. Swansea’s Josiah Sightler was picked in the 12th round by the Reds and hasn’t announced his decision yet.

Several late-round picks, pitcher Brady Allen (39^th) and Wes Clarke (40^th), will likely be Gamecocks. Drafted players have until July 6 to announce their decisions if they will go/return to college or turn pro.

This story was originally published June 11, 2018 at 12:01 PM with the headline "Top Gamecocks signee will turn pro with Diamondbacks."