Clemson, USC rising stars to play for USA Baseball collegiate national team
Though the 2021 season is over for South Carolina and Clemson baseball, each school will be represented on USA Baseball’s collegiate national team this summer.
USC right-hander Will Sanders and Clemson two-way star Caden Grice — both freshmen and both ascending players — will team up to represent their country this summer.
Emerging as a pivotal member of the pitching staff this season, Sanders will be the first Gamecock to play for the collegiate national team since right-hander Tyler Johnson in 2016. The precocious 6-foot-6, 206-pound Sanders went 6-3 with a 3.54 ERA this season, striking out 54 batters in 53.1 innings. He filled a variety of roles for Mark Kingston’s Gamecocks, including pitching in late relief and as a Sunday starter. He’s likely to pitch on Friday nights for USC as soon as next season.
In a difficult 25-27 season for the Tigers, Grice was one of the clear and shining bright spots. Head coach Monte Lee hyped Grice as a “phenom” before he ever stepped on campus, and Grice lived up to that billing, hitting .317 with 15 home runs and a team-leading .618 slugging percentage. Grice also offers potential on the mound, although he only threw 10 innings this season.
He’s the first Tiger to appear on the collegiate national team since slugger Seth Beer and closer Ryley Gilliam played in 2017.
