Former South Carolina baseball player returning to team as student coach
South Carolina baseball is adding a familiar face to its coaching roster just one month before opening day.
Former shortstop LT Tolbert has returned to the Gamecocks’ program as a student assistant for this season, a team spokesperson confirmed to The State on Monday. The former shortstop will likely coach first base this season.
News of Tolbert’s return was first reported by John Whittle of TheBigSpur.com.
Tolbert, a Piedmont, South Carolina, native was a junior during head coach Mark Kingston’s first season in 2018. The Arizona Diamondbacks picked him in the 13th round of the MLB Draft that same year.
Tolbert didn’t graduate from USC upon getting drafted, and finished his professional baseball career in 2022 after spending 2018 with two teams and 2019 with three teams. He had Tommy John surgery on his left shoulder in summer 2022, according to his Instagram.
After hanging up his cleats, Tolbert joined Virginia-based PDG Academy as a recruiting coordinator. He also gained coaching experience as a Canes Baseball 17U coach, one of the premiere travel ball clubs in the country.
Tolbert hit. 322 with eight homers and 42 runs scored in his final year at USC. He was a part of the 2018 All-SEC team and All-Greenville Regional team.
South Carolina baseball opens its season against Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 16. The Gamecocks announced Monday their second game against Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 17 is a noon first pitch. It was also announced the second game of the Carolina-Clemson series at Segra Park will be 4 p.m. on March 2.
USC is coming off a 2023 Super Regional appearance in Kingston’s sixth season.
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 3:22 PM.
