Upstate transfer Amp Phillips ready for next level as Gamecock starting pitcher
There’s just something about South Carolina transfer pitcher Amp Phillips. Maybe it’s the name.
“That’s my initials, Ashton Michael Phillips. My parents said they did it on purpose, but I don’t believe them,” Phillips said. “My dad’s called me Amp, I think, since I was born.”
Maybe it’s the dominant year he put on last season at USC Upstate that got him signed with the Gamecocks this offseason. Phillips won Big South Newcomer of the Year, made his conference’s first team and the All-Big South Tournament team as he struck out 81 batters in 84 innings last season.
As a freshman at Spartanburg Methodist College, Phillips made 12 appearances, striking out 51 batters in 45.2 innings pitched.
“I love Amp. I think he’s a real bulldog on the mound,” USC coach Paul Mainieri said.
But what really caught Mainieri’s attention was how he discovered Phillips in the first place. The junior right-hander took on USC’s in-state rival Clemson in the NCAA Regionals last season. He struck out nine batters in six innings, five of them scoreless, but the Tigers eventually pulled ahead and beat Upstate 7-3.
“What really jumped out to me was how well he pitched against Clemson in the regional last year. I didn’t even know he was going to go in the transfer portal,” Mainieri said.
Phillip’s fiery presence on the mound was on full display against the Tigers. After striking out a batter to end the first inning, he came off the mound shouting toward his own dugout and pounded his chest. He did a similar celebration after escaping a jam in the fourth inning, this time pointing toward his teammates.
“What I really enjoyed watching was just the way this kid was competing out there,” Mainieri said. “You just love to see competitors, and so I think Amp’s got a real chance.”
USC’s skipper named Phillips the Saturday starter for the Gamecocks’ opening weekend against Northern Kentucky, according to The Big Spur and GamecockCentral.
Alongside Sunday starter Brandon Stone, who pitched 62.1 innings last season, and opening-day starter Riley Goodman, who missed his first season with Tommy John surgery, Phillips’ 84 innings at the Division I level make him the most experienced of USC’s starting trio.
Phillips throws a fastball that sits around 93 mph, and was effective using a slider last season. He said he worked on adding a change-up this offseason to be better equipped for facing SEC hitters.
As USC’s Saturday starter, he’ll pitch every weekend with a chance to tie or win the series. With high-leverage pitching, swagger on the mound and a first name like Amp, Phillips could quickly become a Gamecock fan favorite.
“‘I’m just trying to go into this season and build off what I did last year, come to an SEC program and do well,” he said. “I’m just very excited for the opportunity,”
This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 3:34 PM.