Hometown baseball standout commits to South Carolina
South Carolina baseball added a local talent to its recruiting class on Friday.
Dutch Fork High School senior Evan Stone committed to play baseball for the Gamecocks. Stone becomes the 14th commit or signee for the Class of 2021 and the sixth in-state prospect.
“I grew up a Gamecock and it’s always been a dream to play baseball for the Gamecocks,” Stone said Friday.
Diamond Prospects ranks Stone as the No. 2 shortstop in the state for Class of 2021 but said he also could be an outfielder at the next level.
Stone is hitting .438 with a homer and two RBIs in five games this season so far for the Silver Foxes. He was an all-tournament selection at last week’s Peach Ridge Invitational.
“The Gamecocks are getting a fine young man and player. Evan has experienced adversity with his knee surgeries and came out on the other end a better young man,” Dutch Fork coach Casey Waites said. “The kid is a worker and leader. We’re very proud of him.”
Stone didn’t play his sophomore or junior baseball seasons after a pair of knee injuries. He tore his ACL in consecutive seasons as a defensive back for Dutch Fork football team. But he is healthy and ready for a big senior season.
“These surgeries only made me tougher mentally and physically. Always keeping a positive attitude, looking forward, working hard everyday and everything will take care of itself,” Stone said. “But most importantly the surgeries strengthened my relationship with Christ.”
South Carolina Baseball Class of 2021 Commits
Cole Messina, C Summerville
Aidan Hunter, P, Summerville
Michael Braswell, SS, Campbell HS (Ga.)
Vytas Valincius, 1B, St. Laurence HS (Ill.)
Cooper Kinney, 3B, Baylor School (Tenn.)
Tallmage Lecroy, C, Belton-Honea-Path
Elijah Jones, P, Starrs Mill HS (Ga.)
Dariyan Pendergrass, OF, Hartsville
Owen Washburn, P, Webster HS (Wisc.)
Sam Simpson, P, Carrollton HS (Ga.)
Thad Ector, LF, Starrs Mill (Ga.)
Matthew Becker, P, Chapin
Elijah Lambros, OF, Fredericksburg Christian (Va.)
Evan Stone, SS, Dutch Fork
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 10:11 AM.
