Building a Transfer‑Heavy Roster
South Carolina’s baseball program is buzzing with activity as head coach Kevin Schnall finalizes a transfer portal class that could reshape the roster for the 2027 season.
Among the newcomers, shortstop JD Stein has already drawn national attention after being named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team that will compete in the World Collegiate Baseball Championship in Taiwan this July.
Stein arrives in Columbia after a standout stint at Wake Forest, where he honed a smooth glove and a bat that consistently produced better than a .300 average in ACC play.
He will reunite with former Demon Deacons coach Bill Cilento, who now serves as an assistant on Schnall’s staff, adding a familiar mentorship angle to the move.
Coaches say Stein’s defensive instincts and offensive reliability make him a serious contender for the starting shortstop spot, a position that has been open since the graduation of the program’s previous anchor.
The upcoming championship in Taiwan will serve as a showcase for the Gamecocks’ talent, with Stein expected to face some of the nation’s top collegiate players.
South Carolina’s fan base is eager to see how the new transfers integrate with returning players, and early practice reports suggest a competitive atmosphere as the team looks ahead to the 2027 campaign.