STRecruiting: South Carolina loses star freshman Will Craddock to another SEC program

First baseman Will Craddock, arguably the top player for the South Carolina baseball team this season, announced Friday night that he had agreed to a free agent deal with Mississippi State. Craddock, who also played some in the outfield during his freshman season, reportedly met with the new USC staff and also visited Georgia.

This season, Craddock hit .260 with 10 homers, 10 doubles, and 29 RBIs. The freshman from TL Hanna got off to a hot start and was hitting well over .300 during the first half of the season. But he struggled in the second half. After a two-hit game against Texas on April 3rd, he did not have another multi-hit game against an SEC team.

Craddock had only one homer over his final 18 games, and that came in his final at-bat in a USC uniform in the loss to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament.

Craddock is the 17th former Gamecock to sign with another club out of the free agent portal. Seven others remain unsigned.

Former USC players who have signed with other programs:

DAWSON HARMAN 3B MIAMI
JOSH GUNTHER RHP GEORGIA TECH
PATRICK DUDLEY LHP OLD DOMINION
ALEX VALENTIN LHP ARIZONA STATE
GAVIN BRALAND C GARDNER-WEBB
LOGAN PRISCO LHP USC TEXAS A&M
KJ SCOBEY SS TEXAS TECH
JOSH GREGOIRE RHP LOUISIANA TECH
ZACH RUSSELL RHP MISSISSIPPI STATE
CALEB HOOVER OF NEBRASKA
ELIJAH FOSTER RHP AUSTIN PEAY
WILL CRADDOCK 1B MISSISSIPPI STATE
REESE MOORE C NEBRASKA
JACK REYNOLDS 2B LOUISIANA TECH
AARON JAMISON OF AUSTIN PEAY
JAKE MCCOY RHP TENNESSEE
BRYCE NAVARRE LHP LAMAR