Carolina lands elite outfielder

South Carolina has become one of the top baseball programs in the country and the trend of landing the top players continues. Class of 2015 outfielder Kep Brown (Mount Pleasant/Wando), ranked as the No. 16 player in the country, pledged to the Gamecocks on Saturday as the fourth commitment of his recruiting class.

Class of 2015 outfielder Kep Brown

Brown, who earned a scholarship offer after a big showing at a South Carolina hitting camp two weeks ago, chose to stay in-state after receiving a variety of interest from programs like LSU, Arkansas, Clemson, and Central Florida. The allure of playing in the Southeastern Conference and for the school he loved growing up made the decision an easy one.

“They made me an offer I couldn’t turn down. I just fell in love with the campus,” Brown told TheBigSpur.com. “Me and my family talked about it and we knew we wanted to do it now. I wanted to be a Gamecock as soon as I possibly could.”

Brown said that LSU finished second on his list but being able to “play baseball at the highest caliber,” as he said, just a couple of hours away from home was a strong draw.

Brown and his family visited on Wednesday and toured the campus and the stadium with the entire staff. Head coach Chad Holbrook and assistants Jerry Meyers and Sammy Esposito all spent time with the family, which made a big impression.

“The facility is unreal. I’ve played there but had never been inside,” Brown said. “The coaches are all great guys. They’re very sincere and they’re honest. They all have a great sense of humor. I wanted a place where I was comfortable. I know they care about me as much as I care about them.”

Brown, who stands 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, first caught the eye of the South Carolina coaches at a Perfect Game showcase early in the fall. It was an invitation only event for the top 16 showcase teams in the country and the Diamond Devils were on hand.

During the event, Brown hit .632 with a home run, triple, 10 runs batted in, and four stolen bases. After putting a few balls onto the concourse at Carolina Stadium during the hitting camp, Esposito tabled an offer.

“They’ve always had very talented outfielders,” Brown said. “Coaches tell me I’m fast out there and have a very strong arm. In the SEC, there will be great competition. I want to play in the best league and I want to be the all around best.”

Brown, who plays his high school baseball at Wando, is focused on not only becoming a better player himself over the coming seasons, he wants to help elevate his teammates as well.

“I want to become more consistent. I want to be more of a leader playing for my teammates. I want to help my teammates play at the highest level possible.”

Brown is the fourth commitment in the 2015 class joining shortstop LT Tolbert (Piedmont/Wren), catcher/first baseman Tyler Romanik (Blythewood/Blythewood), and right-handed pitcher Kaleb Bowman (Purcellville, Va./Woodgrove).

Insider Notes on Brown

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