South Carolina left-handed pitcher commit Jake McCoy will play for Tennessee baseball next season, McCoy posted on Instagram. McCoy is spurning professional baseball for the time being despite the Toronto Blue Jays selecting him in the 18th round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
A talented left-handed arm that experts projected to go in the first six rounds of the draft, Toronto did not offer the signing bonus that it was going to take to lure McCoy away from college baseball. McCoy committed to Tennessee over LSU out of the transfer portal last month.
McCoy missed the entirety of his junior season after undergoing Tommy John surgery over the winter. The surgery cost McCoy, who was in line to be South Carolina’s ace, the entirety of his junior season.
The Fort Mills, South Carolina native started 14 games for the Gamecocks as a sophomore in 2025 posting a 4-5 record, 6.90 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 60 innings pitched. Free passes were a major concern for McCoy as he walked 40 batters and hit 17 others. However, he has elite stuff and struck out 97 batters in 76 career innings pitched.
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McCoy mostly came out of the South Carolina bullpen as a freshman, posting a 7.88 ERA in 16 innings pitched.
While McCoy’s numbers have been lackluster in his college career to date, the lefty boasts an upper-90s fastball that gives him a high ceiling and made him a draft prospect. But with Toronto failing to meet his asking price, McCoy is betting that he can improve his stock with a strong 2027 season at Tennessee.
McCoy will have a chance to compete for a weekend starting spot in Tennessee’s rotation next season. The Vols return weekend starter Landon Mack from last year’s team while rising sophomore Cam Appenzeller is poised to step into a starting position.
Louisville transfer right-handed pitcher Parker Detmers and Northwestern State left-handed pitcher Brody Trosclair will also compete for that third weekend starting spot in Tennessee’s rotation.
Tennessee also landed UC Irvine left-handed pitcher Ricky Ojeda and Clemson right-handed pitcher Hayden Simmerson out of the transfer portal this offseason.
