Skip to main content
Join Now
Team Avatar
South Carolina

South Carolina right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Danby: Daniel Hager06/02/26DanielHagerOn3

South Carolina right-handed pitcher Brandon Stone has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3’s Pete Nakos reports.

Across two seasons at South Carolina, Stone pitched to a 5.77 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 34 walks across 131 innings. His best outing in a Gamecock uniform came on April 17, 2025, when he pitched a complete game against Ole Miss. He held the Rebels to just six hits and two earned runs, while striking out four batters in Carolina’s 3-2 victory.

$19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage

Stone departs a South Carolina program that has posted a disappointing 50-64 (13-47) record over the past two seasons. The Gamecocks missed the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1996-1997, and are searching for a new coach after parting ways with the legendary Paul Mainieri 23 games into the 2026 season.

South Carolina associate head coach Monte Lee, who has formerly coached at rival Clemson, was promoted to head coach following Mainieri’s departure. With Lee in charge, the Gamecocks posted a 10-24 record and lost to Tennessee in the First Round of the SEC Tournament. They lost 12 of their final 14 games to end the season.

Paul Mainieri discussed end of tenure at South Carolina following departure

Although Mainieri’s time in Columbia didn’t pan out, he doesn’t plan on letting it ruin how he looks at his career. The Morgantown native led LSU to a National Championship (2009), four SEC Regular Season Championships, and six SEC Tournament Championships. Prior to his tenure in Baton Rouge, Mainieri led Notre Dame to four Big East Regular Season Championships and five Big East Tournament Championships.

“I’m not going to let one little 80-game era ruin my feelings about my career,” Mainieri said in an interview with Nola.com. “And I hope other people don’t look at it that way either.

“I think the fans and the media, everybody here was pretty impatient. And so, I just felt like it was time, you know? So when (AD Jeremiah Donati) and I talked about it, we both kind of agreed that, let’s see if maybe if I step aside, it’ll give a little jolt of new energy to the team.”

Across his 40-year coaching career, Mainieri compiled a 1,545–817–8 (.654) record. He is the 10th-winningest coach in collegiate baseball history. Many have tabbed Coastal Carolina head coach Kevin Schnall as one of the favorites to replace Mainieri as the full-time coach in Columbia.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X (formerly Twitter) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.