South Carolina Gamecock Baseball Recruiting: Q&A With John Gilreath

Class of 2018 lefty John Gilreath, who is committed to the South Carolina Gamecock baseball program, was gracious enough to answer some questions and talk about his game.

What was your recruitment process like? Did you consider any other schools, or was the University of South Carolina the obvious best fit for you?

My recruitment process was a short yet fun one. I was considering South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Clemson and LSU. USC was always the obvious best fit for me from the get go but I wanted to weigh in all of my options.

What led you to commit to USC so early? What aspect of the program sticks out to you?

I committed August 10^th 2015.  I committed so early (summer before sophomore year) because I knew where I wanted to go play baseball and get the best possible education at. The aspects that stand out are the stadium which is absolutely beautiful, the fans are easily the best fans in the country and in all of college sports, the coaching staff is amazing and they really make you feel like you're at home and that they really want you, and the school is great, I feel like USC is the best environment for me to succeed on the field and in the classroom.

Describe your relationship with Coach Holbrook and Coach Meyers. How close are y'all, and how often are y'all in contact?

I have a great relationship with the coaching staff at South Carolina. Whenever I go to games, I talk to them about how my season is going and what I'm doing to get better. Sometimes I will call Coach Esposito and talk to him about stuff and I love the coaching staff and we are very close.

What kind of pitcher are you? What type of pitches do you throw, velocity wise and how is your command? What can South Carolina fans expect to see from you in the near future?

I am a left handed pitcher with 84-86 velo. My changeup and fast ball have been my strike out pitches but most recently my curveball has been a great strikeout pitch and I've used it to my advantage. I paint the corners very well and can run inside on any hitter. Carolina fans can expect to see quality outings and big pitches made when they need to be. I am excited to meet all of them in the near future.

It seems that John has a bright future as a South Carolina Gamecock. With him already throwing in the mid-80s as as sophomore in high school, I would expect his velocity to only improve as he gets older and stronger. With good fastball command and a plus changeup, it will be interesting to see how his curveball continues to develop. If he can develop his curveball into a true D1 level pitch, he will be a force on the mound when he arrives in Columbia.