Holder out as USC Aiken baseball coach, players entering transfer portal

The college baseball transfer portal is starting to fill up with Pacers following the announcement that USC Aiken was moving on from head coach Michael Holder.

That announcement was made last week in a 54-word statement that didn't mention Holder by name, just that there was going to be a change in leadership, effective immediately, and that a nationwide search for USCA's next head coach was underway.

"Pacer Baseball is positioned to be competitive in the PBC and Southeast Region," athletic director Todd Wilkinson said in the statement released by the athletic department. "That will be what we strive for going forward."

Holder's Pacers went 23-29 this past season, with a mark of 11-16 in the Peach Belt Conference that left them in seventh place in the league standings. They advanced to the PBC Tournament and went 1-2 there.

Holder led the Pacers to a record of 90-118 (53-58) over four seasons, taking over on an interim basis following the retirement of Kenny Thomas after 22 seasons. Holder, a former longtime assistant under Thomas, was named full-time head coach toward the end of the 2022 season.

The Pacers' best record under Holder came in 2023, when they went 32-22 overall and 20-10 in the PBC.  

This year's team had a pair of first-team All-PBC selections in senior outfielder Josh Sharp and sophomore outfielder Jack Hobson.

Hobson is one of several Pacers testing the waters in the transfer portal following the news of Holder's dismissal. This past season he batted .310 with 16 home runs and 58 RBI. He tied the program record for hits in a game by going 5-for-5 against Seton Hill, and against USC Beaufort he hit for the cycle.

Others who have announced on social media that they are entering the transfer portal include sophomore pitchers Blayne Newman and Cade Bouknight, who combined to start 30 of 52 games this season. Also into the portal are junior pitchers Cole Evilsizor and Derek Espinoza, and freshman catcher Griffin Hedrick.

Additionally, Brevard High School's Jordyn Brown announced his decommitment from USCA and has reopened his recruitment.