Nolan Nawrocki knows his worth. He sees it in himself. And when Clemson, the team that gave him a chance to play at the college level, didn’t see that worth, he knew it was time to move on.
“Emotionally, I love Clemson, I love the school and all that. But it just didn’t work out baseball wise,” Nawrocki told GamecockCentral. “I just decided it wasn’t the best place for this upcoming season for me to reach my potential and for me to really impact the team in the best way possible. It just wasn’t the place anymore.”
Not long after Clemson’s season ended at the hands of Florida in the Super Regionals, Nawrocki hit the transfer portal. There were other schools in the mix for his services, but South Carolina quickly garnered his attention.
“They honestly just showed the most interest. They saw me, they really believe in me, they see my potential and how I could reach that potential next year,” Nawrocki said. “And we can reach that potential as a team. I mean, I think they had the highest belief in me. And that’s the reason why I ultimately chose Carolina just because I really felt welcomed and needed.”
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Nawrocki made his decision official on July 3, choosing to spend the next phase of his career in Columbia. He’s now the second Clemson transfer to join the Gamecocks this offseason. Nathan Hall committed to South Carolina back on June 24.
The choice wasn’t too difficult for Nawrocki. He simply just wants to win. And in his early discussions with the new coaching staff, he believes in what they’re building for 2025 and beyond.
“Talking to Mainieri, he seems like just a stud, a baseball guy, and think he’s here to bring back Carolina baseball. And I just want to be a part of it,” he said. “I think we’re going to do great things in the upcoming years. I think he is going to be a big reason for that.
“The whole coaching staff is unbelievable, but I think his philosophy is much different than some of the modern day coaches and I think it’s all going to be positive stuff, honestly. There’s going to be great things in the future, and I think we’re going to get back to Omaha this year.”
Heading into the fall, Nawrocki, a Rockville Centre, N.Y. native, will play on the left side of the infield. He said he will “in all likelihood” play at third base, which is where he primarily was playing at Clemson. Though, he can also play shortstop.
“I definitely have a well above average arm over there. I think I can make some of the some of the cool plays. I work at it every day,” Nawrocki said.
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Offensively, Nawrocki is very dynamic, something that should bode well for South Carolina. He hit .264/.352/.400 with four home runs and 24 RBI in 2024. But here’s the best part: he was a perfect 11-for-11 on the base paths.
“I would kind of describe myself as a rounded player. I definitely have pop. And I can flash that for sure,” Nawrocki said. “But then ultimately, you want to get on base, help the team win, and can definitely steal a bag. I’ll definitely be stealing bags in the future, doing all the little things, all the details that’s usually what wins. I like to pride myself in that, too.”
Now with the portal closed, there shouldn’t be many more new additions to the roster for the Gamecocks. In what was a busy transfer cycle, South Carolina made it a priority to bring in a slew of new infielders with Nawrocki being one of them. And he’s ready to give his all to this new chapter of his life.
“I’m going to give my 110 percent all year to prepare for this upcoming season, and you guys should expect nothing less because that’s the standard at Carolina,” Nawrocki said. “As a team, as a group, we’re going to do everything we can to have an unbelievable season and get back to Omaha.”
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