COLUMBIA — When Chad Holbrook watches T.J. Hopkins, the South Carolina head baseball coach is reminded of another name — Evan Marzilli.
High praise, given that Marzilli was a mainstay of USC’s national championship teams in 2010 and 2011, and played last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate. But that’s the potential Holbrook sees within Hopkins, a true freshman outfielder from Summerville.
“When you watch him run around the outfield, you’ll say ‘Ooh man, that’s impressive.’ You watch him take BP, you’ll be like, ‘He should be hitting third,’” Holbrook said Wednesday, in wrapping up USC’s recently-completed fall practice.