Former Mckeel all-county baseball player K.J. Scobey was playing golf in Columbia, South Carolina, last week with some of his University of South Carolina teammates when he heard he was selected to, at the very least, compete to be on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
Scobey, who has been playing with the Lexington County Blowfish of the Coastal Plain League, was informed by his current University of South Carolina head coach Paul Mainieri of the honor. And just a few minutes later, USA Baseball’s general manager, Eric Campbell, also called Scobey to inform him of the news.
Scobey is just one of 56 players who earned an invitation to compete for one of the expected 28 roster spots and is the first Gamecock to attend the USA Baseball CNT camp since Ethan Perry in 2023.
“I was just in shock. It was a great feeling. … It’s always been something that I wanted to do. … It was awesome. To put on a Team USA shirt is just different. I put it on for the first time (Sunday). … It’s just a different feeling,” Scobey said.
Scobey will be in a different place to compete on Team USA as opposed to where he played pretty well at for his freshman year in Columbia, South Carolina. The-now sophomore is currently in Cary, North Carolina, for training camp. And following the five-day tryout, Team USA will announce the final squad. And following the announcement, USA Baseball will compete against Japan in the 45th annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series later in July.
The former Wildcat did everything he could to put himself in this position his freshman year at South Carolina. In a season in which he got off to a slow start — just two multi-hit games and one home run in 17 games before SEC play — Scobey got hot and culminated the season with nine multi-hit games and eight home runs. He even hit a walk-off double to centerfield vs. North Florida back in April and hit four of his home runs in the last two weeks of the campaign. His final stat line was .257/.348/.419/.767 with 15 extra-base hits, 34 runs scored and 27 RBIs in a year that South Carolina went 28-29 and 6-24 in SEC play.
The third baseman made just four errors in 31 SEC contests. He looks to be a favorite for a starting role at third base next year.
Scobey put himself to be the favorite after a stellar prep career at Mckeel High School. In his junior year, the-then shortstop batted .377 with 13 extra-base hits, including six home runs and 18 RBIs. And in his senior year, he batted .395 with 15 extra-base hits, five home runs and 34 RBIs.
The all-county baseball player was also one of the best golfers in the county. He was a three-time district champion and a state qualifier in his time at McKeel.
But now, he will focus on Team USA before gearing up for the 2026 college baseball season.
“It’s just an opportunity to play some of the best competition in baseball. It’s a great atmosphere and you’re playing against the best guys,” Scobey said.