Jackie Bradley Jr. Could Return to South Carolina Lineup

Star center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was put on South Carolina’s 27-man roster, traveled to Omaha and started taking batting practice with the team.

Bradley has been out since April 23 with a broken left wrist but may return to action. His replacement, Evan Marzilli, has been slowed by a hamstring injury. Bradley said he felt no pain after taking hacks in practice.

“It felt natural,” said the junior to the Independent Mail of Anderson, S.C. If he plays, he will wear a protective shield on his wrist while batting. “Hand feels great. I feel like I’m ready to play.”

Head coach Ray Tanner has watched Bradley work his way back to the team and decided to put him on the active roster just in case.

“I thought he looked great actually,” said Tanner, who in his 15th year has taken the Gamecocks to 12 straight NCAA tournament appearances. “He wasn’t tentative, he looks healthy. He looks good to go to me. The only thing missing is a lot of at-bats.”

Bradley led South Carolina to the 2010 national championship, and he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series, batting .345 with two homers and nine RBI. The Gamecocks lost their opening game to Oklahoma and came back from the loser’s bracket to reach the title series with UCLA.

He was a preseason All-American and, despite the injury, was drafted in the supplemental first round (No. 40 overall) by the Boston Red Sox. Bradley hit .259 with six homers and 26 RBI in 37 games before suffering the injury against Mississippi State.