St. Louis Cardinals bank on SMC slugger Bruce Caldwell - Spartanburg Herald Journal

SMC’s Bruce Caldwell was the Region 10 player of the year this past season, batting .444 with 15 home runs.

Buy Photo JOHN BYRUM/john.byrum@shj.com

Published: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 12:58 a.m.

Spartanburg Methodist baseball coach Tim Wallace never planned on having Bruce Caldwell for two years. NCAA Division I schools didn’t bother recruiting him.

Caldwell, who just finished his freshman season, was too good not to be drafted highly into the pros. And, sure enough, the Region 10 player of the year from Sumter was picked Tuesday in the 15th round by the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals in the Major League Baseball first-year players’ draft.

“They called me in about the 10th round and asked if I was watching,” Caldwell said. “Then when their turn came up a little later, my name popped up. It was pretty cool. It’s been a long and stressful day, but exciting at the end.”

Caldwell batted .444 this season with 15 home runs, 26 doubles, 70 runs scored, 15 stolen bases and 66 RBIs from the leadoff position. He started at third base but quickly moved to shortstop and was equally good with the glove as with the bat.

With Caldwell providing much of the support, SMC won the region tournament, the district title and made it to the junior college World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

“He couldn’t have done anything more for us this year,” SMC head coach Tim Wallace said. “We wouldn’t have been where we were at the end of the season had it not been for him. Everybody played a part. But, obviously, he was a huge part in our success.”

Late in the season during a home game, Caldwell hit a ball high off the wall for a triple. Wallace, coaching at third base, mentioned that he was thinking seriously about moving the fences in about five feet for next season. Caldwell, leading off the bag, turned his head around to look at Wallace and could have gotten picked off.

But even that kind of enticement might not bring Caldwell back for his sophomore season. He said Tuesday that he likely wouldn’t return to SMC.

“I’m not totally sure yet,” Caldwell said. “But probably not.”

Wallace said he would understand either way and support Caldwell’s decision.

“When you have good players, that’s a problem you deal with,” Wallace said. “I’d be thrilled if he comes back, but that’s a decision he and his family have to make. If he feels he needs to go, he’ll go. We stay out of that. I just called to congratulate him. He’s bouncing off the walls. That’s the way it should be. If he signs, that’s great. We’ll use his name in recruiting. If he comes back, we might throw a party.”

Another SMC product, outfielder Marty Gantt from the College of Charleston, was drafted in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Gantt, from North Augusta, was the Southern Conference player of the year after batting .373 with 11 home runs, 20 doubles, 45 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. He had an on-base percentage of .483 and a slugging average of .614. He also showed a great eye at the plate, walking nine more times than he struck out.

“I was wrong on my prediction about him,” Wallace said. “I thought he would be a two-time SoCon player of the year. But he only got it once.”

Gantt was named Louisville Slugger third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Award given to the top player in the country. At SMC, he led the Pioneers to the JUCO World Series and even hit three homers in one game during the tournament. He was a member of the NJCAA All-Star team.

“If you love baseball, you have to appreciate the way Marty Gantt plays the game,” Wallace said. “It’s great that he has this opportunity. It was fun to coach him and fun to watch him play.”