2027 OF Jaxon Haynes, son of former Gamecock RB, breaks down decision to stay home at South Carolina

The recruiting process was overwhelming, but the decision to commit to South Carolina almost made too much sense for Jaxon Haynes.

Haynes grew up only 15 minutes away from Columbia. His dad, Albert, played running back for the Gamecocks from 1988-91. He still has fond memories of going to many football games at Williams-Brice Stadium.

“We used to go to all the South Carolina-Georgia games, back then, when Todd Gurley was playing,” Haynes told GamecockCentral. “It was more of a rivalry back in the day, more so like when I was younger, and it was always good games going to that.

“When I was younger, I used to be able to go on the field because of my dad. We had access to the field, and I used to always just dap up all the players, and it was just always a great environment around me.”

Unlike his dad, Haynes’ path wasn’t going to be in football but rather in baseball. When college coaches began contacting high school recruits on Aug. 1, Haynes received plenty of interest, most notably from schools such as Vanderbilt and Virginia. But South Carolina came calling, too, and the opportunity to stay home and play for the Gamecocks was too hard to pass up.

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Haynes officially committed on Sept. 30, becoming the sixth player to join South Carolina’s 2027 recruiting class. Besides the obvious of his ties to the school, the thing that separated the Gamecocks from other schools was the coaching staff and the plan they had in store for him.

“They showed so much interest in me. They showed love to me and my family, and it’s like a genuine relationship, I feel, with those guys over there,” Haynes said. “I also feel that my development would be better over there, especially with Coach (Monte) Lee. They’ve really got a good plan for me down there when I first get to step on campus. So I’m going to enjoy it.”

Days before making his decision, Haynes was on campus in Columbia for his official visit. He said it was “honestly great” and enjoyed his time there. The main highlight for him was getting to be at South Carolina’s football game against Kentucky, which the Gamecocks won handily, 35-13.

“We got taken care of really good by the coaches. It was great hospitality,” he said. “And then my highlight was definitely the football game. Of course, the Sandstorm was amazing, great energy, great vibes. And also the baseball environment, the field, it’s almost like a minor league stadium. It’s a huge field. It’s very nice. And then all their facilities, everything is amazing.”

Haynes is a 6-foot-1, 167-pound outfielder and first baseman from Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also pitches, but unless his velocity improves in the next two years, he’ll play outfield in college.

“I feel like I’m just an overall really good player. I get told a lot that I have really good hand-eye coordination, which is really important for this game,” Haynes said. “My bat-to-ball skills are really good from a hitter’s perspective, and I’ve got good speed to really make up for my jumps I sometimes get for the ball. My arm is also really good and accurate. So I feel like I do have just like an overall, I guess, God-given talented ability, so I’m just blessed for that.”

One area Haynes wants to improve upon is his outfield routes and taking a better first step off the bat. He said his speed helps make up for that. But he’s confident he’ll get great development from the coaches, especially Monte Lee, with whom he’s built a good relationship.

“From day one, he showed just that he cares about me as an individual first and then a player next, especially when we’re talking about just my swing and stuff like that,” Haynes said. “He always gives me good pointers and tells me what I could do better. Honestly, the bond I feel like we’re going to have is just going to be really good. He’s a very good instructive coach, and he already teaches what I practice, so it’s gonna be a good time.”

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