ROCK HILL, S.C. — Former Winthrop Eagle pitcher Brody Hopkins has received the call up to the majors, where he will join the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, the team announced.
In his lone season in the Garnet and Gold after transferring from the College of Charleston, Hopkins earned First Team All-Conference honors from the Big South in 2023. The right-hander led the team in triples (3) and home runs (9) and started in 46 of 49 games he played in. The Summerville, S.C. native was selected in the sixth round (187th overall) by the Seattle Mariners. Hopkins, who was one of thirty players selected by Baseball America, selected him as the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays Minor League Player of the Year, selecting one for each of the 30 MLB organizations.
This season, in his first taste of Triple-A action, Hopkins has a 5.17 ERA in 31 games with the Durham Bulls. He has a 5.96 ERA in 19 starts and a 2.25 ERA in 12 relief appearances this year. The 24-year-old has also notably issued 92 walks in 94 innings this year. In 2025, the flamethrowing prospect had 60 walks in 116 innings.
Story courtesy of Winthrop Athletics.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
