South Carolina lefty Jackson Soucie commits to Kentucky

A lefthanded pitcher was a need for the program in the portal. South Carolina transfer Jackson Soucie will play for Kentucky next year.

Photo courtesy of the University of South Carolina athletic department (Gamecocks Online).

Adding a lefthanded pitcher from the transfer portal was one of the last remaining needs for Kentucky’s 2026 roster in the pre-draft stage. The Wildcats addressed that need over the weekend with the commitment of South Carolina transfer Jackson Soucie.

“The connection I built with the coaching staff when I was talking to them on the phone, there was honestly nothing that I could compare,” Souice told Bat Cats Central. “In my whole recruiting process talking to the coaches, I never really felt a connection like that the way I did with Kentucky’s coaches. I got the opportunity to talk to all three of them – pitching coach (Dan Roszel), recruiting coordinator (Austin Cousino) and head coach (Nick Mingione). Just being able to hear their interest in me and me being able to share my interest in them, we started slowly growing a connection. Overall, it just felt like it was the right place to call home for next year.”

Soucie, who is from Cambridge, Ontario, said he considered Georgia and Florida before picking Kentucky. He spent two seasons at Wabash Valley College prior to signing with South Carolina. Soucie originally signed with the program while Mark Kingston was the head coach, but stayed on board when current skipper Paul Mainieri was hired.

Once he entered the portal, Soucie said the biggest part of his recruiting process was finding a program that would help his development.