South Carolina outfielder DeAngelo Mack signed a contract Monday morning with the New York Yankees.
A13th-round pick in last week's Major League Baseball draft, Mack leavesthe USC program after four years, including a redshirt junior seasonthat saw him garner
All-SEC second-team honors. The 5-foot-10,185-pound West Columbia native, who played his high school baseball atAirport, led the Gamecocks in hitting with a .361 batting average to gowith 14 homers and 60 RBI.
"It’s been a great ride at SouthCarolina," Mack said in a statement from USC. "Playing for Carolina wasa dream come true and I enjoyed my four years with the program. It’shard to leave. The fans have been great; I’ve played with a great groupof teammates. Coach Tanner and the coaching staff have been excellentand I enjoyed my time. I’m proud to be a Gamecock."
Mack hasreported to the Yankees spring training facility in Tampa, Fla. He isscheduled to open the season with the Staten Island Yankees in theshort-season Class A New York-Penn League later this week.
"TheYankees were very fair, very generous. It was a short negotiation,"said Mack's Columbia-based agent, Lee Long, who added that Mack wasoffered eighth-round money, although he would not reveal the size ofthe bonus.
Long also said USC Sumter pitcher B.J. Hyatt hassigned with the Houston Astros.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore righthander, whoplayed at Wade Hampton High in
Greenville, was a fourth-round selectionlast week. He is scheduled to report to the Greeneville (Tenn.) Astrosin the rookie Appalachian League.
- Neil White
