It wasn’t the news Brandon Cromer and Jake Morris expected to hear during their high school senior seasons.

Cromer, the Lexington High standout and Morris, the Lugoff-Elgin High standout, entered the season as two of the top prospects in South Carolina for Class of 2025. Diamond Prospects ranked Morris and Cromer 1-2 as the top senior left-handed pitchers in their class with Cromer ranked as the fifth overall player and Morris 10th.

Both had their college futures secured with Cromer signing with South Carolina and Morris with Clemson during the November period. The two also were getting looks from Major League Baseball scouts.

But both are dealing with ulnar collateral ligament injuries in their arms, which will require Tommy John surgery. Tommy John surgery includes UCL reconstruction inside the elbow by replacing it with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. The surgery was first performed more than 40 years ago on the former New York Yankees pitcher for whom the procedure is named. It’s a surgery that’s common among pitchers and even more so lately with young athletes.

According to Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, “the biggest age group that needs Tommy John surgery in the country is from ages 15-19.”

According to USA TODAY, studies revealed “36% of all active Major League pitchers have undergone Tommy John surgery, and the rate continues to increase every year.”

“It sucked. Because I knew I had to get surgery and I knew I was missing the end of my high school career,” Morris said Monday on the first day of the Forest Acres Classic hosted by AC Flora.

Morris had his surgery on April 3 and was in a cast as L-E faced Lexington in Forest Acres Classic. Cromer is delaying his surgery until June and continues to play (although not pitching) for the defending state championship Wildcats.

‘I just heard a pop’

Morris actually thinks he suffered the injury back in January when he was throwing in a workout for the San Diego Padres. He said he went to the doctor, who said it was a pulled muscle and he continued to pitch and get ready for the season.

But Morris, whose fastball was clocked in the lower to-mid 90s, made his season debut on March 11 against West Florence. He lasted just ? of an inning and gave up four unearned runs in the loss to the Knights. His velocity was nowhere near it was last season.

After that, Clemson coaches recommended he have another MRI, which revealed the UCL tear that would end his season. He continued to play (just hitting) for the next few weeks. He hit .310 with two homers and 8 RBI and played his last game on April 1. Two days later, he had surgery.

Morris opted for earlier surgery to get a jump on the rehab process and since he was recruited as a pitcher for the Tigers it was beneficial to get the surgery.

Morris was still in a cast on Monday and was a positive influence in the dugout to his teammates. He will get the cast off in two weeks and have to wear a brace for the next three-to-four months.

“It’s been good so far,” Morris said. “… I’m trying to get back as quick as possible and be as encouraging as I can to my teammates for the rest of the season.”

Cromer remembers the exact moment he suffered the injury. It happened with two outs in the fifth inning against Irmo on March 18. The future Gamecock had a shutout going and struck out seven batters before throwing his final pitch of the season.

“I just heard a pop. I kind of knew from the jump that it was serious and I wouldn’t be able to get on the mound again,” Cromer said. “It was scary that night. Never had anything like that that happened before. I was kind of scared but I knew I have a great group of guys behind me. I knew they were going to support me.”

Playing through

After visiting with his doctor, he was told he could continue playing (hitting only) and returned to the Wildcats’ lineup a week later. In the first few games of his return, he was used as a designated hitter before coach Brian Hucks put him back in center field.

Cromer showed his range and athletic ability by making a leaping catch against the wall to rob a Lugoff-Elgin player of an extra-base hit.

“I don’t know how many players could make that play he made today,” Hucks said after the 9-1 win over Lugoff-Elgin. “The injury is a tough blow for him. He has been a starter for four years. His attitude and the way he has handled this has been outstanding. We are able to get him in the outfield and make sure he can do some things to make long throws.

“Having him in center field with his leadership and everything he does for us, the production is important. He made a team-first decision to put off surgery until the end. I think that goes a long way in Lexington history for a kid that cares so much about this program. He is such an important piece for us and I love writing his name in the lineup.”

Since his return, Cromer is hitting over .400 with two homers and 10 RBI. He hit a three-run homer against Cardinal Newman on Wednesday. The Wildcats finished third in the tournament.

Cromer was a big factor last season in helping the Wildcats to their first state title in more than a decade. He pitched the final two innings, earning the save in the championship-clinching win over Ashley Ridge, 3-1.

Cromer is hoping to help the Wildcats on another postseason run, which is one of the reasons he is waiting until after the season to get the surgery. Gamecocks coach Paul Mainieri told Cromer they plan to redshirt him next season to get back at full strength the following season.

“We’ve been together through thick and thin for six or seven years,” Cromer said. “They are my brothers and we have this bond that can’t be broken. It wasn’t really a choice for me. I just had to (play).”

Forest Acres Classic

All Games at AC Flora High School

Monday

Miller (Va.) 16, Cardinal Newman (3)

Lexington 9, Lugoff-Elgin 1

River Bluff 5, Airport 3

Hammond 7, AC Flora 5

Tuesday

Lexington 8, Cardinal Newman 3

Miller (Va.) 13, Lugoff-Elgin 1 (5)

Airport 4, Hammond 3

AC Flora 8, River Bluff 3

Wednesday

Lugoff-Elgin 8, Cardinal Newman 6

River Bluff 11, Hammond 1

Miller (Va.) 6, Lexington 4

AC Flora 3, Airport 0

Thursday

Third-place game: Lexington 8, River Bluff 4

Championship: Miller (Va.) 5, AC Flora 4

All-Tournament Team

Jack Croft, Hammond; Brice Gillette, Airport; Maverick Grigsby, Lugoff-Elgin; Carter Harrington, AC Flora; Alvin Murray, Cardinal Newman; Dominick Norton, River Bluff; Jackson Rosales, Miller (Va.); Christian Spivey, Lexington

MVP: Mandela Browman, Miller (Va.)

Lou Bezjak: (803) 771-8419, @LouatTheState

Caption:

Sam Wolfe Special To The State

Brandon Cromer (2) of Lexington pitches during the SCHSL Class 5A Baseball State Championship at Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville on May 24, 2024.

Jake Morris

April 20, 2025 | State, The (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak; Staff Writer | Page: 1B | Section: Sports