At 6-5, this South Meck pitcher’s hard to miss, and he’s got the Sabres near league title

Cameron Bagwell doesn’t shrink into the background.

At 6-foot-5 with an imposing frame, it’s hard to miss him.

But even if your only exposure to South Mecklenburg’s baseball team is looking at the boxscore ... well, Bagwell stands out.

“He helps a team in so many ways,” Sabres’ coach Brian Hoop said after Bagwell pitched a three-hit shutout and led South Mecklenburg to a 7-0 victory Tuesday night over Myers Park.

On Friday night, the Sabres and Mustangs meet again, this time at Myers Park (first pitch, 6:45 p.m.), with at least a share of the SoMeck 4A Conference regular-season title on the line.

When Bagwell isn’t pitching, as will be the case Friday night, he is a solid defensive infielder and a power at the plate.

He’s hitting around .295 this season, leads the team in home runs and RBI and is tied for the team lead in doubles.

‘I’m calm’

Hoop said he is also a calming force on the team.

Myers Park, down 3-0, put two runners in scoring position Tuesday night against the Sabres, and Hoop went to the mound to talk with Bagwell.

“I’m out here to calm you down,” Hoop told his pitcher.

“I’m calm,” Bagwell replied.

That was good enough for the coach.

The next Myers Park hitter hit a line drove that second baseman Charlie Fernandez turned into a double play. Threat over.

“There’s not a lot to do when Cam is on autopilot,” Hoop said later.

Bagwell, who is no relation to former South Mecklenburg coach Hal Bagwell, came to baseball early. He was 3 years old when he played for the first time.

“My older brother was playing, and my dad had played baseball,” said Bagwell, a senior and a UNC Wilmington commit. “It seemed natural.”

By the time he reached high school, Bagwell’s fast ball was reaching 87 mph. He developed a nasty slider and added a cutter and a change up.

Careful recovery

It all came to a temporary halt two years ago, when Bagwell needed Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

“Everyone worked very carefully with him in his recovery,” Hoop said. “He never pitched with us last season until the very end.”

His first game back with the Sabres, in late April of 2023, Bagwell slammed a home run and two doubles and drove in five runs. By last summer, his fastball was at 92 mph.

“I feel good right now,” he said Tuesday night. “I’ve learned to trust my pitches. I get a lot of help from my catcher (Blake Nicholson). And this team’s defense is really strong. The guys behind me will make the plays.”

He said pitching is a key part of why the Sabres are 17-3 overall and 5-2 in the conference.

“Cole will be throwing Friday night,” Bagwell said. “He throws strikes.”

Cole Gillis (3-1, 0.77 ERA) and Connor Longley (5-0, 2.25) give the Sabres’ a trio of strong pitchers, to go with excellent defense and speed on the bases.

When Bagwell isn’t on the mound, he remains a big part of the game. Last Saturday against Charlotte Catholic, he smacked two doubles and drove in four runs in a 6-0 victory. Gillis pitched a three-hitter that day.

“Cam is as good a pitcher as there is in the state,” Hoop said. “He came back strong from his injury. He really enjoys playing this game.”

This appears to be a strong season for 4A baseball in the Charlotte region.

Teams like Cuthbertson, Cox Mill, Providence, Myers Park and South Mecklenburg appear capable of taking on defending 4A state champion T.C. Roberson and the top teams from the eastern region.

“We’ve got a lot of things going for us,” Bagwell said. “We just need to continue being ourselves, doing what we do well.”