Former Woodruff Pitcher B.J. Bailey Pitched His Way to a National Championship While Finding New Ways to Love the Game
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
As B.J. Bailey held high the national championship trophy he clutched in his arms, the wave of emotion in the moment brought crashing in the knowledge that second chances do happen, and dreams come true.
The long and winding road traveled by the former Woodruff High School and Clemson University pitcher to arrive at this place, though, was marred by potholes and pitfalls that made him ponder whether he should have given up the game he loved.
In that moment of jubilation, it was all a distant memory.
“It’s all special for me, but it’s also been special for my dad, my mom, because they try to make it to every single game and have supported me the entire time,” explained Bailey. “I’m blessed and so happy that I got to experience it, but also blessed that my family got to experience it with me along the way. It’s been a long journey since I was a freshman in high school.”
Bailey has experienced more than most athletes, some good and some bad, but he has persevered through the litany of challenges thrown his way.
As a senior at Woodruff, he had his final season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following one season pitching for Spartanburg Methodist College, B.J. transferred to Clemson, where he spent four years. There, he became a key cog on the Tigers’ staff, suffered a devastating knee injury that cost him the 2024 season and a year and a half of recovery, and, following the 2025 season, an exhausted supply of eligibility on the Division 1 level.
The injury and recovery were hard, but during that dark time, a chance encounter changed the way he viewed the game and himself, making B.J. realize that a second chance is not a far-fetched dream.
“The knee injury was a really hard experience for me,” acknowledged B.J. “I missed a year and a half because of it. One of the biggest experiences, and the thing that really changed my perspective, was being in class my first week back, and I had my knee brace on and couldn’t bend it or anything. There was a guy, I walked in late and sat beside him, talked to him about my injury, and at the end of class, he stood up, and he had a prosthetic leg. He never mentioned it one time. I was like, dang, how can I feel sorry for my situation? I have a limited amount of time to be like this, and I will recover. He wasn’t worried about himself, but was worried about me and trying to help me out. That was the big perspective change for me. No matter what happens, don’t let anything like that define you or who you are.”
After 18 months of grueling rehab, Bailey returned for his third and final season at Clemson. He pitched well, but also endured setbacks. Thinking he had one more year of eligibility for the Tigers, Bailey applied to redeem a medical redshirt exemption only to find out that none was coming.
It was then that he thought about quitting baseball altogether. Fate had other plans.
He entered the transfer portal because, although he could not play for the Tigers, he would be eligible to play one season in Division 2. That is when the University of Tampa called. The two-time defending national champions wanted B.J. to pitch for them. So, he called Clemson head coach Erik Bakich and asked for his opinion.
“I went in the transfer portal and heard from other schools, then found out I didn’t have that year of eligibility (for Division 1),” said Bailey. “I was ready to hang it up and be done with it. But Tampa reached out, and I called my head coach at Clemson (Bakich) and said, ” Hey, this guy is saying this, what do you think? He said hang up the phone and call them back and tell them you are going there. Just getting that opportunity to go there, it’s the biggest blessing ever. When you get there, their message was simple; we got you here for a reason. You don’t have to be anyone else but what we ask of you. They gave me the freedom to be myself and express my personality and have fun.”
With 22 new players on the roster, it was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the powerhouse Spartans. Some new arrivals, and a chance to start over, bolstered Bailey’s confidence, and he quickly felt at home with his new team.
“I was done with my master’s program, and so, it was just go and play baseball,” he stated. “Have the most fun. When I got there, we had all these new players, and we had to figure out all the pieces. I was playing first base in the fall too. It took a week or two before everyone’s personalities finally came out and everybody just bonded.”
Bailey was old for a college pitcher at 24, was newly engaged to his fiancé, and for the first time since his childhood, he no longer worried over the little things. He just pitched. For B.J. the feeling was liberating and took a weight off his shoulders that had been carried for years.
“I just had to prove myself along the way,” said Bailey. “Ever since I was younger, I was trying to prove myself to my family and peers around me, trying not to let anybody down. I wanted to have the most fun I could possibly have out there and just play like my younger self. If I’m a kid playing tee ball, playing in the sand, I’m not worried about the next pitch or the outcome of the game. I’m just there to have fun and be with my friends. Missing a year and a half and having the opportunity to go back to it, it was so freeing regardless of the outcome. You make it simple and just worry about one pitch. You could throw one pitch, get taken out, and never play again.”
Seeing the game through a new lens, Bailey dominated. Frankly, he was unbeatable. B.J. finished the season with a record of 13-1 with an earned run average of 2.25 in 116 innings pitched. He struck out 110 batters.
His only loss? His final start, in game two of the Division 2 World Series against West Chester University. Admittedly, he said, it hurt to lose the final start of his college career. This time, though, the change in perspective that had altered his mindset was there to pick him up. Along with his teammates.
“The confidence was always there with my guys because I knew the game I was pitching in, it wasn’t going to be the last game we played,” Bailey said. “It sucks getting your only loss in the last game you play, but the championship makes up for it. I told the guys on the bus, hey, we can get this thing done tomorrow. Go to bed mad but tomorrow is a new day.”
That new day brought it with it a final redemption to the arc of B.J. Bailey’s collegiate career. He was a champion, on the field and in life, too.
The game of baseball has always brought Bailey happiness, and as the next chapter begins, he wants to pass that joy on to others. Days after Tampa won the national championship, their record third in a row, B.J. signed a contract with the Savannah Visitors, the developmental squad for the Savannah Bananas.
Banana Ball, as it is called, has brought fun and joy to millions of fans with their lighthearted antics and crowd involvement. For Bailey, whose personality is outgoing, jovial, and funny, it is the perfect chance to make people see the game as he does. With a childlike wonder.
“Hopefully I get the opportunity to play with the Bananas,” B.J. concluded. “It’s always been about how you can help other people and take the target off yourself. Just getting the opportunity, I got to play against the Bananas twice when I was at Clemson, and it was special to see how they interact with the fans and care more about others than just the game of baseball. How can you spread the game, spread love and help the people around you. You still have really good dudes and really good players, but it’s not just about how hard can I hit the ball or how hard can I throw. It’s about how can I make someone’s day better?”
He added, “That’s pretty cool right there.”
Pretty cool for second chances, indeed.
