2024 College Top 25 Preview: No. 9 Clemson
Image credit: Cam Cannarella (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Last season: 44-19 (20-10 ACC), lost in Clemson Regional
Final ranking: No. 15
Coach (record at school): Erik Bakich (44-19, one season)
The good news: The first year of the Erik Bakich Era was a resounding success. The Tigers won their most games in a single season since 2018, the ACC for the first time since 2016 and made the tournament for the first time since 2019. From that team, they bring back a handful of dynamic players on both sides of the baseball. Sophomore Cam Cannarella is the reigning ACC freshman of the year after hitting .388/.462/.560 with 26 extra-base hits and 24 stolen bases. He will be the straw that stirs the drink this year, and has gamechanging talent. Alongside Cannarella in the outfield will be junior Will Taylor. A former football player, Taylor last year enjoyed a breakout sophomore season to the tune of a .362/.489/.523 slash line with 23 extra-base hits and 11 stolen bases. Junior second baseman Blake Wright (.250/.326/.401) had a modest junior season, but will look to return to his sophomore-year self this season. Coach Bakich and his staff also brought in a pair of key transfers who will be everyday guys like former Michigan catcher Jimmy Obertop (.200/.324/.367). Obertop’s biggest asset is his defense, and he calls a great game behind the dish and has a plus throwing arm. Finally, Richmond transfer Alden Mathes was a career .320/.408/.522 hitter in his four years with the Spiders and will slot in in right field. On the mound, the Tigers return talented righthander Austin Gordon (2-4, 4.61 ERA), who is in line to be the Friday night starter. Sophomore lefthander Tristan Smith (0-1, 4.55 ERA) is an electric arm talent who will either be used as the staff’s midweek starter or again in a late-inning role. Workhorse righthander and Wofford transfer Matthew Marchal (11-4, 4.58 ERA) rounds out the rotation and provides advanced strike-throwing as well as veteran leadership. Sophomore righthander Joe Allen (3-0, 3.94 ERA) is another big-time arm talent who is on track to log meaningful innings, while grizzled veteran Rob Hughes (0-1, 1.56 ERA) will take over as closer. Another veteran in Nick Clayton (8-0, 3.17 ERA) will also be relied upon heavily in relief and should eat plenty of innings.
The bad news: With Billy Amick transferring and Caden Grice being drafted, there is a lot of production to replace offensively. Amick lit the world on fire last year as a sophomore, hitting a team-leading .413/.464/.773 with a team-high 17 doubles. His 13 home runs and 63 RBIs were the second-most on the team in each respective category, with Grice leading the way in both. Not only did Grice hit .307/.411/.618 with 18 home runs and 68 RBIs, but he was also the team’s best pitcher with an 8-1 record and a 3.35 ERA across 14 starts. Behind the dish, fourth-round pick Cooper Ingle (.328/.417/.461) will be sorely missed, while sure-handed shortstop and reliable bat Ben Blackwell (.301/.384/.386) has also moved on to professional baseball. Reliever Ryan Ammons (2-0, 4.05 ERA) was a 10th-round pick in the 2023 draft by the Boston Red Sox and leaves the bullpen with a hole to fill.
Player to know: Lucas Mahlstedt, RP. A transfer from Wofford, Mahlstedt provides advanced strike-throwing and a funky look out of the bullpen. The junior sidewinder last season pitched his way to a 7-2 record with a 2.69 ERA en route to a first-team All-SoCon selection. He can be stretched out to throw as many as four innings, multiple times each weekend, and this year will be one of Clemson’s most relied upon arms.
Path to Omaha: While last season was a success, all things considered, the Tigers’ season ended on a sour note. After soundly defeating Lipscomb in the first game of the Clemson Regional, the Tigers went on to lose in consecutive days to Tennessee and Charlotte. Even with a one-two punch of Cannarella and Taylor offensively, the depth on the mound is the strength of this year’s club. If other pieces emerge offensively, this team becomes a whole lot more dangerous and even more equipped for a deep tournament run.
| Pos. | Name | Year | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | HR | RBI |
| C | Jimmy Obertop | R-Sr. | Transfer—Michigan | |||||
| 1B | Cooper Blauser | R-Fr. | Did not play – redshirt | |||||
| 2B | Blake Wright | Sr. | .250 | .326 | .401 | 232 | 8 | 45 |
| 3B | Nolan Nawrocki | R-Fr. | Did not play – redshirt | |||||
| SS | Jacob Hinderleider | R-Sr. | Transfer—Davidson | |||||
| OF | Will Taylor | Jr. | .362 | .489 | .523 | 218 | 5 | 46 |
| OF | Cam Cannarella | So. | .388 | .462 | .560 | 250 | 7 | 47 |
| OF | Alden Mathes | R-Sr. | Transfer—Richmond | |||||
| DH | Jacob Jarrell | So. | .208 | .296 | .406 | 101 | 5 | 18 |
| Pos. | Name | Class | W | L | ERA | IP | SO | SV |
| SP | Austin Gordon | Jr. | 2 | 4 | 4.61 | 84 | 76 | 0 |
| SP | Billy Barlow | R-So. | 0 | 1 | 8.10 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| SP | Matthew Marchal | R-Sr. | Transfer—Wofford | |||||
| RP | Rob Hughes | R-Sr. | 0 | 1 | 1.56 | 17 | 21 | 2 |
| RP | Nick Clayton | R-Sr. | 8 | 0 | 3.17 | 48 | 53 | 0 |
| RP | Lucas Mahlstedt | Jr. | Transfer—Wofford |
