As Erik Bakich works to complete his first coaching staff at Clemson, The Clemson Insider has learned of a significant development with a key position on the Tigers’ staff.
Bakich said during his introductory press conference as Clemson’s new baseball coach last week that he plans on bringing at least one staffer with him from Michigan. But TCI has learned Bakich is prepared to make an outside hire to fill the role of pitching coach.
While TCI was told nothing was official as of late Monday night, Bakich has offered the job to Florida State pitching coach Jimmy Belanger, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Belanger has been on FSU’s staff for the last three seasons, but his future with the Seminoles is in limbo following the school’s firing of head coach Mike Martin Jr. earlier this month. FSU has yet to hire a replacement.
FSU ranked fourth in the ACC this season in earned run average (4.26) while the Seminoles’ pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (702). It helped FSU earn an NCAA Tournament invite as the 3 seed in the Auburn Regional, where the Seminoles went 1-2 before firing Martin.
Last year, Belanger’s staff ranked in the top 10 nationally in ERA (3.45), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.19) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.4). During his first season on the job, the COVID-shortened year of 2020, FSU’s pitchers ranked fifth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (12.1).
Prior to his stint in Tallahassee, Belanger spent three seasons as Kentucky’s pitching coach. He’s also had stops as an assistant at Maryland and Monmouth.
Whoever gets the job at Clemson will have the task of fixing a pitching staff that’s struggled mightily in the ACC the last couple of years. The Tigers had a 4.86 team ERA this year after posting an ERA north of 5 a year ago, the highest of Monte Lee’s six-year tenure as head coach.
