Tag: Cam Cannarella

Clemson baseball beats Xavier, 8-3

No. 9 Clemson used a four-run fourth inning to power past Xavier for the second straight day in a 8-3 victory Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

No. 9 Clemson used a four-run fourth inning to power past Xavier for the second straight day in a 8-3 victory Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The Tigers (2-0 overall) erased a 1-0 deficit in the fourth when freshman Nolan Nawrocki lined a double to left-center to score Cooper Blauser and tie the game. Cam Cannarella followed with a two-run single to left to give the Tigers their first lead at 3-1. That chased Xavier starter Nolan Hughes from the game after 84 pitches.

After a throwing error by Xavier shortstop Donovan Canterberry, Cannarella slid under the tag of catcher Matthew DePrey to extend the Tigers’ lead to 4-1.

Clemson added a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth inning for insurance. In the fifth, Jacob Hinderleider lined a two-run double down the left field line to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead. A pair of solo home runs from Blake Wright and Andrew Cuifo followed in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-2.

Wright (2-for-5), Cuifo (2-for-3), Nawrocki (2-for-4) and Hinderleider (2-for-4) all had two hits apiece for Clemson. The Tigers outhit the Musketeers, 10-4.

Xavier’s offense consisted of three solo home runs — two from third baseman Luke Hammond and a pinch-hit homer by Aedan Anderson in the seventh inning.

Hughes (0-1) suffered the loss for Xavier. He was charged four runs (three earned) after allowing four hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings.

Left-hander Tristan Smith (1-0) was given the win for Clemson despite throwing just four innings. Smith allowed only one run on one hit. He struck out five, walked two and threw 71 pitches, 43 for strikes.

Clemson got three innings in relief from senior right-hander Nick Clayton. Clayton allowed two runs but struck out five of 12 batters faced. Lucas Mahlstedt closed out the game with two scoreless innings.

The series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST Sunday. Nick Boyle is scheduled to start for Xavier against Clemson freshman Aidan Knaak. The game will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

Big bats power Clemson past Xavier in season opener

A look at Clemson’s season-opening 14-3 win over Xavier Friday.

Clemson played like a team that had waited all offseason to break out the big bats — some new and some old.

The Tigers did that in a big way in their first game of the season Friday. Powered by grand slams from newcomers Alden Mathes and Nolan Nawrocki, Clemson routed Xavier, 14-3, in the season opener for both schools at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

The Tigers (1-0 overall), ranked No. 9 in the USA TODAY Baseball Coaches Poll, scored early and often.

A first-inning grand slam by Mathes in his first Clemson at-bat helped stake the team to an early 4-2 lead. Mathis slapped a fastball 372 feet off Xavier starter Luke Hoskins into the right field bleachers to give the Tigers the early lead. It was part of four consecutive hits to start the half-inning.

Cam Cannarella lined a three-run double off the wall in left to up the lead to 7-2. It was Cannarella’s second hit of the inning after he’d reached base on a single earlier.

Freshman Cooper Blauser, son of former Atlanta Braves shortstop Jeff Blauser, homered in the third inning for his first Clemson hit to extend the lead to 8-2.

In the fourth, the Tigers hit another grand slam when Nawrocki, a former Michigan pledge, sent a drive to left off reliever Terry Murray to make it 12-2.

Clemson capped its scoring in the eighth inning with two runs. Nathan Hall picked up an RBI single, and Jacob Hinderleider was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Cannarella (3-for-5), the Tigers’ All-American in his freshman season a year ago, had three hits atop the lineup. The Tigers outhit the Musketeers, 14-5.

On the mound, Billy Barlow (1-0) started for Clemson and pitched five innings. After allowing a pair of runs early, he yielded just one hit after the first inning. Barlow threw 68 pitches and gave up three hits total. He retired the last seven batters he faced.

Drew Titsworth made his collegiate debut in relief, tossing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed just one hit and struck out three.

Hoskins (0-1) suffered the loss for Xavier. He allowed seven runs on nine hits in two innings.

The series is set to resume Saturday at 2 p.m. EST. Tristan Smith is scheduled to start for Clemson against Xavier left-hander Nolan Hughes. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

Clemson star named the No.1 college prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft

Cam Cannarella has been named the No. 1 college prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft by Baseball America.

Clemson baseball has a star in Cam Cannarella, who was recently acknowledged as the top overall draft prospect for the 2025 MLB Draft.

Baseball America released their top 10 college prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft, with Cannarella earning the No.1 spot in the rankings. Cannarella was a first-team All-ACC member and the ACC’s Freshman of the Year while earning first-team All-American honors from multiple places.

Last season, Cannarella hit .388 with 72 runs, 16 doubles, three triples, seven homers, and 47 RBIs while posting a .560 slugging percentage, .462 on-base percentage, and 24 steals in 59 games (59 starts in center field). Here is what writer Peter Flaherty had to say about the Tigers’ star.

Cannarella enjoyed a sensational freshman season, in which he hit .388/.462/.560 with 16 doubles, seven home runs, 47 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. He was named the ACC Freshman of the Year and earned an invitation to Team USA.

Cannarella has a wiry and athletic frame at 6’, 175-pounds. He has an open stance in the box with a semi-high handset. While there are some moving parts in his swing, he is consistently on time and in a good hitter’s position. Bottom line, he makes it work. Cannarella has above-average bat speed and uses all fields, but his ability to generate quality contact to the opposite field is especially impressive. He has excellent bat-to-ball skills, as in 2023 he had a 93% IZ contact rate, including a video game–like 97% IZ contact rate against fastballs. Simply put, you are not going to beat him with the heater.

We can expect a big season from the sophomore as the Tigers look to make another run.

Bakich says teams tried to poach Cannarella by tampering

Teams tried to poach the ACC Freshman of the Year, Clemson head coach Erik Bakich said on Thursday.

The Clemson baseball team was in jeopardy of losing one of its brightest stars this offseason. 

Speaking to the media on Thursday for the first time since the end of the Tigers’ season, head coach Erik Bakich discussed how opposing programs were trying to convince Cam Cannarella to transfer to their team through third-party groups.

“I love Cam, I love his family and I appreciate the loyalty because there was tampering going on with him,” Bakich said. “There were third parties, and that’s how it’s done. It’s never done from direct coach to player; it’s the third-party stuff. But he held his ground and stuck his feet in, and their family realized that he’s not only grown as a baseball player but as a person. And his friends are here, and he’s thriving here. You don’t want to mess with success, and he’s very successful here.”

Cannarella was an instrumental piece of Clemson’s 2023 team. Winning ACC Freshman of the Year, the center fielder hit .388 with 72 runs, 16 doubles, three triples, seven homers and 47 RBIs.

“It’s really exciting to think about his trajectory and about the career that he can build for himself on that trajectory and being able to play this great game for a long, long time,” Bakick said. “I love his fire, I love his competitiveness, and I don’t want to lose that for one second because it’s what makes him great. He’s awesome, and we love having him. I’m glad he’s on our team and staying on our team.”

Clemson lost multiple key players from last year’s team, both to the MLB draft and the transfer portal. But, for now, Cannarella remains an integral and versatile member of Team 127.

“He can play anywhere,” Bakich added. “Cam Cannarella can play infield, outfield, pitch and catch. He’s a ballplayer. He’s just got that ‘it’ factor. But it sure looks like he’s found a home at center field.”

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