Clemson baseball – Syndication Server

Two former Tigers sign with the same MLB team

Two Tigers land with the Rockies.

Two former Clemson baseball players have officially joined the professional ranks, as Jacob Hinderleider and Jimmy Obertop signed free-agent contracts with the Colorado Rockies, Clemson Baseball announced this weekend.

Hinderleider, a Kaneohe, Hawaii, native, spent four years at Davidson before transferring to Clemson for the 2024 season. Known for his versatility, he stepped in as Clemson’s first baseman before transitioning to shortstop after Andrew Ciufo’s injury. A co-winner of Clemson’s Defensive MVP Award, Hinderleider had an impressive 2024 campaign, hitting .336 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles, 60 RBIs, and a .580 slugging percentage in 59 games. Over his collegiate career, he was a consistent performer, tallying a .291 average, 38 homers, and 193 RBIs across 229 games.

Obertop, a Saint Louis, Mo., native, joined Clemson as a graduate transfer from Michigan for the 2024 season. The Tigers’ Offensive MVP, he shined in his final college campaign, posting a .303 batting average with 22 home runs, 11 doubles, and 56 RBIs in 57 games. Primarily a catcher, Obertop also played at first base and as a designated hitter. Over his college career, he recorded 51 home runs, 153 RBIs, and a .544 slugging percentage in 191 games.

Clemson baseball confirms massive changes that should thrill fans

Clemson is set to add alcohol sales at baseball games.

Clemson Baseball fans will notice some big changes at Doug Kingsmore Stadium this season, highlighted by the addition of alcohol sales. The former visitors’ bullpen down the left-field line has been transformed into a beer garden, which will also serve as a standing-room-only area for fans.

“That whole area that was the visiting team’s bullpen is now more of a beer garden,” head coach Erik Bakich said. “We are going to be selling beer this year, which is huge.”

Bakich, entering his third season, has led the Tigers to 40+ wins in each of his first two years and a Super Regional appearance in 2023. He’s long supported adding alcohol sales to enhance the game day experience, and now visiting pitchers will warm up right in front of the rowdy beer garden crowd.

Clemson opens its home schedule on Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. against Presbyterian College.

Where Clemson Tigers rank in new D1Baseball Preseason Top 25

The Tigers rank lower in D1Baseball’s rankings than in Perfect Game’s preseason Top 25 college baseball poll.

There’s less than a month remaining before the Clemson baseball team officially takes the field for the first time in 2025.

The Tigers will open the season in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 14 against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at noon ET.

On Monday, D1Baseball unveiled its preseason Top 25 rankings. Clemson was ranked No. 15, one spot behind ACC rival Wake Forest and one spot ahead of Tim Corbin’s Vanderbilt Commodores.

The Texas A&M Aggies were the preseason No. 1 team in D1Baseball’s rankings, followed by the Virginia Cavaliers at No. 2. The LSU Tigers were No. 3, with the defending College World Series champion Tennessee Volunteers No. 4. The Arkansas Razorbacks rounded out the top five.

Clemson ranked No. 8 in the Perfect Game Baseball Preseason Poll, released last week.

A season ago, coach Erik Bakich’s Tigers entered the season ranked No. 9 in the USA TODAY Sports Baseball Coaches Poll. The Tigers had a memorable season in 2024, winning 44 games and advancing to a Super Regional for the first time in 14 years.

The Tigers were ranked No. 8 in the final Coaches Poll after losing to a Florida Gators team that got hot in the NCAA Tournament.

Clemson returns several players from their 2024 roster, namely outfielder Cam Cannarella and last year’s freshman sensation, right-hander Aidan Knaak. Cannarella hit .337 with 11 home runs and 16 doubles while going all out in 58 games.

Knaak was the surprise of the Tigers’ pitching staff, going 5-1 with a 3.31 ERA in a team-high 15 starts. He totaled 108 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .221 average.

The Tigers’ home opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium is scheduled for Feb. 19 against Presbyterian.

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Clemson pitcher named a Top 25 freshman in college baseball

This Clemson freshman could be a star.

Clemson’s Talan Bell has been recognized as one of the top freshmen in college baseball, earning the No. 15 spot in Baseball America’s Top 25 freshmen rankings. The left-handed pitcher is expected to make a significant impact on the Tigers’ pitching staff in 2025.

Despite dealing with an injury during fall ball, Bell brings impressive credentials to Clemson. Ranked as a Top 200 MLB prospect by Perfect Game, he was listed as the No. 33 overall player and the fifth-best left-handed pitching prospect in his class.

Bell’s arsenal includes a fastball that exceeds 90 mph, complemented by a well-controlled changeup and slider. In his senior season at Hagerty High School in Oviedo, Florida, he posted a stellar 7-1 record with a 0.98 ERA and 78 strikeouts, earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors for Florida.

Clemson lands in the Top 10 of the Perfect Game preseason rankings

Clemson is one of the best in the country.

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Tigers were ranked No. 8 in the Perfect Game preseason ranking, released Monday. Texas A&M was the preseason top-ranked team, followed by LSU, Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee. Clemson was one of six ACC teams ranked in the top 25, joining No. 3 Virginia, No. 6 Florida State, No. 9 Duke, No. 16 Wake Forest and No. 19 North Carolina.

Clemson finished the 2024 season with a 44-16 overall record under Head Coach Erik Bakich. The Tigers won the ACC Atlantic Division championship and the Clemson Regional title as well. The Tigers are led by junior outfielder Cam Cannarella and sophomore righthander Aidan Knaak, who were both named All-Americans in 2024.

To purchase tickets for games at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, click HERE or call 1-800-CLEMSON.

• New season tickets (general public) – Sold Out
• Flex Pack tickets (IPTAY members) – Available Jan. 10
• Flex Pack tickets (general public) – Available Jan. 16
• Single-game tickets (IPTAY members) – Available Jan. 24
• Single-game tickets (general public) – Available Jan. 30

Where Clemson ranks in 2025 Perfect Game Baseball Preseason Poll

There are big expectations from the Tigers in 2025!

The Clemson Tigers are coming off a strong 2024 college baseball season that saw them reach the Super Regionals for the first time in 14 years.

Clemson won its on-site regional by going 3-0 and defeating Coastal Carolina in an elimination game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in June. The Tigers fell short in the Super Regional against a red-hot Florida Gators team in a game that became an instant classic.

Erik Bakich’s Tigers finished the year 44-16 overall and were ranked No. 8 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

On Monday, Perfect Game Baseball released its preseason Top 25 poll ahead of the 2025 season. Clemson was ranked No. 8, one spot behind the Texas Longhorns and one spot ahead of the Duke Blue Devils.

Two ACC teams ranked ahead of the Tigers: the Virginia Cavaliers at No. 3, and the Florida State Seminoles at No. 6. Both teams advanced to the College World Series in Omaha last season.

The Texas A&M Aggies were preseason No. 1 by Perfect Game, followed by the LSU Tigers at No. 2. After Virginia at No. 3, the Georgia Bulldogs and second-year coach Wes Johnson were ranked No. 4, with the defending national champion Tennessee Volunteers No. 5.

Clemson opens its 2025 regular season in the annual Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. The Tigers are scheduled to face Oklahoma State on Friday, Feb. 14 at noon ET, followed by the Arizona Wildcats on Feb. 15 (noon ET) and the Ole Miss Rebels on Feb. 16 (3:30 ET).

The Tigers’ home opener at Doug Kingsmore Stadium is scheduled for Feb. 19 against Presbyterian.

Contact/Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

Clemson star Cam Cannarella lands in the Top 10 of this 2025 MLB draft projection

Cannarella is one of the best players in the country.

Clemson baseball kicks off its season next month, with center fielder Cam Cannarella poised to lead a preseason Top 10 team.

Cannarella is garnering significant MLB Draft attention, with Baseball America projecting him as the No. 6 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates in July’s draft. MLB.com ranks him as the No. 2 outfield prospect, highlighting his impressive rise from an under-the-radar South Carolina high school player to a standout at Clemson. Despite playing through a torn labrum last season, Cannarella earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors in 2023 and could become the highest-drafted position player in Clemson history.

Known for his elite contact hitting and defensive range in center field, Cannarella boasts a career .363 batting average with 32 doubles, 18 homers, and 24 steals across 117 starts.

Clemson opens the season in Arlington, Texas, facing Oklahoma State on Feb. 14 at noon ET.

Clemson Baseball announces 2025 schedule

Clemson’s schedule for the 2025 season.

The Tigers, which are set to begin their 128th season under third-year Head Coach Erik Bakich, starts their 2025 schedule with three games in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas from Feb. 14-16. Clemson’s home opener is against Presbyterian at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. All game times for the 2025 season are subject to change.

Season-ticket renewals and new season-ticket requests are available on ClemsonTigers.com with a deadline of Nov. 29. Single-game tickets for IPTAY members are available on Jan. 24 and for the public on Jan. 30.

The Tigers open the season by playing Oklahoma State, Arizona and Ole Miss in Arlington, marking their first regular-season games outside of the Eastern Time Zone since 2005.

Clemson and South Carolina square off in a three-game series, beginning Friday, Feb. 28 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The two teams play again the following day at Fluor Field in Greenville before concluding the series in Columbia on March 2. The two rivals have met 335 times.

After returning to Fluor Field for a game against USC Upstate on March 4, the Tigers play their next 15 games at home during a 20-day stretch.

Later in the season, the Tigers play the two-new ACC members, Stanford and California.

The Tigers’ five ACC home series are against Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Stanford, Louisville and Duke, while Clemson’s ACC road series are at Georgia Tech, California, NC State, Florida State and Pittsburgh. The Tigers do not play Boston College, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech during the regular season.

Twelve teams participate in the ACC Tournament at Durham (N.C.) Bulls Athletic Park from May 20-25.

– via Clemson Athletic Communications

Clemson baseball’s Erick Bakich remains suspended for the start of the season

Bakich remains suspended.

Clemson Baseball will kick off its season in Dallas next February, but head coach Erik Bakich won’t be on the field for the opening games. The Tigers are set to start their 2025 campaign on February 14th at the Shriners Baseball Classic, but Bakich will serve a two-game suspension due to his ejection in last season’s Super Regional loss to Florida.

Bakich was ejected in the 13th inning of the season-ending game after he argued with the umpires during a heated moment. The incident occurred while officials debated whether to eject outfielder Alden Mathes, who had flipped his bat following a home run. Mathes remained in the game, but Bakich, along with assistant coach Jack Leggett, was thrown out for leaving the dugout.

On Wednesday, Bakich confirmed that his appeal to overturn the suspension was unsuccessful. “We tried it but it didn’t go anywhere,” Bakich shared. “It was like taking a shot and getting blocked immediately. I’ll take my medicine and sit out the first two.”

In Bakich’s absence, assistant head coach Nick Schnabel will step in. Schnabel and Bakich have a long-standing partnership, having coached together for 13 years. Bakich expressed full confidence in Schnabel’s ability to lead, noting, “He could have been a head coach a million times over. He’s turned down a lot of good jobs and is one of the best assistant coaches in baseball. It’s not just me that thinks that. He was national assistant coach of the year in 2019.”

Alongside Schnabel, Clemson boasts pitching coach Jimmy Belanger, whom Bakich described as “one of the best pitching coaches in the country.” With the experienced coaching staff and a well-prepared team, Bakich is confident in his squad’s ability to step up. “Our job sometimes as coaches is to eliminate our job,” he said. “If we do what we need to do in training, then it’s all about the players.”

Clemson baseball lands massive commitment from Chase Kiker

Clemson makes a major splash in the 2026 class.

Clemson baseball head coach Erik Bakich has landed a significant recruit for the Tigers‘ 2026 class. Chase Kiker, a standout two-way player from Indian Trail, North Carolina, announced his commitment to Clemson on Monday. Kiker is highly regarded as one of the top players in the country, earning first-team all-state honors last season and helping lead Metrolina Christian to an NCISAA state championship.

First and foremost, I would like to thank God as without him none of this would be possible. With that being said I am excited to announce that I will be furthering my academic and athletic career at Clemson Univerity. Go Tigers!!

Kiker excels both as a right-handed pitcher and an infielder. His fastball reached the mid-90s, and Perfect Game awarded him their highest grade of 10. In addition to his pitching skills, Kiker was named MVP pitcher at the WWBA 16U tournament, where he also impressed at the plate, hitting .516.

You’ve gotta love these moments as a Clemson baseball fan. Kiker’s commitment adds significant talent to Clemson’s future roster, further solidifying the program’s recruiting success under Bakich’s leadership.

https://twitter.com/Chase_kiker5/status/1838316201920831748