Tag: Clemson Baseball News

Carson Spiers has clutch outing for Cincinnati Reds

The former Clemson pitcher got back on track Sunday.

Former Clemson pitcher Carson Spiers turned in a much-needed scoreless outing in his latest appearance for the Cincinnati Reds.

Spiers tossed four scoreless innings in the Reds’ 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday. He scattered three hits without allowing a walk and struck out one.

The 26-year-old right-hander began the year primarily with the Reds’ Triple A affiliate, the Louisville Bats. After several back-and-forth stops between Triple A and the major league club, the Reds recalled Spiers on June 9. He has been in a big league uniform since then.

With his performance Sunday, Spiers’ ERA is at 5.13 through 16 games, including nine starts. Beginning on June 17, he made eight straight starts as a member of the Reds’ starting rotation before being shuffled back and forth between the rotation and bullpen.

In two of his last three starts, Spiers particularly had a rough go of things. He was roughed up for eight earned runs in five innings against Milwaukee on Aug. 9. Against the Blue Jays on Aug. 20, he yielded nine earned runs in 4 1/3 innings at Toronto.

Spiers pitched for Clemson from 2017-20. He signed with Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent in June 2020 and made his major league debut in 2023. In four seasons with the Tigers, Spiers had a 2.47 ERA in 109 1/3 innings across 71 relief appearances. He was named to the 2019 NCBWA Stopper-of-the-Year Watch List.

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Clemson baseball sees five players chosen in 2024 MLB Draft

Clemson had five players from its 2024 team selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, which concluded Tuesday.

The 2024 Major League Baseball Draft concluded Tuesday with five Clemson players chosen by big league clubs.

After four Tigers players were selected on Day 2 of the draft Monday, the Arizona Diamondbacks tabbed Clemson left-hander Rocco Reid in the 15th round (No. 464 overall) Tuesday.

Reid’s selection followed those of Clemson infielder Blake Wright (fourth round, Colorado Rockies), right-hander Austin Gordon (fourth round, Los Angeles Angels), outfielder Will Taylor (fifth round, Pittsburgh Pirates), and left-hander Tristan Smith (fifth round, Cincinnati Reds).

RELATED: Colorado Rockies get taste of Clemson-South Carolina rivalry

Reid has another year of eligibility remaining after spending his junior season primarily out of the bullpen for the Tigers. The southpaw from Greenville pitched in 15 games, making three starts. He was 2-1 with a 5.82 ERA in 21 2/3 innings total. Reid struck out 26 batters and walked 15.

In three years with the Tigers, Reid has compiled a 2-2 record and a 6.31 ERA over 43 appearances (five starts). He has struck out 58 batters and walked 35 in 51 1/3 innings total.

Clemson had several other players eligible for the draft who didn’t hear their names called, namely catcher/first baseman Jimmy Obertop and infielder Jacob Hinderleider. Pitchers Rob Hughes and Ty Olenchuk also went undrafted.

The Tigers finished the 2024 season at No. 9 in the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll after going 44-16 overall and reaching the Super Regionals for the first time since 2010.

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Colorado Rockies get a taste of Clemson-South Carolina rivalry

The Rockies selected South Carolina catcher Cole Messina in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft Monday before drafting Clemson slugger Blake Wright in the fourth round.

When it comes to college baseball rivalries, Clemson vs. South Carolina is one of the best in the sport.

On Monday, Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies found themselves on both sides of that rivalry. The Rockies drafted Clemson infielder and slugger Blake Wright with their fourth-round pick at No. 106 overall. That was after the team added South Carolina catcher Cole Messina in the third round with the 77th overall pick.

Wright and Messina met on the diamond this past season when the Tigers and Gamecocks played their annual Palmetto Series. Clemson won both games, 5-4. In the Tigers’ thrilling walk-off victory in 12 innings on March 2 at Segra Park, both Wright and Messina had identical showings: 0 for 6 with three strikeouts apiece.

The next day, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Wright and Messina both homered. Wright had two hits in that game while Messina was 1 for 3 with two walks. Wright’s homer came in the eighth inning, giving Clemson some insurance headed into a ninth inning that saw South Carolina cut the lead to one on Ethan Petry’s two-out home run.

Wright finished the season mashing a team-high 22 home runs (tied with Jimmy Obertop), 75 RBIs and leading the Tigers with a .340 average. Messina posted similar numbers, also leading his team in home runs (21), RBIs (71) and batting average (.326) in 59 games.

Clemson-South Carolina is a rivalry that’s never too far from the minds of either school. Paul Mainieri underlined that point by taking a jab at the Tigers and the Upstate region in his introductory press conference as the Gamecocks’ new coach in June. Mainieri called Clemson “the team up north” and added: “Being in the midlands is a lot better than being in the Upstate. I can promise you that.”

Mainieri and the Gamecocks then proceeded to add two Clemson players to their roster via the transfer portal in outfielder Nathan Hall and INF/OF Nolan Nawrocki.

Hall saw limited playing time in 2024 (12 games) while Nawrocki became a regular in the starting lineup for a while and had some memorable at-bats, including a go-ahead home run against South Carolina in the sixth inning of the Tigers’ win on March 3.

Given that Wright just finished a torrid senior season and that Messina has a slot value of $1.01 million, the two sluggers could soon find themselves on the same team in the lower levels of the Rockies’ minor league system instead of in opposite dugouts of one of college sports’ most premier and intense rivalries.

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Carson Spiers defying the odds with MLB’s Cincinnati Reds

Former Clemson pitcher Carson Spiers wasn’t expected to deliver the type of results he’s shown so far this season.

All things considered, former Clemson pitcher Carson Spiers is putting together a pretty incredible season on the mound for the Cincinnati Reds.

At the All-Star break, the right-hander is 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA in 10 appearances over 47 innings. He made five straight starts beginning on June 17 when he entered the Reds’ rotation and threw six innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates opposite rookie sensation Paul Skenes.

Spiers made his final start of the first half in the Reds’ 7-4 victory over the Miami Marlins at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park last Friday. He picked up the win by holding the Marlins to three runs in five innings of work.

Spiers struck out the first six batters he faced en route to a career-high nine-strikeout performance without allowing a walk. A day later, he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder impingement. The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans reported that Spiers received a clean MRI and that he should only miss one start because of the All-Star break.

Since entering the Reds’ rotation, Spiers has thrown five innings or more in four of his five starts — including a string of three straight appearances with six innings pitched.

His best outing to date came in a 9-4 Cincinnati win against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 29 at Busch Stadium. In that game, Spiers allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk while striking out four batters over six innings.

Becoming a starter was a new terrain for the Greenville native when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Reds in 2020. Spiers made 71 appearances in four seasons at Clemson, all in relief. He threw 109 1/3 innings with the Tigers and had a 2.47 ERA.

After the Reds assigned Spiers to their Class A affiliate in 2021, he went on to start 20 games that year and has worked his way up through the Reds’ organizational depth chart as a starter since then.

Only thing is, Spiers isn’t supposed to be in the big leagues. He was recalled by the major league club and optioned back to Triple A Louisville twice this season before landing a more steady spot on the roster due to injuries to the Reds’ staff — and Spiers’ own effectiveness.

The Cincinnati Enquirer‘s Charlie Goldsmith recently detailed Spiers’ unexpected success. He quipped that Spiers and rookie teammate Rece Hinds might be “in the process of Wally Pipp-ing some of their teammates as they move their way up the depth chart.”

Spiers is still a long way from having an All-Star caliber season like those gathered in Arlington, Texas, for this year’s Midsummer Classic. But there’s no question that Spiers has shown progression in his second major league season. He made his big league debut in 2023, pitching 13 innings in four appearances. Spiers had a 6.92 ERA with 12 strikeouts and seven walks last year.

A strong second half would go a long way in determining whether Spiers can establish himself as a potential longterm big league starter.

The Reds open the second half against the Washington Nationals in D.C. Friday. The team enters the All-Star break at 47-50, fourth in the National League Central. They’re currently eight games behind first-place Milwaukee and three games back in the race for a Wild Card spot.

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Two Clemson pitchers selected on Day 2 of 2024 MLB Draft

Austin Gordon was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels Monday. Tristan Smith was drafted in the fifth round by the Cincinnati Reds.

A pair of Clemson pitchers were selected in the first five rounds of the 2024 MLB Draft Monday.

Right-hander Austin Gordon was taken in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Angels with the No. 110 overall pick. Left-hander Tristan Smith was drafted in the fifth round by the Cincinnati Reds at No. 150 overall.

The slot value for Gordon’s selection is $662,000; for Smith, it’s $448,770.

Both pitchers played key roles for the Tigers in 2024. Gordon began the year in the starting rotation before being shifted to the bullpen. He finished with 11 saves and ended the year 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in 39 1/3 innings over 22 appearances (17 in relief). Gordon struck out 53 batters and walked 18.

In three seasons for the Tigers, Gordon was 5-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 151 1/3 innings. The Myrtle Beach native totaled 160 strikeouts and 49 walks in that span.

For his part, Smith was the Tigers’ best starter before an ankle injury sidelined him for a month near the midway point of the season. He ended the year making 12 starts and going 2-1 with a 4.47 ERA in 50 1/3 innings. Smith struck out 66 batters and walked 32.

Before his injury, Smith was 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in five starts. He held opponents to a .179 average in that span.

Smith pitched in 36 games, including 18 starts for Clemson over two seasons. He totaled 82 innings pitched and fanned 109 batters while walking 57.

Clemson infielder Blake Wright and outfielder Will Taylor were also chosen on Day 2 of the MLB Draft. Wright was a fourth-round selection by the Colorado Rockies at No. 106 overall. Taylor was a fifth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates (No. 145 overall).

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Blake Wright goes in fourth round of MLB Draft to Colorado Rockies

Wright was drafted with the 106th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft Monday.

Clemson slugger Blake Wright knew he’d hear his name called in the 2024 MLB Draft. It was only a matter of which team would draft him.

That turned out to be the Colorado Rockies, who made Wright their fourth-round pick with the No. 106 overall selection Monday. The slot value for where Wright was drafted is $689,600.

Wright had a sensational season in his senior year for the Tigers in 2024. As the team’s second baseman, he led the Tigers in batting average (.340), home runs (22) and RBIs (75) while slugging .652.

Wright was the only player to play in all 60 games as Clemson climbed to as high as No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll in the regular season and won its first NCAA Tournament Regional since 2010. The Tigers ended the year at 44-16 overall and finished No. 9 in the final coaches poll.

In four seasons with the Tigers, Wright had 42 home runs and 165 RBIs. He was a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award in 2024. Wright also garnered third team All-American honors by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).

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Clemson outfielder Will Taylor drafted by Pittsburgh Pirates

Will Taylor was the No. 145 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft Monday.

Clemson outfielder Will Taylor was selected in the fifth round (No. 145 overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday.

Taylor missed much of his junior season with the Tigers after suffering a fractured wrist while diving for a ball on April 14 against NC State. He appeared in 32 games and batted .230 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs.

In three seasons with the Tigers, Taylor hit .313 with 13 home runs, 18 doubles and 69 RBIs in 107 games. He had an on-base percentage of .470.

Taylor was a dual-sport athlete at one point for Clemson, playing wide receiver on Dabo Swinney’s team in 2021 and 2022 before deciding to play baseball full-time in 2023.

Earlier in the day Monday, former Clemson standout Billy Amock was drafted 60th overall by the Minnesota Twins. Amock transferred to Tennessee where he helped lead the Volunteers to their first college baseball national championship in June.

A year ago, Clemson had three players taken in the 2023 MLB Draft, including pitchers Caden Brice (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Ryan Ammons (New York Mets). Catcher Cooper Ingle was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians.

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Former Clemson player confirms new home after entering transfer portal

Former Clemson infielder Cooper Blauser announced Wednesday that he would transfer to Jacksonville State.

Infielder Cooper Blauser, who played his freshman season for the Clemson Tigers in 2024, has found a new home after entering the transfer portal back in June.

Blauser told The Clemson Insider Wednesday that he was transferring to Jacksonville State in Conference USA. The son of former Atlanta Braves shortstop Jeff Blauser, Cooper Blauser played in 12 games and made eight starts for the Tigers last season, going 3 for 29 (.103) at the plate with a double and a home run.

Blauser was one of four Clemson players to enter the transfer portal after the Tigers’ season ended with a loss to Florida in the Clemson Super Regional on June 9. Outfielder Nathan Hall and infielder Nolan Nawrocki have since committed to in-state rival South Carolina and new Gamecocks coach Paul Mainieri. Right-handed pitcher Billy Barlow recently committed to Florida.

The Tigers have added four known players via the transfer portal. Former Purdue first baseman and Big Ten Freshman of the Year Luke Gaffney committed to Clemson, as did former Indiana State outfielder Dominic Listi. Former Michigan infielder/designated hitter Collin Priest has also committed to Clemson.

Most recently, the Tigers added former California Baptist infielder Josh Paino, who announced his decision to transfer to Clemson on Monday.

Clemson went 44-16 last season, reaching the program’s first Super Regional since 2010. The Tigers finished No. 9 in the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

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Cam Cannarella ranks second on early list of top 2025 college baseball players

Few players in college baseball have had an impactful first two seasons as Clemson outfielder Cam Cannarella.

Few people in college baseball have had as strong a start to their career as Clemson outfielder Cam Cannarella.

As a freshman from Hartsville, S.C., Cannarella exploded onto the scene in 2023. As the Tigers’ leadoff hitter that season, he hit .388 with a .462 on-base percentage to go with seven home runs and 16 doubles. He also stole 24 bases in 29 attempts.

In his sophomore season, Cannarella added some power to his game, upping his home run total to 11 in 58 games and being moved down to the middle part of the order. His game-saving play against Florida in the Clemson Super Regional earned comparisons to Willie Mays’ famous catch in the 1954 World Series.

All that to say, Cannarella has a lot going for him and his ceiling is high. So high, in fact, that Cannarella was ranked the No. 2 overall college player eligible for next year’s Major League Baseball draft by the staff at Prospects Live, the popular independent baseball site that covers all levels of the sport from college to the professional ranks.

In their initial (way-too-early) list of the Top 30 collegiate players heading into 2025, the staff at Prospects Live writes:

“Cannarella stepped onto campus as an infielder, but a road block in the Clemson infield gave him an opportunity in center field that he has not relinquished. A gamer in every sense of the word, Cannarella is a dangerous hitter with some of the best contact skills in the entire country. It’s a lovely left-handed swing built more for line drives right now, but he’s shown flashes of raw power to the gaps and to his pull-side.

He did become a bit more aggressive in 2024 compared to 2023, but he has quality barrel control and shows patience, drawing walks aplenty. He’s got above-average speed, though he didn’t flash it a ton on the bases due to an injury this year. However, that speed translates to center field, where he has excellent route-running and quality defensive chops. Expect Cannarella to go high in this draft.”

Jace LaViolette, the Golden Spikes Award semifinalist who smashed 29 home runs in 2024, was rated the No. 1 overall college player entering 2025.

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Clemson lands commitment from California prep pitcher, first baseman

Clemson baseball received a commitment from the class of 2025 recruiting class on Friday.

Clemson baseball received a commitment from Dylan Harrison, a right-handed pitcher and first baseman from Summit High School in Fontana, Calif., on Friday. Harrison is a member of the 2025 recruiting class.

A left-handed batter, Harrison announced his commitment to coach Erik Bakich’s program in a social media post to X, formerly Twitter. He had previously committed to Hawaii before decommitting.

“I officially announce that I am committed to @ClemsonBaseball to continue my athletic and academic career! I would like to thank Coach Bakich, my family and friends for believing in me! 🐅” Harris wrote on X.

Listed at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Harrison garnered First Team All CIF Division 3 honors in California, batting .409 with one home run, five doubles and 20 RBIs at the plate in 2024.

On the mound, he was a perfect 8-0 with a 1.86 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings pitched. Harrison was also named First Team All Sunkist League Co-MVP.

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