Notes (PDF)
The No. 9 Tigers open their 127th season with a three-game home series against Xavier this weekend.
SERIES SETUP• Who – Xavier (0-0) vs. Clemson (0-0)• Best Ranking – XAV – NR; CU – No. 9 Baseball America, USA Today• When – Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.), Sunday (1 p.m.)• Where – Clemson, S.C. (Doug Kingsmore Stadium)• Watch – ACC Network Extra• Video Announcers – Tim Bourret (Friday), Fred Cunningham (Sunday), William Qualkinbush (Friday, Saturday), Ron Smith (Saturday, Sunday)• Listen (Radio) – Clemson Athletic Network (locally on WCCP (105.5 FM))• Listen (Internet) – ClemsonTigers.com• Live Stats – ClemsonTigers.com• Social Media – ClemsonBaseball• Tickets – ClemsonTigers.com, 1-800-CLEMSON
SERIES HISTORY• Overall Record – Xavier leads 1-0 (2014)• Record at Clemson – 0-0
STARTING PITCHERS• Friday – RHP Luke Hoskins (XAV) vs. RHP Billy Barlow (CU)• Saturday – LHP Nolan Hughes (XAV) vs. LHP Tristan Smith (CU)• Sunday – RHP Nick Boyle (XAV) vs. RHP Aidan Knaak (CU)
CLEMSON OVERVIEW• Clemson had a 44-19 overall record and 20-10 ACC mark in 2023, as it won the ACC championship.• The Tigers are led by second-year Head Coach Erik Bakich.• Clemson has 15 of its first 17 games at home.
XAVIER OVERVIEW• Xavier is led by seventh-year Head Coach Billy O’Conner.• The Musketeers, who eliminated Vanderbilt in the 2023 Nashville (Tenn.) Regional, had a 39-25 overall record in 2023.• They hit .275 with a .374 on-base percentage and 74 steals, a 4.55 ERA and .978 fielding percentage in 2023.
QUICK HITS• Clemson was picked to finish second in the ACC Atlantic Division in a vote by the 14 ACC head coaches in the preseason.• Blake Wright has started on opening day each of the last three years. The last Tiger to start four in a row was Tyler Slaton (2012-15).• Xavier first-year Assistant Coach Riley Bertram was a starter on Clemson’s 2023 ACC title team after playing at Michigan under Erik Bakich.
POLLS• Clemson is ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation by Baseball America and USA Today in the preseason.• Clemson was ranked in the top 25 of at least one poll in each of the last eight weeks in 2023. It has a current streak of nine in a row.• The Tigers have been ranked in at least one weekly poll every year since 1987, when Clemson began tracking weekly polls.
CAPTAINS• Billy Barlow, Nick Clayton, Rob Hughes, Jacob Jarrell, Jimmy Obertop, Ty Olenchuk and Blake Wright were voted team co-captains.• Wright was voted a team co-captain for the second time in his career, as he was a team co-captain in 2023.• Joe Allen, Nolan Nawrocki, Rocco Reid and Will Taylor were voted to the leadership council (assistant captains).• Aidan Knaak, Jarren Purify and Drew Titsworth were voted rising leaders (underclassmen).
PRESEASON HONORS• A total of 17 Tigers earned preseason recognition. See the list below.
#10 CAM CANNARELLA, OF• Golden Spikes Award Watch List member• First-team All-American by D1Baseball• Second-team All-American by Baseball America• Second-team All-American by NCBWA• Second-team All-American by Perfect Game• First-team All-ACC by Perfect Game• No. 2 outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball• No. 4 sophomore in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 7 prospect for the 2025 draft by Perfect Game• No. 1 college prospect for the 2025 draft by Baseball America• No. 4 college prospect for the 2025 draft in the preseason by D1Baseball• No. 1 ACC prospect for the 2025 draft by Baseball America• No. 1 ACC prospect for the 2025 draft by D1Baseball• No. 1 ACC prospect for the 2025 draft by Perfect Game
#20 NICK CLAYTON, RHP• NCBWA Stopper-of-the-Year Watch List
#49 CHANCE FITZGERALD, RHP• No. 152 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 16 ACC prospect for the 2026 draft by Perfect Game
#15 REED GARRIS, RHP• NCBWA Stopper-of-the-Year Watch List
#56 AUSTIN GORDON, RHP• No. 26 starting pitcher in the nation by D1Baseball• No. 95 junior in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 108 college prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball• No. 23 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by Perfect Game• No. 24 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball
#9 JACOB JARRELL, C• No. 35 ACC prospect for the 2025 draft by D1Baseball
#19 AIDAN KNAAK, RHP• No. 74 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 44 freshman in the ACC by D1Baseball• No. 14 ACC prospect for the 2026 draft by Perfect Game
#33 JUSTIN LeGUERNIC, LHP• No. 36 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 25 freshman in the ACC by D1Baseball• No. 7 ACC prospect for the 2026 draft by Perfect Game
#47 LUCAS MAHLSTEDT, RHP• No. 83 transfer in the nation by D1Baseball
#36 MATTHEW MARCHAL, RHP• No. 52 transfer in the nation by D1Baseball
#55 TRYSTON McCLADDIE, INF/OF• No. 169 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 49 freshman in the ACC by D1Baseball
#12 HIDEKI PRATHER, C• No. 391 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game
#23 JARREN PURIFY, INF• No. 49 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 20 freshman in the ACC by D1Baseball• No. 11 ACC prospect for the 2026 draft by Perfect Game
#18 TRISTAN SMITH, LHP• No. 53 sophomore in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 88 college prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball• No. 21 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball• No. 21 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by Perfect Game
#16 WILL TAYLOR, OF• No. 16 outfielder in the nation by D1Baseball• No. 25 junior in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 55 college prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball• No. 9 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by Perfect Game• No. 12 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by Baseball America• No. 15 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball
#00 DREW TITSWORTH, RHP• No. 216 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game• No. 46 freshman in the ACC by D1Baseball
#8 BLAKE WRIGHT, INF• No. 42 ACC prospect for the 2024 draft by D1Baseball
