Clemson unveils weekend rotation ahead of Xavier opening series |
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) Clemson coach Erik Bakich on Barlow: "Billy Barlow has made a huge jump. Poised to have a breakout campaign." • Saturday – LHP Nolan Hughes (XAV) vs. LHP Tristan Smith (CU) Bakich on Smith: "Tristan Smith has made huge strides. Had a great summer. Cape Cod All-Star, he's made a jump." • Sunday – RHP Nick Boyle (XAV) vs. RHP Aidan Knaak (CU) Bakich on Knaak: "He's the guy that I think the guys on the team would say he's one of the toughest to face on this team." 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
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