No. 9 Tigers Open Season Against Xavier
CLEMSON, S.C. - 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