Conference Player of the Year with Clemson Ties Enters Transfer Portal
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As the college baseball transfer portal swings into full gear, one of the earliest names available has deep ties to the Clemson family.
Western Kentucky junior outfielder Ryan Wideman—Conference USA’s Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year—entered the transfer portal on Monday, instantly becoming one of the most sought-after names in the country.
Wideman torched C-USA pitching in 2025, finishing the season with a .398 batting average, 97 hits, 10 home runs, 68 RBI, and 45 stolen bases—setting a new school record in the latter. He led the conference in batting average (.408 during regular-season play), hits (89), triples (6), total bases (145), and steals (42).
The Hilltoppers' 46-14 campaign—second-most wins (46) in program history—ended on Saturday in the NCAA Oxford Regional with an 8-6 loss to No. 15 Ole Miss.
Wideman was 3 of 5 at the plate and credited with a run in his final game for WKU.
Perhaps no program should have a closer eye on him than Clemson.
Wideman’s father, Tom Wideman, played basketball for the Tigers from 1995 to 1999. His younger brothers Adam (6'1) and Logan, are also baseball players. Adam is a freshman pitcher at Pensacola State College, and Logan is a 6-foot-6 rising senior first baseman at Walton High—the family’s alma mater in Marietta, GA.
The legacy connection, combined with Clemson’s need in the outfield, makes Ryan, who wears No. 33, the same number his dad wore at Clemson, a near-perfect fit should he remain in college.
The Tigers are set to lose Cam Cannarella, an All-ACC second-team member, and Dominic Listi, two mainstays in the outfield, leaving significant gaps in the lineup and defense.
Wideman has the potential to be a cornerstone addition—assuming the MLB Draft doesn’t lure him away first. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 205 pounds, he brings a rare blend of contact hitting, base-stealing ability, and defensive range any team covets at the top of their lineup.
Wideman’s teammate Drew Whalen is also in the transfer portal and should be on Clemson’s radar—especially with the loss of four pitchers to the portal this week, including Ethan Darden, who started nine games in 2025.
Whalen (6'1, 206), the 2025 C-USA Pitcher of the Year, had a 9-2 record with a 2.84 ERA, striking out 79 and allowing just 22 earned runs over 14 straight regular season starts. The sophomore righty from Franklin, TN did suffer a third loss in the Oxford Regional after surrendering five runs in five innings to Georgia Tech in Friday's 9-2 loss.
Nonetheless, he was a reliable weekend starter for WKU and would have the opportunity to compete for a spot in next year’s rotation.
So far, the only addition to the bullpen has been Ariston Veasey, a right-hand junior from Alabama. Last season, Veasey appeared in five games and only pitched 3 2/3 innings. The 6'1, 190-pound Peach State native's fastball has reached 98 MPH.
