Clemson baseball: What Tiger fans can expect in 2021

What Clemson baseball fans can expect from the Tigers in 2021

The 2021 Clemson baseball season will open up Friday when the Tigers host the Cincinnati Bearcats in a three-game weekend series.

It’s been just a little less than a year since we had the opportunity to see this Clemson baseball team take to the diamond in a competitive capacity following the canceling of the 2020 season, which happened last March due to the pandemic.

With numerous veterans returning and a promising freshman class, the Tigers are hopeful they can once again compete and get back to the NCAA Regionals. Of course, just getting to the regionals is a portion of the battle. We’ve seen this team under Monte Lee make it to the regionals- and even host- just to be turned away from advancing.

This season, they want to right those wrongs and take the next step forward. All the pieces are in place to do just that.

Starting rotation & analysis for Clemson baseball

We already know what the weekend rotation will look like, with that being announced earlier this week:

• Friday: RHP Davis Sharpe (RS. So)
• Saturday: RHP Ty Olenchuk (Fr.)
• Sunday: LHP Caden Grice (Fr.)

Clemson will be starting two freshmen on the mound in its first series. Sharpe- the returning ace off of last year’s squad- will get the start Friday and it will be interesting to see how these two hard-hitting freshmen are able to perform right out of the gate.

In addition, the Clemson pitching staff returns names like Mat Clarke, Keyshawn Askew, Jackson Lindley and a plethora of freshmen & redshirt freshmen who will look to make an impact. RS freshman Geoffrey Gilbert will begin the season as the closer, attempting to fill Carson Spiers’ role from last season.

Not having Spencer Strider (taken in the fourth-round) or Sam Weatherly (taken in the third-round) certainly doesn’t help matters on this pitching staff, but there is a confidence from the coaches that they have enough depth and talent to get the job done.

Offensively, names like Kier Meredith, Bryar Hawkins, Sam Hall, Davis Sharpe (when not pitching), Bo Majkowski, Bryce Teodosio and Chad Fairey will all be returning. Freshman catcher Jonathan French will start this weekend as Adam Hackenburg nurses an injury. In addition, it’s going to be fun to see the progression & impact of guys like Dylan Brewer, Regan Reid and Noah Stout (true-freshman), just to give you a few names to watch.