Erik Bakich isn’t making excuses, but the Clemson Tigers are entering the 2026 season with as much of a medical report as their Opening Day lineup.
On Tuesday in anticipation of the Tigers’ home-opening series against Army, Bakich shared a roster racked by a localized flu epidemic, as well as three troubling injuries to key contributors. Although the third-year head coach was upbeat about his team’s depth, when they finally will put the field to play this week, the Tigers will barely scrape the surface.
“We are a little bit battered,” Bakich said. “We’ve got some guys who are going to be out going on opening weekend. We’re seeing about 10 guys right now that have the flu. They’ll be OK over the weekend.”
The biggest setback for the Tigers is designated hitter and infielder Collin Priest. The Michigan transfer, who became one of the ACC’s most persistent threats to power last season, is likely to be off for several weeks after a severe hamstring pull. Priest’s absence constitutes a massive hole right at the center of the order. In 2025, he trailed only Jacob Jarrell for home runs, hitting 12 long balls and driving in 52 runs.
“Collin Priest pulled the hammy pretty good,” Bakich said. “He will spend a number of weeks out. That is a tough one. — [He’s a] guy coming back with huge, left-handed power.”
The pitching staff, which Bakich has described as the deepest of his three years with 23 available arms, will also be shorthanded for the first series of the year. The Army series also has ruled out junior relievers Drew Titsworth and Jacob McGovern.
Titsworth is dealing with a persistent “armpit strain” but is scheduled to make his welcome return for Week 2. The future for McGovern is gloomier, with Bakich cautioning that his recovery "might take a little bit longer."
The duo combined for 40 appearances and 94 strikeouts in 2025, serving as the bridge to the late innings. Their absence will force Bakich to rely on a few unproven arms sooner than he expected. Despite the “piled up” injuries and flu bug moving around the clubhouse, Bakich maintained that the program’s “next man up” philosophy is the standard.
Over the offseason, the Tigers have executed an innovative rotation system intended to prevent chronic fatigue, a program that’s being piloted before the first pitch is even thrown.
“We’ll be fine,” Bakich concluded. “We knew this could happen. Injuries are part of sports... that is not going to stop us from putting out a good lineup, a good team and being as competitive as we can be.”
The Tigers’ quest for a return to Omaha starts on Friday against Army at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.