Clemson Baseball Gets Exciting ‘Way Too Early’ Top 25 Ranking

The Clemson Tigers should have one of the best baseball teams in the country next season according to Baseball America.

Jun 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson sophomore Cam Cannarella (10) hits against Coastal Carolina University during the bottom of the first inning of the NCAA baseball Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson. / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers are coming off a huge season under coach Erik Bakich.

The Tigers went 44-16 overall and won the ACC’s Atlantic Division. With that season Clemson claimed the No. 6 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and was able to host both an NCAA regional and super-regional.

Clemson won its regional and advanced to the super regionals for the first time since 2010 before the Tigers lost to Florida in a series that was one of the most dramatic heading into the College World Series.

Baseball America doesn’t believe the Tigers are going anywhere. The site released its “way too early” Top 25 for next season, reasoning that the conclusion of the MLB Draft and the closing of the transfer portal window was a good time to do it.

The Tigers came in at No. 4. The only schools that came in ahead of Clemson were LSU at No. 1, Florida at No. 2 and Florida State at No. 3.

Baseball America wrote that the return of three players will be key to pushing the Tigers toward a CWS berth next season. Center fielder Cam Cannarella should be back to lead the batting order and play center field after he played nearly all of last season due to an injury and still excelled. He should be an ACC and national player of the year favorite.

Pitchers Aidan Knaak and Ethan Darden should lead the rotation. Knaak and Cannarella participated in USA Baseball camps earlier this summer.

Two players that helped the Tigers reach the super regionals are now headed for Major League Baseball after Blake Wright and Austin Gordon were drafted and signed contracts.

One player that Baseball America highlighted was transfer Luke Gaffney, who was the Big Ten freshman of the year at Purdue.

Other transfers that have come to Clemson include pitcher Luke Kissenberth (The Citadel), infielder Collin Priest (Michigan) and outfielder Dominic Listi (Indiana State).

Baseball America Way Too Early Top 25 for 2025

(2024 records in parenthesis)

1. LSU (43-23, 13-17)

2. Florida (36-30, 13-17)

3. Florida State (49-17, 17-12)

4. Clemson (44-16, 20-10)

5. Texas A&M (53-15, 19-11)

6. Virginia (46-17, 18-12)

7. Tennessee (60-13, 22-8)

8. Arkansas (44-16, 20-10)

9. Duke (40-20, 16-14)

10. Oregon State (45-16, 19-10)

11. Georgia (43-17, 17-13)

12. North Carolina (48-16, 22-8)

13. NC State (38-23, 18-11)

14. Oregon (40-20, 19-11)

15. Oklahoma State (42-19, 19-9)

16. Mississippi State (40-23, 17-13)

17. South Carolina (37-25, 13-17)

18. Vanderbilt (38-23, 13-17)

19. Texas (36-24, 20-10)

20. Arizona (36-23, 20-10)

21. Indiana (33-26-1, 15-9)

22. Stanford (22-33, 11-19)

23. Kentucky (46-16, 22-8)

24. Southern Miss (43-20, 20-10)

25. Wake Forest (38-22, 15-15)