Clemson Officially Names New Pitching Coach

Belanger spent the last three seasons at Florida State

Ken Ruinard USA Today Network

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Clemson head baseball coach Erik Bakich announced Tuesday that Jimmy Belanger has joined the staff as assistant coach and pitching coach.

Belanger spent the last three seasons at Florida State, mentoring many of the best pitchers in the ACC.

Clemson’s newest coach has been a full-time assistant coach for 13 seasons, with stops at Monmouth (2010-12), Maryland (2013-16), Kentucky (2017-19) and Florida State (2020-22).

The 2022 Seminoles totaled 702 strikeouts in 534.0 innings pitched, good for a national-best 11.8 strikeouts-per-nine-innings-pitched mark. Their 3.34 strikeout-to-walk ratio (No. 4) and 702 strikeouts (No. 2) were among the top-four marks in the country as well.

In 2021, Florida State was also among the national leaders in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (11.4), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.19) and ERA (3.45), as all three marks led the ACC. Freshman Parker Messick earned ACC Pitcher-of-the-Year and ACC Freshman-of-the-Year honors.

Belanger’s 2019 staff at Kentucky featured Zack Thompson, the highest-drafted pitcher in school history when he was selected No. 19 overall in the first round by the Cardinals. In 2017, Kentucky set school records for strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, as Sean Hjelle was named SEC Pitcher-of-the-Year that season. His 2017 staff included two All-Americans, one freshman All-American, two First-Team All-SEC selections and four pitchers drafted in the top-11 rounds.

As pitching coach at Maryland, he helped the Terrapins reach a super regional in 2014 and 2015, the only two super regional appearances in school history. In 2015, his pitchers totaled 549 strikeouts, leading to 42 wins. In 2014, Maryland reached 40 wins for the first time thanks in large part to All-ACC pitcher Jake Stinnett, who led the conference with 132 strikeouts.

In three seasons at Monmouth, Belanger, 35, worked with Pat Light, a first-round draft pick in 2012. He also mentored Nick Meyers, who was the 2011 NEC Pitcher-of-the-Year. He began his coaching career as a student assistant coach at Louisville in 2009, when the Cardinals advanced to a super regional.

“Jimmy’s pitchers at Maryland, Kentucky and Florida State were ultra-competitive, and he will bring that same level of competitiveness to Clemson,” said Bakich. “His most recent staffs at Florida State put up record-setting numbers with the likes of ACC Pitcher-of-the-Year Parker Messick. I’m very excited for Jimmy to get started with our talented pitchers.”

Belanger played two seasons (2005,06) at Cecil (Md.) College before transferring to Louisville to play in 2007 and 2008. As a Cardinal, he pitched 98.2 innings over 33 appearances (17 starts). In 2007, Louisville reached the College World Series for the first time in school history.

Belanger graduated from Louisville in 2009 with a degree in sociology.

He was born James Michael Belanger on Sept. 23, 1986 in Queens, N.Y. The North Babylon, N.Y. native and his wife, Tiffany, have a son, Sutton, and daughter, Sloane.