Clemson baseball 2025 season preview: 3 biggest games, key players, predictions and more
Clemson produced a strong NCAA baseball season this year. The Tigers clinched their fourth ACC Atlantic Division title with a 20-10 conference record. While they failed to make the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, they made the NCAA postseason for the second year in a row under Eric Bakich.
The Tigers earned the No. 6 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament and earned the right to host an NCAA regional, winning a regional for the first time since 2010. However, their season came to an abrupt end as the Florida Gators swept them in the Clemson Super Regional.
Five players from the Tigers earned selections in the 2024 MLB draft. With some players also entering the transfer portal, Bakich and the Tigers have made some smart moves in the offseason to strengthen their roster.
Here, we preview Clemson ahead of the 2025 season.
3 key games for Clemson in the 2025 season
#3, Florida State Seminoles
The Seminoles were one of four ACC teams to make the College World Series in Omaha despite finishing third in the Atlantic division of the ACC regular season. However, the Tigers swept the Seminoles in a three-game home series during the regular season.
Link Jarrett's team has made some impressive additions in the offseason and are likely to give the Tigers stiff competition not only in the regular season but potentially the postseason as well.
#2, NC State Wolfpack
The Wolfpack were the Tigers' closest challengers in the Atlantic division of the ACC regular season this year. They also beat the Tigers 2-1 in a three-game series at the Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers will need to be wary of the threat posed by Elliott Avent's team in their quest to achieve success in the 2025 season.
#1, South Carolina Gamecocks
The rivalry between Clemson and the Gamecocks is one of the most intense in college baseball. Within two seasons of becoming the Tigers' coach, Bakich termed it the best in baseball and led them to a sweep of their two-game series this year.
The Gamecocks shocked the world by bringing ex-LSU Tigers Paul Mainieri out of retirement as their new coach. This could make the Gamecocks more dangerous and take this intense rivalry to new levels in 2025.
Key players for the Clemson Tigers in 2025
#3, Luke Gaffney, 1B
Clemson picked Gaffney up from the transfer portal after his breakout freshman season with the Purdue Boilermakers this year. He recorded 13 home runs and 67 RBIs with an average of .330 in 56 games, which earned him the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award and second-team Freshman All-American honors.
He can serve as a first baseman or a designated hitter for the Tigers in 2025. Should he carry his momentum into his sophomore season, Clemson could have one of the most potent offenses in NCAA baseball next year.
#2, Cam Cannarella, OF
Cannarella was one of Clemson's top performers at the plate this year. He recorded 11 home runs and 60 RBIs with an average of .337 in 58 games started. One of the top prospects in the 2025 MLB draft, the junior-to-be could be one of the key figures in the Tigers' line-up next year.
#1, Aidan Knaak, LHP
Knaak produced one of the best seasons by a freshman pitcher in Clemson history this year. He finished 5-1 while recording a staggering 108 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.35 in 15 starts. His exploits earned him first-team Freshman All-American honors and NCBWA's National Freshman Pitcher of the Year Award.
Knaak will be expected to deliver an explosive sophomore season, which could pose a major threat to the Tigers' opponents in 2025.
Predicting Clemson Tigers' 2025 season
Along with the talent they already have, Clemson's work in the offseason has helped the Tigers put together one of the strongest rosters in NCAA baseball for the 2025 season.
The Tigers will be among the favorites to shine in the ACC regular season, possibly winning the title as well. They will also be a favorite to go one step further than this year and make the field of eight in Omaha.
However, the possibility of facing teams like the Tennessee Volunteers or the formidable LSU Tigers in the College World Series could pose major threats to Clemson's dream of winning the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their history.