Tigers Near Top in Baseball America Way-Too-Early Rankings

Erik Bakich’s team is near the top of this way-too-early ranking for the 2025 college baseball campaign.

This week, in the wake of coaching changes, transfer portal movement and the MLB Draft, Baseball America released its Way-Too-Early Top 25 for next season.

Clemson (44-16, 20-10 ACC in 2024) checked in at No. 4, behind only LSU at No. 1, Florida at No. 2 and Florida State at No. 3.

This past season, Clemson was an NCAA Regional champion and the ACC Atlantic Division champion. The Tigers were a national seed and advanced to a Super Regional for the first time since 2010.

Here’s what Baseball America had to say about its way-too-early ranking for the Tigers:

Clemson is coming off a super regional appearance and will be looking to make its first trip to Omaha since 2010. The Tigers will be led by center fielder Cam Cannarella, who is one of the favorites to win Player of the Year honors. On the mound, righthander Aidan Knaak and lefthander Ethan Darden return to lead the rotation.

Needing to replace its two leading power threats in Jimmy Obertop and Blake Wright, as well as closer Austin Gordon, Clemson hit the portal for some pop and landed Big Ten freshman of the year Luke Gaffney (Purdue). Erik Bakich’s third year at the program’s helm should be an exciting one.

Along with FSU and Clemson, Baseball America’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 features several other ACC teams in Virginia (No. 6), Duke (No. 9), North Carolina (No. 12), NC State (No. 13) and Wake Forest (No. 25).

Clemson finished No. 9 in the final USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll for the 2024 season — the fifth-highest ranked ACC team, behind Florida State (No. 4), North Carolina (No. 5), Virginia (No. 7) and NC State (No. 8).