CLEMSON BASEBALL

Clemson makes Baseball America preseason top-15

Clemson makes Baseball America preseason top-15


by - Staff Writer -

Clemson baseball received its highest 2018 preseason ranking yet in Baseball America’s Top 25 Tuesday.

Coming off of a 42-21 campaign and a second-straight home regional, Monte Lee’s Tigers are pegged for No. 12 to start the season by Baseball America, as one of five ACC teams in the top-20.

Clemson is joined by No. 3 Florida State, No. 6 UNC, No. 15 Virginia and No. 19 Louisville.

The Tigers are bolstered by the lineup, which returns five starters - anchored by All-American Seth Beer. Beer hit .298 with 16 home runs and 53 RBIs last season. Shortstop Logan Davidson is also back, a leading returner in hits (69), runs (56) and stolen bases (10).

The rotation faces replacing four starters, including two All-ACCers in Charlie Barnes and Pat Krall. Go-to reliever Ryley Gilliam returns after going 3-1 with four saves and a 2.57 ERA in a team-leading 27 appearances last year.

That revamped rotation likely has other college baseball outlets more cautious on the Tigers, as Perfect Game ranked them No. 24 and D1Baseball left them out of preseason rankings. PG is high on the Atlantic Division, with Clemson pegged for fourth behind Florida State, NC State and Louisville. Both sites named Beer a preseason All-American and PG tabbed Davidson as an All-ACC shortstop.

In other rankings, Collegiate Baseball slotted Clemson No. 15 preseason. USA TODAY's Coaches Poll has yet to release a preseason ranking.

The Tigers open the season at home with a three-game series with William & Mary starting at 4 p.m. on Feb. 16.

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