Not only does Clemson begin a new era with its baseball program today as it opens up fall practice at Doug Kingsmore Stadium, but it’s also looking for some new pitchers.

The Tigers no longer have the comforts of sending a Matthew Crownover or a Zack Erwin on the mound to go seven or eight innings. Instead, they will have to see if guys like Clate Schmidt, Charlie Barnes or an Alex Bostic has what it takes to be weekend starters. Or maybe it will be some of Clemson’s 10 freshmen pitchers the 2015 recruiting class hauled in.

“I’m kind of hesitant to say what either of these guys will be like until we actually play each other,” new Clemson head coach Monte Lee said in an exclusive interview with The Clemson Insider.

During skills and drills and a few bullpen sessions, Lee and pitching coach Andrew See like the potential they see in guys like Jake Higginbotham, Ryley Gilliam and Brooks Crawford.

“I think there are some freshmen there where we have a chance to create some pitching depth,” Lee said. “I like the fact that Higginbotham, Gilliam and Crawford, those guys have high-end stuff.”

Higginbotham is a left-handed pitcher from Buford, Ga. Lee thinks the 6-foot, 160-pound freshman has a chance to be really good.

“Higginbotham was drafted and he could have signed a pro contract for a good bit of money if he wanted to,” Lee said.  “He is an undersized righty with a fast, fast arm.”

Crawford, 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, is a guy Lee has been extremely impressed with. He says the Bishop, Ga., native has a chance to play as a pitcher and as a position player for the Tigers. During workouts, he pitched and hit with the position players.

“He has some size to him. He has a starting pitchers body. You know a workhorse body-type guy. He also has some power in his bat,” Lee said. “I like his upside. I like his strength in the bat and he locates fairly well in bullpen (work) so I think he has a chance to be pretty good.”

Lee thinks Crawford has that type of ceiling where he can see him being drafted as a junior because he is a big physical kid with a big arm and he shows the ability to swing the bat, as well.

“Anytime you see a pitcher that can hit, too, he is probably a pretty good athlete,” Lee said. “An athletic pitcher, who is big, typically turns out to be pretty good in my experience.”

Gilliam, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, is the smallest of the three, but Lee says he is very athletic with a very fast arm.

“He has been up in the mid-90s. Whether that translates into a late-inning guy, a guy that comes in and blows mid-90 fastballs, we will see. He has one thing you cannot teach, which is arm strength,” Lee said.

Lee also mentioned freshmen Tom Walker (RHP, 6-4, 190) and Zach Goodman (RHP, 6-1, 205) will have a chance to come in and compete in fall practice, while junior college transfer Andrew Towns (LHP) will also be given an opportunity.

“Now we have not faced live pitching. We have not faced a hitter so that will be the true test to see what these guys can really do,” Lee said.

Fall practice continues through November and concludes with three Orange & Purple scrimmages from Nov. 6-8.