Matthew Lumsden, Clemson baseball’s latest commitment for the 2018 recruiting class, doesn’t have to look far to find hope that he can step in and contribute right away for the Tigers in a couple of years.

Lumsden, a sophomore catcher and left-handed hitter at J.L. Mann High School who announced his commitment to Clemson on Monday via Twitter, recently spoke with The Clemson Insider about his pledge.

During the conversation, Lumsden pointed to fellow lefty Seth Beer’s phenomenal freshman start as a source of optimism that he, too, with continued hard work in high school, can make an early mark at the next level.

“I would love to come in and have the success he’s having,” Lumsden said of Beer. “I know that with two more years of high school, there’s a lot of room for me to develop not only as a player, but as a person as well, and hopefully earn myself an opportunity on the team.

“It’s hard not to notice when a guy comes in and puts on a display like he’s been doing. It’s just something that catches your eye, and you’re like wow, that guy could really be a great ball player.”

Lumsden took in Clemson’s game against Florida State on Sunday and informed head coach Monte Lee of his decision following the contest.

“I watched that, talked to Coach Lee after the game and told him that I was just ready to commit, accept his offer and really excited about it,” Lumsden said.

Lumsden, who is considered one of the best hitters in his class, said the commitment of Clemson’s fan base to the team stood out to him while at the game and factored into his own commitment.

“Just the atmosphere, being around all the people,” Lumsden said. “You can definitely tell that the fans are dedicated and really love watching the guys play.”

A native of Simpsonville, S.C., Lumsden cited his relationship with the coaching staff, as well as Doug Kingsmore Stadium’s new facility enhancements, as other primary reasons he chose the Tigers over North Carolina, South Carolina and others.

“Coach (Bradley) LeCroy was the first one to talk to me,” Lumsden said. “He came and saw me earlier this year over spring break, but then when I came to the campus, Coach Lee was really dedicated to being one-on-one with me — put in a lot of time, which I’m very grateful for it with him being a head coach.

“I know he has a lot of priorities and a lot of things going on, and he made me a focus, which was also something I took into consideration. Made me feel really good about it, and definitely showed that he wanted me to be a part of the program.”

Lumsden is hitting in the mid-.300s at J.L. Mann this season and has come up with some big hits in critical situations for the Patriots (19-6), including a home run in their win over Clover in the second round of the Class AAAA District IV baseball tournament on Saturday.

Sought after for his abilities at the plate, the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder is focusing on refining his defensive skills.

“The part of my game I’m trying to improve the most would probably be arm strength,” Lumsden said. “I’ve been pretty solid this year with the glove. A couple times mechanically wise, from footwork to arm slot, just not getting in the right position to make the throw at the time. Just a couple things with the throwing that I’m trying to improve right now.”

Though he is currently a backstop, Lumsden said the versatility he’s shown in high school has opened the door for him to move around the diamond once he gets to Clemson in order to help him garner playing time from the get-go.

“Coach Lee was really open about it,” Lumsden said. “He told me that the versatility is definitely going to be a helpful factor and help me get in the lineup. I know, specifically, I plan to keep catching this summer. … Just keep the versatility open, and when I get there, let the coaches make the decision.”

Wherever he plays, Lumsden is confident he has found a future home in Clemson.

“Walking around campus, I got the kind of the warm feeling you get when you know you’re in the right place,” Lumsden said. “Just really enjoyed the campus, enjoyed the people — it was just one of those situations where it’s like, how can you not go here?”

That looks like a question he won’t have to answer.