J.L. Mann (Greenville, S.C.) utility man Matthew Lumsden helped lead his team to back-to-back appearances in the Class AAAA state championship game in his first two seasons. Heading into his junior season, Lumsden hopes to return to the title game again and come away with a ring after the Patriots came up just short the last two years.

The 2018 Clemson commitment has hardly taken a break from baseball since J.L. Mann fell to Summerville in a best-of-three state finals series last May, as he worked toward this season that begins on March 7 versus Boiling Springs.

“Our high school practiced through October, and I played a couple travel events in October,” Lumsden told The Clemson Insider recently. “November and December I concentrated on working out and hitting in the cage. My goal was to work out to be prepared for the season and to get stronger and faster. In early January I continued to work out but also sped up the process of on-field activities to get ready for the season.”

Lumsden had a batting average in the mid-.300s as a sophomore and notched some big hits in critical situations. Highly regarded for his advanced approach and abilities at the plate, Lumsden has focused on tuning up his defensive skills, and feels he improved his arm strength over the offseason.

“I think probably the biggest improvement over the winter was getting stronger and seeing my arm strength improve,” he said.

Lumsden’s positional versatility has opened the door for him to potentially move around the diamond and make an early impact at Clemson in a couple of years.

As for the Tigers right now, he thinks they have what it takes to repeat as ACC Champions in 2017.

“Think they will have a good year and get stronger as the year goes on. ACC repeat,” Lumsden said. “Lot of younger players and young pitchers. As they get experience they will provide support to the strong returners from last year.”

After ending up as the second-best team in South Carolina behind state champions Wando and Summerville in 2015 and 2016, respectively, J.L. Mann opens the season ranked No. 2 in AAAAA in the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association preseason rankings.

While it’s a good way to start, Lumsden wants to finish first this time around.

“State Championship,” he said. “Been to the finals 2 years in a row. Time to win one.”