CLEMSON – Andrew Ciufo’s journey back to the baseball field is complete.

After transferring to Clemson, the veteran infielder was on his way to putting together a solid season as the Tigers’ starting shortstop last season. However, a torn ACL suffered on the road at Notre Dame in early April would end his season prematurely.

Obviously, Ciufo missed the excitement of Clemson’s run to the Super Regionals last season, but he was back last Thursday for the Tigers’ exhibition against the Savannah Bananas. While he has been participating in fall ball, he wasn’t fully cleared until the day of the game. The veteran noted that the knee was great and that it felt good to get back on the diamond.

“Amazing, 100-percent,” Ciufo said after the exhibition. “I was officially, fully-cleared today. So we are past that and now it is smooth sailing.”

Sure, the game last week was just an exhibition. It was more about having some fun than it was trying to win a game. At the same time, Ciufo insists that there were some valuable lessons learned that could end up helping this Clemson baseball team in a big way in 2025.

“It’s really cool and obviously that is all because of coach Bakich and the vision he has for this program,” Ciufo said. “Obviously we have expectations in this program and part of this, and something some of our guys might not see yet, is the ability to play super-free. And we know that when we play mentally-free, and not really putting pressure on ourselves, that is kind of when we are at our best. And that is kind of what we learned here.”

After all of the success experienced in Erik Bakich’s first two seasons leading the program, which includes making it to a Super Regional for the first time since 2010, expectations will be high entering 2025. Clemson is likely to enter the season inside of the Top 5.

This team is embracing those expectations, though. They welcome it with open arms. Ciufo and the rest of his teammates believe in what Bakich is building and the exhibition against the Bananas, and all of the exposure that came with it, is just one in a long list of examples of the vision Bakich has for the program.

It’s that vision that many find appealing and what transpired in Doug Kingsmore last Thursday will only make that appeal even stronger to players. And that includes potential future recruits who witnessed the festivities and want to be a part of what Bakich is building.

“I think it says a lot about our team and especially our coaches and their willingness to take a step where no one has before to do something like this,” Ciufo said. “I think that says a lot about the leadership on our team. I am sure there are recruits that are being recruited by Clemson that are either super bought into this and it make them want to come here even more. And if it is the opposite, then they were probably not meant to be here.”

The Tigers are set to wrap up fall ball this weekend, with the annual Orange and Purple scrimmages.

A limited number of signed replica road signs from Cade Klubnik are available!  Visit Clemson Variety & Frame or purchase online!