Since Clemson’s season ended with a disappointing loss at home in the regionals, Erik Bakich has made it very clear that the Tigers were looking to add a couple of high-level arms to the roster.
While Bakich added two pitchers via the portal shortly after the season ended, just last week the head coach was on the radio proclaiming the need for one or two more. On Saturday, that call was answered as former Tennessee hurler Michael Sharman announced a commitment to Clemson.
Sharman just entered the portal last week, and once he was in, Bakich, along with pitching coach Jimmy Belanger and assistant Nick Schnabel, quickly went to work.
“As soon as I entered the portal, coach Belanger reached out within 45 minutes,” Sharman told The Clemson Insider. “Then I talked to coach Bakich and I talked to coach Schnabel as well. So I talked to all three coaches within like the first hour. So it felt like they were recruiting me pretty heavy already.”
Sharman quickly set up a visit and was on campus Saturday. Knowing he was headed out for the Cape on Sunday to play summer ball for the Chatham Anglers, the left-handed pitcher was looking to have things settled before he hit the road.
“I went up and absolutely loved it,” Sharman said. “Coach Bakich was so nice throughout the whole process. He was awesome with me and my dad. My values kind of line up with his values and the values for the team. That was something I really loved, and I think that is important in baseball. There are some things more important than baseball, and having a coach who values that. It just felt like I was just called to Clemson. That is where my heart wanted to be.”
“Everything about the visit was perfect. The facilities were top-notch. It is a beautiful campus. I loved it. I love the South Carolina feel, too, being on the lake. The coaches just made me feel at home and like family already.”
And Bakich really made an impression.
“It is just fun being around him,” Sharman added. “He brings energy, and I am excited to play for that guy.”
Sharman spent his first two years at the JUCO level. He spent the 2023 season at Parkland and played at Georgia Highlands in 2024. Last season at Tennessee, Sharman was a key piece in on the Vols’ pitching staff, posting a 3.18 ERA across 17 appearances (three starts). In 22.2 innings pitched, he allowed 19 hits, 10 walks and just one home run while striking out 25.
That is the kind of production Bakich has been searching for, and Sharman is confident he will live up to those expectations.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I have been in college for a while now, and I bring a lot of maturity and experience to the game. I think that is valuable. I think I can be an asset, and I am just going to do my best to do what I can to be the best teammate on and off the field. Do my best every day to help us win ballgames. At the end of the day, that is what we are trying to do here.”
Since he was hired three seasons ago, Bakich has made it abundantly clear that he expects to take the Tigers back to the College World Series. While the program does have a storied history, appearing in Omaha on 12 different occasions, the last time Clemson made it was way back in 2010.
It’s also readily apparent that Bakich is doing everything in his power to get the Tigers back to Omaha. He has basically retooled his roster through the portal since the season ended. While Sharman knows he is just one piece to that puzzle, he is coming to Clemson with the mindset of helping Bakich fulfill that promise.
“I think you should always set your expectations high,” Sharman said. “I mean, who wants to be mediocre. Especially at this level and in the ACC. It is a tough league, especially in the postseason. Everyone is going to be good. I learned that this past year. It is good baseball. I think it is awesome that coach Bakich lets everyone know what he wants to do.”
Photo courtesy of Michael Sharman on Instagram