Clemson’s baseball program is less than a month away from officially starting the Erik Bakich era, and spots in the weekend rotation are still up for grabs.

The Tigers’ first-year coach doesn’t see that as an issue. At least not in the traditional sense.

When Bakich was hired to replace Monte Lee last year following a decade-long run at Michigan, one of his first orders of business on the field was to address the talent and use of a pitching staff that’s statistically ranked in the bottom of the ACC recently. After posting a team earned run average of 5.00 during the 2021 season, Clemson wasn’t much better with a 4.86 ERA last season en route to missing out on an NCAA regional for the second straight season.

Consistency was a major issue as the Tigers tried a handful of different options in the weekend rotation with marginal success, and now Clemson is without its most consistent starter, Mack Anglin, who’s in the Kansas City Royals’ organization after being taken in the seventh round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. But after using the last six months to evaluate the arms left over from last year’s roster and bring in an influx of new talent, Bakich said his first Clemson team has a collection of arms that’s more than capable of turning things around during the 2023 season.

“We’ve got a good problem on our hands of trying to figure out where all these innings are going to go, but we certainly have the talent on the roster to do it,” Bakich told The Clemson Insider.

In Bakich’s estimation, there are as many as 10 pitchers who are still “heavily in contention” for spots in the rotation. That number includes some highly touted freshmen, Bakich said, including in-state product Tristan Smith. Named South Carolina’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Boiling Springs High, Smith, a lefty, was one of the highest-rated signees in the Tigers’ 2023 recruiting class.

But a different kind of newcomer to a starting role may have a leg up on the rest of the competition to replace Anglin as the team’s Friday starter.

Ryan Ammons spent last season as the closer and has never made a start in 34 career appearances for the Tigers, but Bakich said the junior southpaw is preparing to move out of the bullpen and likely into the rotation. Ammons, who struck out 40 in 27 ⅓ innings last season, has a career ERA of 4.55.

“Just his character, makeup and stuff. Command and compete,” Bakich said of Ammons. “He’s certainly in the mix to not just be in the weekend rotation but to lead things off and set the tone.”

Another familiar face is set to return to the mound more frequently this spring. Caden Grice has spent the last two seasons primarily as the Tigers’ slugging first baseman (27 career home runs), but the 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior is going back to the mound.

Grice has thrown 16 innings here and there during his first two seasons at Clemson, which included three starts as a true freshman. The lefty went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in six innings of relief last season, but Bakich said Grice shouldn’t be utilized out of the bullpen.

“He profiles as starter type of stuff,” Bakich said.

Sophomore right-hander Billy Barlow is another weekend candidate after moving into the rotation late last season. Barlow, who was the Tigers’ midweek starter for much of last season, posted a 4.84 ERA in 57 ⅔ innings as a true freshman. Others in the mix for a rotation spot include fellow sophomores Austin Gordon, Casey Tallent, Jay Dill and Rocco Reid.

Nick Clayton and Nick Hoffman spent time in the rotation a season ago, but Bakich said the junior right-handers could be used more as long relievers this season. The Tigers have four weeks to get things sorted out on the bump before the season starts Feb. 17 when they host Binghamton for the first of a three-game set.

TCI Publisher Robert MacRae contributed to this story.

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