Clemson’s baseball team is still working to finalize its weekend rotation heading into the Erik Bakich era, but it’s not the only part of the pitching staff that remains fluid.

Bakich is also searching for reliable relievers heading into his first season at the helm. The Tigers have less than a month to find them before Clemson opens the 2023 season with a three-game series against Binghamton beginning Feb. 17.

Bakich said he has a handful of requirements for his bullpen arms that go beyond simply being able to fill up the strike zone.

“Guys who pitch at the end of the game, they’ve got to have a high strike percentage, they’ve got to have swing-and-miss stuff, and they’ve got to be able to field their position,” Bakich said. “You think about what’s important at the end of the game where you might need a strikeout, you can’t walk people, and it could be a bunt situation. So you better be able to handle the baseball. So you kind of roll that all in, and you take a look at the guys who have that combination of stuff, have that command and who can field their position.”

One change Bakich has already decided to make to the ‘pen is the role of left-hander Ryan Ammons, who’s moving into a starting role after spending last season as the Tigers’ closer. It’s created a vacancy for perhaps the most high-leverage spot on the pitching staff. Bakich mentioned right-hander Ty Olenchuk (28 strikeouts in 30 ⅔ innings last season), fifth-year senior Jackson Lindley (40 strikeouts in 40 innings last season) and Michigan transfer Willie Weiss as potential candidates to take over at the back end of the game.

“You look at some guys that have some big-time fastballs on our team like Ty Olenchuk, who has a big fastball. And you look at some guys that have that swing-and-miss secondary pitch like Willy Weiss with the slider. And then you look at a guy that’s an elite strike thrower like Jackson Lindley. So those are older guys who’ve been around the block who have that combination. I could definitely see those three guys being in some high-leverage relief situations.”

Clemson will also need some long relievers to bridge the gap at times, and Bakich feels good about the depth within the pitching staff. That could mean some pitchers who were primarily starters last season could move into relief roles depending on how the competition for rotation spots shake out.

Bakich mentioned right-handers Nick Clayton and Nick Hoffman, each of whom spent a chunk of last season in the weekend rotation, as prime candidates.

“We have a lot of high-quality, high-caliber pitchers where we may be able to not have to rely on that starting pitcher to stay out there that third time through the order just because with the number of pitchers on our team that could start,” Bakich said. “And when we have a lot of pitchers on the team who could start, that means there are a lot of them that are going to have to relieve when they’re not starting. And so that middle relief area, it’s loaded with names. It would be probably easier to talk about the guys who could start because those guys will also double as guys who could relieve.”

The Tigers have less than four weeks to figure all of it out.

“Just finding that right blend of how can we put these guys in a position to have success and help the team have success.”

TCI Publisher Robert MacRae contributed to this story.

Dear Old Clemson has some fantastic collectibles from some of Clemson’s current and former baseball stars. Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes.