CLEMSON — When the Clemson baseball team begins the 2027 season, it won’t take long to find out exactly what Erik Bakich’s team is going to be made of.

For the second time in three seasons, the Tigers will open the campaign by playing in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The annual showcase routinely features some of the best programs in the country, and the 2027 edition will be no different.

It was recently announced that this year’s field, along with Clemson, will feature Arizona, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, and Virginia, making up the six-team field. We also now know the three teams the Tigers will face.

“You open up with Texas, then Oklahoma and then Arizona,” Bakich said. “You are talking about an Omaha team, one of the best rosters in college baseball and then the next game you get the defending national champions. To do it in that venue and that environment.”

Texas and Oklahoma are both coming off appearances in the College World Series, with the Sooners winning the national title. While Arizona made it all the way to Omaha in 2025, the Wildcats failed to make the tournament last season.

Clemson opened the 2025 season by playing in the same showcase. After beating Oklahoma State and Arizona in the first two games, the Tigers fell to Ole Miss in the final contest. Ironically, Bakich missed both of the wins due to having to serve a two-game suspension after being ejected from the season-ending Super Regional loss to Florida the prior season.

“I thought it was a fantastic venue — of course I had to watch the first two games last time from the hotel,” Bakich added. “I am excited to actually be a part of all three of them this time.”

With the Tigers coming off an uncharacteristic 31-26 season that saw the team miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time during Bakich’s tenure, a strong start against some of the best competition the country has to offer would go a long way towards quelling any concerns still lingering from the disappointing 2025 campaign.

And if Bakich has his way, his team will be making regular appearances in Arlington moving forward.

“But the venue itself, and what it represents, it is a home run in all aspects,” Bakich said. “So, we are thrilled to be a part of it, and that would be something that we would want to continue to do every other year if we could.

“The best of the best in baseball and at one of the best venues.”