Baseball America preseason top 25 rankings: Where does Clemson rank?

The 2026 college baseball regular season schedule begins in less than a month, and the Clemson Tigers are hoping to again be one of the nation's best teams.

The Tigers will open their season with a three-game series against Army on Feb. 13-15 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. They'll have another weekend series against the Bryant Bulldogs before the annual cross-state series against rival South Carolina, Feb. 27-March 1.

Clemson is coming off a 45-win season in 2025 under coach Erik Bakich, who is set to enter his fourth year as head coach. The Tigers climbed to No. 2 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll during the regular season and reached the championship game of the ACC Tournament, but their season ended sooner than many hoped.

Back-to-back losses to West Virginia and Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at the Clemson regional doomed the Tigers to a 15th straight season without an appearance in the College World Series.

Is 2026 the year that streak ends?

Clemson star pitcher named a preseason first-team All-American https://t.co/luR24NT3y0pic.twitter.com/igP0QuFQBd

— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) January 21, 2026

Clemson baseball ranked in Baseball America preseason top 25

In Baseball America's recently unveiled preseason top 25 rankings heading into the 2026 season, Clemson is ranked No. 20. The Tigers are ranked one spot below the Oklahoma Sooners and one spot ahead of West Virginia.

Baseball America's Jacob Rudner said of the Tigers:

"Clemson has moved steadily forward under Erik Bakich, building credibility through consistency rather than flashes. Over his first three seasons, the Tigers have won 133 games, reached a super regional in 2024 and remained competitive annually in a league that rarely offers grace. The trajectory is clear. The next step is not relevance but breakthrough. This offseason reflected that intent. Clemson retained much of its core while making targeted portal additions designed to complement, not overhaul, the roster. The result is a team with enough depth to contend deep into June, even as the path through a loaded conference remains unforgiving."

Clemson's transfer portal additions include outfielders Ty Dalley from Mercer and Nate Savoie from Loyola Marymount, infielders Tyler Lichtenberger (Appalachian State) and Bryce Clavon (Georgia), and pitchers Michael Sharman (Tennessee) and Ariston Veasey (Alabama).

Position players returning from last year's roster include catcher Jacob Jarrell, first baseman Luke Gaffney, second baseman Jarren Purify, DH Collin Priest and platoon players Jack Crighton and Tryston McCladdie. Top hitter Cam Cannarella left via the MLB Draft.

Clemson's ace pitcher the past two seasons, right-hander Aidan Knaak, is back for his junior season. Right-hander Drew Titsworth, who spent the past two years largely in relief, will join Knaak in the rotation this season along with sophomore left-hander Talan Bell.

Clemson one of seven ACC teams ranked in Baseball America preseason Top 25 poll

Baseball America's top 25 rankings for ACC baseball teams, in order:

• Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (No. 4)
• North Carolina Tar Heels (No. 7)
• Florida State Seminoles (No. 12)
• Virginia Cavaliers (No. 14)
• Louisville Cardinals (No. 18)
• Clemson Tigers (No. 20)
• Miami Hurricanes (No. 25)

Clemson baseball schedule 2026

Here's a look at Clemson baseball's 2026 regular season schedule.

• Feb. 13-15: vs. Army
• Feb. 17: vs. Charlotte
• Feb. 20-22: vs. Bryant
• Feb. 24: vs. Presbyterian
• Feb. 27: at South Carolina (at Columbia)
• Feb. 28 vs. South Carolina (at Segra Park)
• March 1: vs. South Carolina (at Clemson)
• March 4: vs. Michigan State
• March 6-8: vs. La Salle
• March 10: vs. Georgia Southern (North Augusta, S.C.)
• March 12-14: vs. Georgia Tech
• March 17: at College of Charleston
• March 18: at The Citadel
• March 20-22: at Notre Dame
• March 24: vs. Coastal Carolina
• March 26-28: vs. Miami
• April 1: vs. Wake Forest (Charlotte)
• April 3-5: at Stanford
• April 6: at Santa Clara
• April 10-12: vs. North Carolina
• April 14: at Charlotte
• April 16-18: at Virginia
• April 21: vs. USC Upstate
• April 24-26: at Louisville
• May 1-3: vs. Boston College
• May 5: at Coastal Carolina
• May 8-10: vs. Florida State
• May 12: at USC Upstate
• May 14-16: at Virginia Tech

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson baseball makes Baseball America preseason top 25 rankings