CLEMSON — Clemson baseball continued its upward trajectory in coach Erik Bakich's second season.

The Tigers (44-16) made the NCAA tournament as the No. 6 overall seed and reached the super regionals for the first time since 2010. To build on that success, Bakich and his staff are awaiting decisions from players who either enter the transfer portal or are selected in the Major League Baseball Draft in July.

Clemson will lose multiple seniors, like Blake Wright, because of expiring eligibility. Still, it will return star outfielder Cam Cannarella, pitcher Aidan Knaak and a wealth of rising sophomores and juniors who can contribute in 2025. The Tigers also will add 18 incoming freshmen and potentially transfers.

Here are the players who are leaving and returning for the Tigers' 2025 season:

Clemson baseball roster expected departures

• INF Blake Wright

• OF Alden Mathes

• INF Jacob Hinderleider

• INF/C Jimmy Obertop

• RHP Nick Clayton

• RHP Matthew Marchal

• RHP Rob Hughes

• OF Will Taylor

• LHP Tristan Smith

• RHP Austin Gordon

Wright spent four seasons with Clemson, hitting 22 home runs with 75 RBIs in 2024. Hughes played three seasons with the Tigers after transferring from Furman. Mathes, Hinderleider, Obertop and Marchal transferred to Clemson last offseason for their final year in college and provided valuable contributions.

Taylor, Smith and Gordon still have eligibility remaining, but Bakich expects them to be selected in the MLB draft and be signed.

"If those guys each have another year, that would be awesome for our program," Bakich said. "At the same time, we'll also be their biggest fans if they move on to professional baseball."

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Clemson baseball roster 2025 notable expected returnees

• Hitters: OF Cam Cannarella, INF Andrew Ciufo, OF Tristan Bissetta, C Jacob Jarrell, OF/INF Jack Crighton, INF Jarren Purify, INF Nolan Nawrocki, INF/OF Tryston McCladdie, OF Nathan Hall

• Pitchers: RHP Aidan Knaak, LHP Ethan Darden, LHP Jacob McGovern, RHP Reed Garris, LHP Rocco Reid, RHP Lucas Mahlstedt, LHP Justin LeGuernic, RHP Ty Olenchuk

Clemson's hitters will have to replace Mathes, Hinderleider, Obertop, Wright and Taylor's production. They combined for 74 home runs, which accounted for 67.9% of the Tigers' homer total. Cannarella is the only player who is expected to return to hit more than 10 home runs last season.

The Tigers return a capable pitching staff led by Knaak, who earned All-ACC honors. Still, potentially losing Gordon and Smith, both of whom finished second and third in strikeouts on Clemson last year, will be a blow. Bakich will have to replace those arms either with player development or the portal.

Clemson baseball transfer portal options

To replace the hitting and pitching production, Bakich is aiming for power hitters, including left-handed batters and pitching in the transfer portal.

"We absolutely are looking at it from an objective standpoint of how are we going to replace these innings, how are we going to replace this power (and) how can we make sure we're still playing this time next year?" Bakich said.

Cannarella gave his pitch to why players should come to Clemson.

"I'm pretty sure everybody watched the super regional game against Florida," Cannarella said. "Coming to Clemson is just special. Everybody knows Clemson, Power 5. Who wouldn't want to come?"

Clemson baseball signees in 2024 class

Clemson signed 18 recruits, including third baseman Chase Harlan (Central Bucks East, Pennsylvania) and right-hander Dane Moehler (Marietta, Georgia). In MLB.com's top 200 draft prospects, Harlan is No. 124, and Moehler is No. 166.

The Tigers' class ranks 21st overall (sixth in the ACC), according to Perfect Game.

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson baseball 2025 roster: Departures, arrivals, transfer priorities