Logan Davidson told The Clemson Insider he was going to be a Clemson Tiger this past weekend, even after he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies.
On Tuesday, in an exclusive interview with TCI, Clemson head coach Monte Lee said Davidson is going to be his new shortstop when the Tigers get back on the diamond this fall.
“We feel like Logan will be the frontrunner for that job,” Lee said on Tuesday. “He has to earn it, like anyone else coming into the program, but we feel like Logan has the ability to play shortstop and be a true shortstop.”
Davidson will replace Eli White at short. White told TCI on Sunday he will sign with the Oakland Athletics, who drafted him in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball Draft.
“It all starts with the shortstop on the infield,” Lee said. “We lost a young man in Eli White who deservedly got drafted by the Oakland Athletics and is going to pursue his professional career. Shortstop is where it starts for us and a young man like Logan Davidson, who turned down big money to come to school because he wanted to play at Clemson.”
Like any coach, Lee thinks it is always important to be two deep at each position and have guys that can contribute.
Grayson Byrd will compete with Davidson at shortstop. TCI projects that Presbyterian transfer Weston Jackson could also compete with Byrd at second base. Jackson, who will enroll at Clemson as a graduate student, hit .341 for the Blue Hose this past season with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs. He also had 27 doubles.
Redshirt freshman Grant Cox and incoming freshman Brock Howard will also be expected to compete in the infield.
“We also feel like Grayson Byrd, who played some as a true freshman at LSU could play shortstop or second base. He is a left-handed hitter. He has really good blood lines. His father Paul Byrd played in the big leagues,” Lee said. “Brock Howard is more of an offensive player. He can play second base, but has played a lot of outfield.”
With White gone as well as Weston Wilson at second base and Chris Okey behind the plate, the Tigers lost three of their top six hitters. Wilson is expected to sign with Milwaukee Brewers this week, while Okey, who was picked in the second round by the Cincinnati Reds, signed a $2 million deal on Monday.
Junior College transfer Patrick Cromwell will take over at third base for Clemson. Lee calls him a true third baseman, something the Tigers have not had at third in a number of years. Cromwell comes from Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, California.
“He fits there,” Lee said.
With Cromwell at third base, Chris Williams will move to catcher where he will head into the fall as the starter behind the plate. Incoming freshman Kyle Wilkie, a plus-defensive catcher, will also get a shot in the fall to be Okey’s replacement.
Robert Jolly and Christian Cain, a USC-Lancaster transfer, will also provide some depth at the catcher position. Cain played high school baseball at nearby Daniel.
At first base, Lee plans to move All-American Seth Beer from right field to first base.
“Seth has to be able to do it,” Lee said. “We talked at length with Seth about it at the end of the year. We believe that it is his best path to the big leagues. He fits there. We will put Seth there in the fall and we will play him a lot there in the fall and let him develop.
“First base is a much more difficult position to play than people realize because your first baseman saves you errors. That’s what he does. It’s not so much can he field a ground ball, but it’s what can he do when they throw the ball high and when they throw it in the dirt.”
Andrew Cox will be Beer’s backup at first base and the Tigers’ next option if Beer cannot adjust and has to move back to right field.
If Beer does stay at first base, then Jackson will compete with K.J. Bryant and Drew Wharton for the starting job in right field.
Of course Chase Pinder will be back in centerfield and will be the Tigers’ lead-off hitter, while Reed Rohlman will return and be the starter in left field.
TCI’s Projected position lineup for 2017
C – Chris Williams
1B – Seth Beer
2B – Grayson Byrd / Weston Jackson
SS – Logan Davidson
3B – Patrick Cromwell
LF – Reed Rohlman
CF – Chase Pinder
RF – Weston Jackson / K.J. Bryant
TCI’s Clemson preseason magazine is now available. Order your copy of Unfinished Business – An Insider Look at Clemson’s 2016 season today.
