Clemson head coach Monte Lee and the Tigers are tasked with replacing several key players from the 2019 baseball team, particularly in the infield and behind the plate.

Shortstop Logan Davidson was selected by the Oakland A’s in the first round of this year’s MLB Draft, while catcher Kyle Wilkie came off the board when he was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round. Grayson Byrd, who played both first and third base for Clemson, was taken in the 24th round by the Chicago Cubs.

Last season, Byrd, Davidson and Wilkie combined for 37 home runs, 155 runs batted in and 145 runs scored.

Clemson also lost starting second baseman Jordan Greene as well as Justin Hawkins, who played a lot of third base for the Tigers down the stretch.

“We do have some new pieces in the infield and behind the plate that we’ve got to replace. That’s our biggest area of focus right now moving into the fall,” Lee said this week. “Offensively, to me, is where, going into the fall, we’ve got some work to do as far as trying to figure out who’s going to play where and what kind of team are we going to be on the offensive side of things.”

The Tigers have a number of talented candidates to help them fill the void left by the aforementioned players.

Clemson’s options at shortstop include rising sophomore James Parker from Anderson, S.C., and freshman Pierce Gallo from Marietta, Ga. The Tigers also plan to deploy rising junior Sam Hall in the middle infield.

“James Parker played a lot for us last year, got 50-plus at-bats, and is playing all summer long in Wilmington (for the Wilmington Sharks) at shortstop,” Lee said. “He is a really good defender. He needs the at-bats to develop more as a hitter but had some big at-bats for us as a true freshman.

“We have a young man in Pierce Gallo who is fairly highly touted. A long, lean projectable shortstop out of the Atlanta area that’s going to be coming in and battling for some opportunities there. Sam Hall’s going to move into the infield. We’ll put Sam Hall at shortstop and second base in the fall.”

Lee said that rising sophomore Bryar Hawkins, who saw significant action at first base last season, will play third base in the fall.

Rising sophomore Chad Fairey, a talented athlete, can play third and first base, while freshman Dylan Brewer could see some time at first base.

At catcher, rising sophomore Adam Hackenberg and freshman Jonathan French, who was drafted in the 30th round by the Cleveland Indians, will compete for playing time.

“Hackenberg’s up in the Cape Cod League right now and has had a couple really good games,” Lee said. “He hit a home run and had a couple hits in his first start. And we have a young man in Jonathan French, who was drafted from Parkview High School out of Atlanta, that we think is special. He’s coming in as well, and him and Hackenburg will battle that out behind the plate.”