New Clemson commit has always been a Tigers fan
By: samneumann July 15, 2021

Clemson’s baseball program has received two verbal commitments since this past Sunday.

One of them being Harlem (Ga.) 2023 SS/OF Tryston McCladdie, who took to Twitter to announce his decision on Sunday.

McCladdie has been on Clemson’s radar since he camped during the summer of his eighth-grade year.

His recruitment really started to pick up during this past couple of years of high school. McCladdie’s head coach, Scott McCloy, has consistently been in contact with Monte Lee.

From there, Lee followed McCladdie all the way up until this season of travel ball.

“They made me feel at home, of course, once I got that offer,” McCladdie told The Clemson Insider. “I’ve always grown up a Clemson fan. I just love Clemson’s community, I love everything about it.”

It was always Clemson for McCladdie.

He grew up idolizing Clemson and has always been a fan of the program. It just stood out to him among other programs. Once McCladdie received an offer, it was pretty much a done deal.

“I didn’t want to wait anymore because my dream school offered me,” he said. “If I had to wait any longer, there would just be no point.”

He phoned Lee with the good news on Sunday. 

Clemson’s head coach was “hype,” according to McCladdie.

“Me and Coach Lee are pretty close because I always call and talk to him and we always have a good time on the phone,” he said.

McCladdie tries to model his game after New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. He appreciates the way the Lindor loves to have fun on the diamond and give it his all, even through the hard times. 

That’s exactly what McCladdie prides his game on.

“They just love how I handle myself on the field and they just love how I play,” McCladdie said.

McCladdie is a shortstop and outfielder. Clemson hasn’t decided which position he’ll play at the next level. The Tigers want to see how he continues to develop over the next two years of high school, he added. 

Being that Lindor is his favorite player, McCladdie gravitates more towards the shortstop, which allows him to take command of the infield.

“I would describe myself as an outgoing player,” he said. “I always do what’s best for the team. I’m not selfish. I can do everything on the field. I hit for power, I use my speed, I play good defense and I make good plays.”

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