lErik Bakich expects this trio of Clemson baseball standouts to leave the program and move on to play pro ball. However, Clemson’s head coach and the Tigers would be thrilled to get them back.

Meeting with the media Wednesday, Bakich said the Tigers are “going in with the expectation” that sophomore lefthanded pitcher Tristan Smith, junior outfielder Will Taylor and junior righthander Austin Gordon have put themselves in a position to be selected in the MLB Draft and to sign.

Of course, Bakich and the Tigers would welcome all of them back with open arms, if things were to work out that way.

“Will Taylor is Clemson through and through. Tristan Smith, Clemson through and through. If those guys each had another year, that would just be awesome for our program,” Bakich said. “But at the same time, we’ll also be their biggest fans. If they move on to professional baseball, we’ll be at their Major League debuts and we’ll be happy for them if they get the opportunity and it meets the needs of what their families are looking for in the draft. But we would also obviously love to have those two guys back.”

Added Bakich of Gordon: “He’s another guy I’d put in the same bucket with Tristan Smith and Will Taylor. We’re expecting he’s put himself in a really good spot where he is going to get drafted and sign. But if there was an opportunity to get him back, that’s another guy as well that we would do whatever we could possibly do to get any of those three guys and all of those three guys back.”

Gordon posted a 2-2 record with 11 saves and a 4.35 ERA in 39.1 innings pitched across 22 games (five starts) in 2024, while Smith went 2-1 with a 4.47 ERA in 50.1 innings over 12 games (all starts). Smith missed more than a month earlier in the season with a stress fracture in his ankle before returning on April 19 against Pitt.

Taylor, meanwhile, injured his left wrist (glove hand) while making a diving attempt at a foul ball against NC State on April 14. He broke a small bone in his left wrist and had a procedure done to fix it. At the time of his injury, Taylor was starting to get back to the form that made him a highly regarded MLB prospect coming into the season. He had seven home runs and 19 RBIs with 28 runs scored and six steals before the injury.

The 2024 MLB Draft is set to take place from July 14-16.