Changes Coming to Clemson Pitching Staff as Ethan Darden Enters Transfer Portal

Long reliever Ethan Darden is set to explore his other options at different institutions as he enters the transfer portal.

Clemson junior Ethan Darden (39) pitches to South Carolina during the bottom of the first inning of the Reedy River Rivalry at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. Saturday, March 1, 2025. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After three seasons with the Clemson Tigers left-handed pitcher Ethan Darden is entering the transfer portal per Gavin Oliver with the Clemson Insider. 

 Darden started off this season super strong and earned a starting spot for Saturday games. In his first five outings he had an overall ERA of 2.22 (26 innings pitched). However once ACC play began he became noticeably less effective and eventually lost his weekend spot. 

His best game of this season was against South Carolina on March 1. He pitched seven innings and tallied six strikeouts with an ERA of 0.0 according to the Tigers' Official Website.

Some of the noticeable ACC struggles were against Wake Forest and Georgia Tech. Wake Forrest had eight runs on nine hits against Darden (2.2 innings pitched) . The following game, against Georgia Tech, batters totaled nine runs in the 3.2 innings pitched. 

On April 12 his time in the circle ended due to an injury to his tricep. It was nothing surgical or serious, per head coach Erik Bakich. He just needed to be in treatment protocol which meant being immobilized in a brace. 

By the end of his season he had an ERA of 6.08, in 40 innings pitched, with an overall record of 4-2.  In those appearances he had 34 strikeouts and 16 walks. 

During his freshman season, 2023, he started off as a long reliever. About midway through the season he helped stabilize the pitching staff after moving into the weekend rotation. 

In his collegiate career with the Tigers he started 32 times and had 47 overall appearances. His overall record throughout this time was 12-9 with a 5.50 ERA. He had 121 strikeouts in 162 innings, but allowed 187 hits and had 54 walks. 

Darden grew up in South Carolina and entering the transfer portal doesn’t mean he necessarily will leave his home state. He is looking at other options and a program that could potentially be a better fit for him.