Clemson Baseball Assistant Head Coach Departs in Pursuit of Other Interests

After 14 years working alongside Erik Bakich, one of his longest-tenured assistants is stepping away from Clemson Baseball.

On Thursday, it was announced that Clemson Baseball assistant head coach Nick Schnabel will be departing from the program after a disastrous 2026 campaign. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On Thursday afternoon, Clemson Baseball announced that assistant head coach Nick Schnabel has stepped down from his position to pursue other interests. Since 2023, he has served as the program's hitting coach, infielders coach and recruiting coordinator.

"I want to thank every player for their hard work and the memories we'll always share," Schnabel said in the announcement. "I also want to thank my fellow coaches and the administration for the opportunity to be a part of this program, and to our fans, thank you for your passion. I will always be grateful for my time at Clemson."

Thank you, @nischnab, for your dedication & long hours serving our program. Wishing you the best during your next chapter! #ClemsonFamilyhttps://t.co/DCT0eHOgIA pic.twitter.com/W8aJsB8zsa

— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) August 6, 2026

The news comes a few months after a disastrous 2026 season, in which the Tigers jumped out to a 15-1 start before crumbling to a 31-26 overall record and a 10-20 mark in ACC play — missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2022. The conference finish was also the program's worst since the 30-game schedule began in 2005.

Interestingly, two of the biggest factors in the disappointing 2026 campaign were hitting and an error-prone infield defense. While there were multiple standout players at the plate, including Nate Savoie, who has since transferred to Texas A&M, Luke Gaffney, Jack Crighton and Jarren Purify — all of whom batted over .300 — the latter half of the lineup struggled.

In fact, nobody else batted over .275 outside of junior Tryston McCladdie. But the main problem at the plate was the inconsistent hitting with runners in scoring position and extremely questionable base-running decisions.

Outside of the hitting department, the infielders struggled immensely on defense under Schnabel in 2026, and while injuries certainly played a role, they don't negate what occurred throughout the entirety of the season. 

Of the six primary infielders, Gaffney was the best of the bunch, posting a .985 fielding percentage with 383 putouts, 15 assists and six errors.

From there, it goes downhill even further. Purify, who missed nearly a month of action, managed just a .947 fielding percentage and seven errors. Still, fans and media alike know his value, and he'll look to bounce back in 2027 for his final season with the Tigers after going undrafted a few weeks ago.

Appalachian State transfer Tyler Lichtenberger struggled in his first year with the program, logging a .941 fielding percentage and a team-high 12 errors.

The worst of the group were redshirt junior Jay Dillard and freshman Jason Fultz Jr. — both of whom have since transferred out — who combined for a .903 fielding percentage, 12 errors, and just 43 putouts.

By the end of 2026, the Tigers finished as one of the worst fielding teams in the country, posting a team fielding average of .967 and 67 total errors, good for No. 211 nationally.

Looking ahead, no names have surfaced yet for who might fill Schnabel's position, but it's a positive sign to see staff changes made after a season like last year. 

Additionally, it proves that head coach Erik Bakich is committed to making the best moves for the program heading into 2027, regardless of personal relationships, as Schnabel has worked alongside Bakich for the past 14 years, following him from Michigan to Clemson.