Clemson Tigers Catcher Receives High Praise from D1 Baseball's ACC Preseason Rankings

Thirteen days from Opening Day, Clemson’s rise behind the plate is getting national attention with a No. 2 preseason ACC catcher ranking.

With the season two weeks away, Clemson’s catcher enters 2026 ranked No. 2 in the ACC after a breakout year. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The College Baseball season is now only 13 days away, and a lot of preseason rankings have been dropping, including player lists.

On Thursday, D1 Baseball dropped its seven-man list of best catchers in the ACC, with Clemson’s Jacob Jarrell slotted at the No. 2 spot.

The only other player ranked ahead of the senior is Georgia Tech’s Vahn Lackey, who was a Buster Posey Award Semifinalist in 2025.

Your ACC Catchers in the @d1baseball Preseason Player Rankings 📊

🤝 @MarvTraining

🔗https://t.co/o5vebQATe1 pic.twitter.com/tYWtvEoSJP

— D1Baseball ACC (@D1BaseballACC) January 30, 2026

The 6-foot catcher had his best season in 2025, as he put up career highs in a majority of the categories: 52 hits in 198 at-bats, 45 runs, 41 RBIs, 34 walks and a team-high 15 home runs. However, he also had the second-most strikeouts on the team with 67, only behind Josh Paino’s 87.

That breakout campaign didn’t happen overnight, though. 

Coming out of P27 Academy in Lexington, South Carolina, Jarrell was a versatile defender who saw time at catcher, in the outfield, and in the infield. However, his future was always projected behind the plate.

Jarrell ranked as the No. 500 overall recruit, the No. 34 player in South Carolina, and the No. 5 catcher in the state, according to Perfect Game.

As a true freshman, Jarrell showed clear signs of needing to improve at the plate, as he had the lowest batting average of eight players who had at least 100 at-bats that season. Still, he finished with 21 hits, 15 runs, 18 RBIs and five home runs — foreshadowing his power-hitting status. He split time behind the plate with Cooper Ingle.

He improved monumentally in 2024, posting a still-career-high batting average of .289 while logging 28 hits, 21 runs, 24 RBIs and six home runs. But he unfortunately missed four weeks after getting hit in the face by a pitch. Again, he split time at catcher, but this time with Jimmy Obertop.

As we head into 2026, Jarrell is poised to have one of his best seasons yet, and he’ll be the primary starter behind the plate — similar to last season. The only other catches listed on the roster are: juniors Ty Marshall and Luke Gaffney, as well as Loyola Marymount transfer Nate Savoie, who shone as a true freshman last season.

Clemson Baseball and Jarrell will kick off their 2026 season on February 13, facing off against Army West Point in a three-game home series at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.