Clemson Tigers Star Freshman Out for Season After Tearing His UCL

After getting the 2025 season off to a strong start, the Clemson Tigers (2-1) have made it clear they are serious contenders for the College World Series again this year.

The Tigers have established a solid group that was augmented by a strong freshman class. Part of that came from pitcher Dane Moehler.

He was high up on the list to be a starter for head coach Erik Bakich, but reports came in that Clemson would have to wait before seeing him on the mound.

Per Jon Blau of The Post Courier, Moehler will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL that will sideline him for the entire campaign.

Bakich had high hopes for the young talent, sharing in many preseason interviews how beneficial Moehler would be for Clemson's roster. He possesses a unique and advanced talent and came from a baseball-centered home as the son of former MLB pitcher, Brian Moehler.

With Moehler out of the picture for the Tigers, Bakich has emphasized that other talent must emerge in order for his team to stay on the winning path.

This will be Bakich's third season with Clemson, and it is clear that he intends to elevate the program to create sustained success.

Bakich has listed many players as feasible options for the rest of the season, noting many of his players can pitch in different roles based on what the situation is.

Aidan Knaak remains the top pitcher after he made a solid name for himself during his freshman year in 2024. Ethan Darden also remains an viable option for the Tigers.

Darden threw four shoutout innings for the Tigers in the opening series. His lefty counterpart Justin LeGuernic didn't have as great of a debut, but still remains a viable alternative in a bind.

With Moehler healing from surgery, Bakich will have to revise his game plan, but Clemson's postseason hopes are still high.

The freshman class brought in amazing talent, and Bakich still has plenty of experienced players to work with on both sides of the ball.

Looking ahead, the Tigers will have a stretch of home games from Feb. 21-28, starting with their Clemson Baseball Invitational.

A home invitational should set a good pace for the team and should help them get off to a solid start that has them in contention for the College World Series when that time comes.

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