Cam Cannarella focused on team, not individual goals this season

Cannarella said his goals are all team-oriented this season.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Feb 15 08:52:27 GMT-04:00 2024

CLEMSON – Center fielder Cam Cannarella is one of the nation’s best players and is on more than preseason award watch list, but the goals he has set for the 2024 season are all about the team.

Cannarella burst onto the scene in center field to become the 2023 ACC Freshman-of-the-Year and a first-team freshman All-American. The No. 1 college prospect for the 2025 draft by Baseball America hit .388 with 72 runs, seven homers, 47 RBIs, a .462 on-base percentage and 24 steals in 2023 as a First-Team All-ACC selection. He also reached base via a hit or walk in 57 of his 59 games in 2023.

He was one of 55 players named to the Golden Spikes Award preseason watch list last week. The award is presented each year by USA Baseball to the national player-of-the-year.

Cannarella earned first-team freshman All-America and ACC Freshman-of-the-Year honors in 2023, when he was also a First-Team All-ACC selection. He led the nation in batting average among Power 5 Conference freshmen as well.

When he was asked about his goals for this season, however, Cannarella’s answer was simple.

“I want the team to succeed. We have big goals this year,” Cannarella said earlier this week. “You saw the rankings, all that. We really don't care about that. We just want to make it to Omaha, have a good season. I want everybody to do good, get in the games, and hopefully, play well.

Second-year Head Coach Erik Bakich, who led the Tigers to a 44-19 record and 17-game winning streak late in the season, which culminated in an ACC Tournament title, has the Tigers’ sights set on their first College World Series appearance since 2010. Clemson is ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation in the preseason by Baseball America and USA Today.

Cannarella said he understands that he has to take on more of a leadership role this season, the same way that Caden Grice and Cooper Ingle were leaders a year ago.

“Caden and Cooper, they took me under their wings last year. They picked me up whenever I had a bad game or if anybody had a bad game,” he said. “I'm trying to be a bigger person this year since I'm a sophomore and not a freshman last year. I'm just trying to pick everybody up and make sure they do the right thing on and off the field.

“I feel like I learned a lot from the freshmen coming in. I got to talk to them a lot, get closer with them. All the seniors, fifth years, they pulled us under their wings, and that's what you're supposed to be doing. I feel like this year we're going to have a great start, and we're going to have a great ending, too.”

Cannarella then reiterated that he isn’t worried about personal goals – it’s all about the team.

“I don't worry about that,” he said. “I just let my game show how I play, and I just worry about moving forward and going to Omaha.”