Self-described adrenaline junkie Dominic Listi ready to help get Tigers back to Omaha

Dominic Listi is a transfer portal addition to Clemson's 2025 outfield. (Photo: Jordan Prather / USATODAY)

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Jun 17 12:30:09 GMT-05:00 2024

Erik Bakich needs to fill holes in the outfield, and he’s off to a great start with a self-described adrenaline junkie who can’t wait to play in the ACC.

Bakich and the Tigers dipped into the transfer portal this past weekend and grabbed Indiana State grad transfer and outfielder Dominic Listi.

He was named second-team All-MVC and to the NCAA Tournament Lexington Regional All-Tournament Team, hitting .324 with 14 doubles, 57 runs, 34 walks and 25 HBP with a .895 OPS and .464 OBP this season.

Listi was outstanding in the Kentucky Regional a few weeks ago. With his team in the loser’s bracket, Listi stroked four hits and scored a run in a 6-4 elimination game victory over Western Michigan. He scored a run and drove in a run in a 13-2 victory over Illinois but went hitless as the Wildcats ended the regional with a 5-0 win.

While he was playing in Lexington, he watched the other regionals, which allowed him to learn a little more about Clemson baseball. A look at the Super Regionals told him even more.

“I'm from the Midwest, and I've been in the Midwest my entire life. So, I'd say I had a pretty surface level knowledge (about Clemson) beforehand, but paying attention to specifically the Super Regional,” Listi told TigerNet. “But having my eye on just college baseball as a whole throughout the year helped, and after our season ended in Kentucky, we were watching all the super regionals, and man, you can just tell it's just different in Clemson.”

Listi soon announced his intentions to transfer on Twitter and recruiting coordinator Nick Schnabel reached out.

“I made my initial tweet on Twitter with everything, and then they followed me on Twitter,” Listi said. “And then we set up a phone call, and we had a couple of phone calls, and everything went very well after that.”

Clemson has to replace right fielder Alden Mathes and might have to replace left fielder Will Taylor, so Listi knows the opportunity for playing time is there and made the commitment without a campus visit.

“I do plan on coming. I haven't set it up yet, but we're going to come set up a visit here shortly, but I don't know necessarily what I want to see,” he said. “Obviously the baseball facilities and everything they have there. It's going to be pretty awesome.”

What kind of player are the Tigers getting?

“I see myself as a value provider. That's what I am,” Listi said. “I'm not here for the glitz and glamor. I like to set the table and score the runs for people. I see myself as a run scorer and just somebody that's going to bring some grit to the team.”

With Clemson, he also has a chance to go deep in the season.

“I'd be lying if I said that my teammates and I weren't pretty bitter that we didn't get to host at Indiana State, so it left a pretty sour taste in our mouth after dropping in the regional,” Listi said. “So, I mean, that's exactly why I want to be here is to get Clemson back to Omaha. I'm excited to just be surrounded and be around great ball players every single day and just learning. I'm just a sponge.

“I’m so excited to learn from the coaches and the players and hear about everyone's different experiences and stories. I mean, that's one of my favorite things from my past year, was we had a lot of players from Puerto Rico and Venezuela and just hearing about their journeys. I'm just excited to learn about everybody else's journeys and grow closer to them as the year goes on, as we chase a common goal.”

He's also looking forward to playing in the ACC.

“I'm an adrenaline junkie and a competitor, so I love the fact that every single game has to be completely heightened in regard to just yourself and what you bring to the table,” Listi said. “We’ve played some SEC and ACC schools before and it's just fun. It's just fun. It's a different level of competitiveness, and that’s something I look forward to.”

He played his first four seasons with North Central (Ill.) on the Division III level, starting 144 games with season-bests such as a .374 average (2022), 73 runs (2022), 111 total bases (2022), 44 RBIs (2021), 16 doubles (2022) and ten triples (2021).