Erik Bakich is at it again. Clemson baseball added a big piece to its 2027 roster this week, landing power-hitting catcher Isaac Cadena out of the transfer portal — the kind of move that says the Tigers are serious about a run at Omaha.
The former USC standout is officially a Tiger, and he brings a veteran presence and a patient, on-base approach to an already dangerous Clemson lineup.
Cadena arrives fresh off a strong junior season anchoring the middle of the Trojans’ order. According to the report of his commitment, he hit .286 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs in 2026 while finishing second on the team with 41 walks — the kind of plate discipline that wears pitchers down.
That patience showed up in his on-base numbers, and he flashed pop too, piling up 16 doubles — just one shy of the team lead — and finishing with a .505 slugging percentage and a .930 OPS. Pair that bat with solid work behind the plate and Bakich has himself a genuine two-way piece.
Cadena is no stranger to moving around, either. He started his college career at Ohio State before landing at TCU, where he hit eight homers and drove in 34 runs in 2025 as the Horned Frogs made a postseason push. Now he brings that experience to Clemson’s catching corps.
The pedigree goes back to his high school days at El Dorado, where he was named Offensive Player of the Year and earned a Gold Glove. As he gets set for his senior season in the ACC, his bat gives the Tigers’ lineup another dangerous piece — and another reason to think this group can push toward a championship run.
