Report: Michigan expected to hire Tracy Smith as its new baseball coach

Michigan has its new baseball coach. In fact, the Wolverines are hiring someone familiar with the Big Ten baseball landscape.

Michigan is set to hire Tracy Smith as its new headman, according to D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers. Smith previously served as the head coach at Arizona State and Indiana. He didn’t coach during the 2022 season, but will now get back into the game in Ann Arbor.

He’ll replace former head coach Erik Bakich, who recently left Michigan after nine seasons to take the head job at Clemson last month.

The Wolverines went 34-28 overall and 12-12 in Big Ten play this past season, but still made the NCAA Tournament field. Their season ended in the Regional round with two straight losses to Louisville in June.

Clemson baseball hires Erik Bakich away from Michigan

Clemson baseball is expected to hire Michigan head coach Erik Bakich to the same role, according to On3’s Matt Connolly. The report from Clemson Sports indicates the paperwork has not been signed at this time but he will inform his team on Wednesday and address his new school over Zoom shortly after.

Erik Bakich comes to Clemson after leading Michigan to the NCAA Tournament this season, where they competed in the Louisville Regional. He has led the Wolverines since 2013 and got them to the double-elimination postseason in five of the past seven seasons.

The well-respected coach started his career as an assistant at Clemson in 2002 before working under Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin for seven years. Before getting the head coach job at Michigan, he spent three seasons at Maryland.

Michigan baseball associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Nick Schnabel is joining Erik Bakich at Clemson, according to D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers. The reported move comes just after reports from On3’s Matt Connolly confirmed that the Wolverines’ head coach will make a move to the ACC and lead the Tigers into a new era.