It didn’t take Jared Kirven long to make his college choice.
Kirven, a sophomore catcher at Lexington, verbally committed to play at Clemson after visiting this weekend.
“They have been my No. 1 school from start,” Kirven said Monday. “My parents and I had talked it before we left that if they were going to offer, it would be a definite yes. I love everything about the school and the program.”
Kirven is the second Lexington baseball underclassman to commit to a Division I school. Pitcher Chase Williamson, a junior, committed to South Carolina before his sophomore season.
Kirven learned a lot backing up Nick Ciuffo, who is in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, as an eighth grader and then was the team’s starter last season.
Lexington coach Brian Hucks said Kirven, 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, struggled some at the plate last season, but his defense more than made up for it.
“He is a very advanced catcher at a young age,” Hucks said. “He is an outstanding receiver back there and does the little things that matters.”
Hucks said he has seen a noticeable improvement in Kirven’s offense during fall workouts and the sophomore has hit a couple of homers. Kirven said he added 25-30 pounds of weight, which has helped with his development.
“It started out this summer I made some big jumps,” Kirven said. “I got in the weight room and got stronger and my hands are a lot faster.”
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