Florida State baseball has landed one of the most productive offensive catchers available in the transfer portal. Coy Clements, a redshirt sophomore out of Pearl River Community College, has committed to the Noles, giving Link Jarrett what could be a significant upgrade at a position that was suddenly wiped clean this offseason.
Let’s be upfront: these are JUCO numbers, and they always carry an asterisk when projecting to D-I competition. But some JUCO numbers demand your attention regardless, and Clements’ line this season is one of them.
In 61 games for Pearl River, Clements slashed .392/.532/.844 with 24 home runs, 71 RBIs, 63 runs scored, and a ridiculous 54 walks against only 34 strikeouts. The 24 home runs were a program record for the Wildcats. He earned First Team All-MACCC honors and was named the MACCC Player of the Year while helping lead Pearl River to a third consecutive MACCC Championship and the NJCAA Division II National Championship. That’s a loaded resume no matter the level of competition.
The 6-4, 220-pound right-handed hitter from Hattiesburg, Mississippi originally committed out of high school to Southern Miss, where he redshirted in 2025. He then transferred to Pearl River and had the kind of breakout season that puts programs on notice. After a coaching change at Houston opened a spot in his recruitment, he reopened his commitment and FSU quickly made its move.
Clements is a redshirt sophomore, so he comes in with two years of eligibility remaining. He is a draft-eligible player, but he has indicated he’s unlikely to turn pro early, which means the Noles could get two full years of production from a catcher with legitimate power upside.
Behind the dish, the numbers are quietly impressive for a catcher at this level. He posted a .995 fielding percentage over 416 total chances, threw out runners at a .264 clip on 14 of 53 steal attempts, and committed just two errors all season. There’s real catch-and-throw ability here to go with the offensive firepower. He did allow 7 passed balls, so there’s room for improvement there, but that depends heavily on the accuracy of his pitchers.
The context for this signing matters. FSU lost both of its starting catchers this offseason. Nate Cmeyla departed via attrition, and Jaxson West headed to the transfer portal. That left a gaping hole at one of the most important positions on a baseball field. You can’t just plug anyone back there and expect the pitching staff to function. Clements helps fill that void.
There’s also a bigger picture at play here. FSU’s offense was a concern in 2025 after the team lost key pieces and saw its power numbers decline. Clements is the second bonafide power threat Link Jarrett has targeted in this portal cycle, and the message is clear: the lack of pop that hurt the Noles a year ago is being addressed directly. Home runs were down roughly 25% from the previous season, and Jarrett isn’t letting that slide again.
The JUCO jump is real, though. Pitching is far better at the D-I level, parks are different, and the MACCC is not the ACC. History shows, though, that elite JUCO hitters with elite plate discipline can make the transition. The 54 walks versus 34 strikeouts in a single season tells you this is not a pure power swinger who sells out and chases. He works counts. That profile typically translates.
Clements played his high school ball at Oak Grove in Hattiesburg, where he was a two-time all-area selection and the MVP of the 2024 Crossroad Diamond Club 5A/6A/7A all-star game. He was also a second-team Class 7A All-State catcher by both the Mississippi Coaches Association and the Clarion-Ledger. The tools have been there for a long time. Pearl River just gave him the stage to put them on full display.
My main concern, honestly, is the translation. A .392 average and 24 home runs against JUCO competition is not the same as producing at that level in the ACC. We need him to be a solid, experienced catcher who can hit for power, manage a pitching staff, and give this team a threat in the middle of the order that it simply didn’t have often enough last year. If he comes in and hits .300 with around 15 home runs and handles the pitching staff well, that’s a win.
FSU is building something interesting in this portal class. Jarrett is clearly targeting players with physical upside and power profiles, and Clements fits that mold as well as anyone available. Stay tuned to your source for fan-focused FSU coverage here at Plant The Spear. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!