CLEMSON — Clemson baseball pitcher Ariston Veasey was arrested after being charged with two counts of third-degree assault and battery, public disorderly conduct and unlawful use or fraudulent application for a license stemming from a Jan. 11 altercation at ROAR Clemson Bar downtown, according to a Clemson Police Department incident report obtained by The Greenville News through a public records request.
According to reports, around 1:31 a.m., Officer Clayten Barnes was “stopped” by a ROAR employee who told him a customer was fighting inside and punched him.
On the way to the fight, Barnes was told the suspect, Vesey, was “pinned down by another customer.” When Barnes and Officer Tyler Cantrell arrived, Vesey was released and the officers handcuffed him.
Vesey, 20, was escorted to Barnes’ patrol car and told he was under arrest after another man, whose name was redacted from the report, told officers he had also been punched in the face. During a search of Vesey, police found a fake Georgia driver’s license, prompting the pitcher to initially be charged with public disorderly conduct and possession of a false ID (first offense).
The two men Vesey allegedly assaulted refused to press assault charges at the time, but ROAR issued him with a trespass notice.
An arrest warrant was subsequently issued after the Jan. 11 incident, records show. Veasey was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and battery on Jan. 14 and released on a $930 personal recognizance bond.
Clemson Athletics declined to comment for this story.
In South Carolina, third-degree assault and battery are misdemeanors. Upon conviction, a person convicted of third-degree assault and battery must be fined not more than $500, imprisoned for not more than 30 days, or both. Disorderly conduct in public and using a false ID are also misdemeanors.
According to the Clemson Athlete Handbook, “For all other misdemeanor charges/convictions, the head coach will recommend action within seven days and impose sanctions with concurrence of the designated CUAD administrator.”
Clemson University’s student newspaper, The Tiger, was first to report.
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Who is Ariston Vesey?
The 6-foot-1 Vesey transferred to Clemson this season after two years at Alabama. The Georgia native appeared in five games with the Crimson Tide in 2025, posting a 9.82 ERA in 3⅔ innings.
Vesey is a junior right-handed pitcher who will likely be Clemson’s reliever this season.
Clemson begins spring training on Jan. 13. The Tigers will open the season against Army West Point on Feb. 13 (4 p.m. ET) at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Derian Carter covers Clemson athletics for the Greenville News and USA TODAY Network. Please email DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter), @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared in The Greenville News: Ariston Vesey, Clemson baseball pitcher arrested on assault, battery charges