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Clemson baseball’s first player is officially off the board.
Right-handed pitcher Aidan Knaak was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the No. 163 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, ending one of the most successful pitching careers in recent Tigers history.
The slot value for the selection is $425,400 before any bonus pool adjustments. Knaak entered the draft ranked as MLB.com’s No. 210 overall prospect and D1Baseball’s No. 149 college prospect after also earning an invitation to the MLB Draft Combine.
Knaak made an immediate impact when he arrived at Clemson in 2024. He went 5-1 with a 3.35 ERA over 15 starts as a freshman, striking out 108 batters in 83.1 innings while holding opponents to a .221 batting average.
His freshman campaign earned him National Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors from the NCBWA, making him just the second Clemson player to receive a national freshman-of-the-year award after Seth Beer in 2016. He also became the first Clemson pitcher to earn All-American recognition as a freshman and the first Tiger pitcher to be named first-team All-ACC in his first season.
Knaak followed that up with another outstanding year in 2025, finishing 9-1 with a 4.18 ERA across 16 starts. He struck out 110 batters in 90.1 innings, and Clemson went 13-3 in games he started. That performance earned him first-team All-ACC honors for a second straight season.
His junior year was more challenging. Knaak finished 2-6 with a 5.81 ERA in 57.1 innings, although his swing-and-miss ability remained among the nation’s best. He struck out 88 hitters and ranked seventh nationally in strikeouts per nine innings, while also finishing second in the ACC in that category and eighth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Despite the ups and downs in 2026, Knaak reached another career milestone in May, becoming just the seventh pitcher in Clemson history to record 300 career strikeouts. He wrapped up his three seasons with a 16-8 record, a 4.29 ERA and 306 strikeouts compared to just 81 walks.
With the NCAA’s new “5-in-5” eligibility rule taking effect, Knaak technically had the option of returning to Clemson for another season. Instead, he begins his professional career with Milwaukee as the first Clemson player selected in this year’s draft.
MLB.com’s scouting report praised Knaak’s advanced changeup, calling it his best pitch thanks to its deception and movement. Scouts noted he commands his 91-93 mph fastball well, even without overpowering velocity, but pointed to the regression of his breaking pitches during his junior season as a key reason for his uneven results. The outlet projects Knaak as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter if he can return to the form that made him one of the ACC’s top pitchers during his first two years at Clemson.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson standout pitcher is first Tiger selected in the 2026 MLB Draft
Continue reading...
Right-handed pitcher Aidan Knaak was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers with the No. 163 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, ending one of the most successful pitching careers in recent Tigers history.
The slot value for the selection is $425,400 before any bonus pool adjustments. Knaak entered the draft ranked as MLB.com’s No. 210 overall prospect and D1Baseball’s No. 149 college prospect after also earning an invitation to the MLB Draft Combine.
Knaak made an immediate impact when he arrived at Clemson in 2024. He went 5-1 with a 3.35 ERA over 15 starts as a freshman, striking out 108 batters in 83.1 innings while holding opponents to a .221 batting average.
His freshman campaign earned him National Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors from the NCBWA, making him just the second Clemson player to receive a national freshman-of-the-year award after Seth Beer in 2016. He also became the first Clemson pitcher to earn All-American recognition as a freshman and the first Tiger pitcher to be named first-team All-ACC in his first season.
Knaak followed that up with another outstanding year in 2025, finishing 9-1 with a 4.18 ERA across 16 starts. He struck out 110 batters in 90.1 innings, and Clemson went 13-3 in games he started. That performance earned him first-team All-ACC honors for a second straight season.
His junior year was more challenging. Knaak finished 2-6 with a 5.81 ERA in 57.1 innings, although his swing-and-miss ability remained among the nation’s best. He struck out 88 hitters and ranked seventh nationally in strikeouts per nine innings, while also finishing second in the ACC in that category and eighth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Despite the ups and downs in 2026, Knaak reached another career milestone in May, becoming just the seventh pitcher in Clemson history to record 300 career strikeouts. He wrapped up his three seasons with a 16-8 record, a 4.29 ERA and 306 strikeouts compared to just 81 walks.
With the NCAA’s new “5-in-5” eligibility rule taking effect, Knaak technically had the option of returning to Clemson for another season. Instead, he begins his professional career with Milwaukee as the first Clemson player selected in this year’s draft.
MLB.com’s scouting report praised Knaak’s advanced changeup, calling it his best pitch thanks to its deception and movement. Scouts noted he commands his 91-93 mph fastball well, even without overpowering velocity, but pointed to the regression of his breaking pitches during his junior season as a key reason for his uneven results. The outlet projects Knaak as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter if he can return to the form that made him one of the ACC’s top pitchers during his first two years at Clemson.
Congrats, @aidan_knaak️
️
The junior RHP was drafted in the fifth round (No. 163 overall) by the @Brewers
— Clemson Baseball (@ClemsonBaseball) July 12, 2026
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson standout pitcher is first Tiger selected in the 2026 MLB Draft
Continue reading...
