Clarke Schmidt

Clarke Schmidt was born on February 20, 1996, in Acworth, Georgia. He attended Allatoona High School in Acworth. Following high school, Schmidt played college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks. During his freshman year, he appeared in 18 games, starting 10, and recorded a 2–2 win-loss record with a 4.81 earned run average (ERA) and 55 strikeouts. In his sophomore year, Schmidt became the team’s ace, pitching in 18 games with 17 starts, achieving a 9–5 record with a 3.40 ERA and 129 strikeouts. His junior season in 2017 saw him continue as the team’s primary starter before undergoing Tommy John surgery in April 2017.

The New York Yankees selected Schmidt in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft as the 16th overall pick. He signed with the Yankees on June 24, 2017, for a $2,184,300 signing bonus. Due to his surgery, he did not play in 2017. Schmidt made his professional debut in 2018, playing for the GCL Yankees and the Staten Island Yankees, where he recorded a 0–3 record with a 3.09 ERA over 23.1 innings. In 2019, he progressed to the High-A Tampa Tarpons and was later promoted to the Double-A Trenton Thunder, demonstrating steady career advancement.

Schmidt made his Major League Baseball debut on September 4, 2020, as a relief pitcher for the New York Yankees. In 2021, he was placed on the 60-day injured list due to a right elbow strain but returned to Triple-A. He earned his first major league win on April 19, 2022, and recorded his first career save on July 24, 2022, against the Baltimore Orioles. That season, he made 14 starts, compiling a 4-4 record with a 3.32 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 78.2 innings. On July 10, 2025, it was announced that Schmidt would undergo a second Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 season.