Clarke Schmidt

Clarke Schmidt was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft as the 16th overall pick, signing with the team for a $2,184,300 bonus on June 24, 2017. Prior to his professional career, Schmidt played college baseball for the South Carolina Gamecocks, where in 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. During his sophomore year in 2016, he emerged as the team’s ace, pitching in 18 games with 17 starts, achieving an impressive 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, leading to him not playing during his draft year.

He made the Yankees Opening Day roster for the 2022 season, a testament to his resilience and recovery. That year proved to be a significant milestone, as 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. Throughout the 2022 season, Schmidt made 14 starts, compiling a 4-4 record with a 3.32 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 78.2 innings. Looking ahead, on July 10, 2025, it was announced that Schmidt would undergo a second Tommy John surgery, concluding his 2025 season.