South Carolina baseball alum Clarke Schmidt was taken in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees after a strong career in garnet and black. The pick was notable because Schmidt had Tommy John surgery right before the draft and was never considered an elite "stuff" pitcher even before the injury.
What Schmidt was, though, was a competitor. After going undrafted out of high school, he was excellent with the Gamecocks because he battled and pitched with command. Despite being smaller and less "naturally talented" than many other pitchers, Schmidt's hard work and competitive edge allowed him to be confident he could win on the mound anyway.
The Yankees believed in Schmidt when they drafted him, and that belief has paid off. Despite missing his first year as a professional while rehabbing from the elbow injury, Schmidt was called up to the Big Leagues by the time he was 24, and now, he has become the most underrated pitcher in all of Major League Baseball.
Dating back to last season, Schmidt has been outrageously consistent. The right-hander has not been elite on the mound from a total statistical standpoint, but he has taken the bump every fifth start and provided the Yankees with a competitive effort virtually every time he has had his number called.
In fact, since the start of last year, the former Gamecock has delivered 32 starts in which he has given up 3 or fewer runs, the second-most in Major League Baseball. Only Sonny Gray has more (33), and Schmidt plays half of his games in the not-so-pitcher-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium.
The Acworth, Georgia native also limits free passes. He was one of just 14 pitchers ranked inside the top-50 in innings pitched in 2023 to finish the season with 46 or fewer walks allowed, and his 32 starts were tied for 9th in the league. He averaged fewer than 1.5 walks per start, a number that will play well at any level.
This year has been slightly better for Schmidt than last year was as he has given up 3 or fewer runs in all 7 of his starts and walked 0 batters in 3 of the outings. His ERA currently sits at 3.50, and he is on pace for a career-high in strikeouts.
Schmidt will look to continue his success on Friday when the New York Yankees take on the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:50 PM EST at Tropicana Field. South Carolina baseball fans interested in catching Schmidt's start can tune in on the YES Network.