The Covid-19 compressed edition of the MLB Draft ended Thursday night. The two day affair was limited to only five full rounds three supplemental runds, and 160 picks. Coastal Carolina righthander Zach McCambley was the first in-state player taken Thursday, going to the Marlins in Round 3 with the 75th pick. Clemson lefthander Sam Weatherly went six picks later to the Rockies. USC’s top pitching recruit for the 2020 class, 6-8 Luke Little of San Jacinto JC, TX, was taken in the 4th round with pick #117 by the Cubs. And Clemson righthander Spencer Strider was drafted by the Braves in Round 4 with pick #126.
Here’s the Clemson release on Weatherly and Strider
Weatherly (Howell, Mich.), Clemson’s highest-drafted pitcher since 2014 (Daniel Gossett), was a third-team All-American and Clemson’s Friday starter in 2020. He had a 2-0 record with an 0.79 ERA, .096 opponents’ batting average and 43 strikeouts in 22.2 innings pitched over four starts. He had at least eight strikeouts in all four starts and at least 10 strikeouts in each of his last three starts.
In his career, Weatherly is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA, .195 opponents’ batting average and 106 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched over 33 appearances (nine starts). He was the first Tiger chosen by the Rockies since 2013 (Scott Firth).
Strider (Knoxville, Tenn.), who missed the 2019 season due to an arm injury, had an 0-0 record, a 4.50 ERA, .271 opponents’ batting average and 19 strikeouts against just three walks in 12.0 innings pitched over four starts in 2020.
In his career, he is 5-2 with one save, a 4.71 ERA, .226 opponents’ batting average and 89 strikeouts in 63.0 innings pitched over 26 appearances (10 starts). He was the first Tiger chosen by the Braves since 2018 (Jake Higginbotham).
With the two picks, Clemson has had 29 draft selections (which includes three Tigers drafted twice) in five seasons under Head Coach Monte Lee. The 29 draft picks are tied for 11th most in the nation and are third most in the ACC from 2016-20.
None of Clemson’s 2021 newcomers were selected in the five-round draft.
Here’s the Coastal Carolina release on McCambley
Coastal Carolina baseball’s Zach McCambley was selected by the Miami Marlins as the 75th pick overall in the third round of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft on Thursday, June 11.
With the pick, McCambley becomes the 14th Chanticleer to be taken in the first five rounds of the annual MLB draft and the first since Michael Paez was taken in the fourth round by the New York Mets in 2016.
He is also just the seventh Chant to be selected in the top three rounds of the draft and the highest pick since Jacob May went in the third round as the 91st pick to the Chicago White Sox in 2013.
With his selection as the 75th pick overall, he is the fifth-highest pick in Coastal Carolina history (Mickey Brantley – 35th, Kirt Manwaring – 35th, Anthony Meo – 63rd, and Mike Costanzo – 65th).
As the Chants’ Friday night starter in 2020, McCambley was 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA, which included three quality starts on the mound. He threw 25.0 innings over four starts, striking out 32 batters, walking seven, and allowing just five earned runs. He held his opponents to a .208 batting average on the season, struck out six batters or more in each contest, and matched his career-high with 10 punch-outs versus Saint Joseph’s on Feb. 21.
Over his three years at Coastal Carolina, McCambley went from the bullpen to the ace of the rotation. He posted a 12-4 overall record with one save and a 3.89 ERA over 44 appearances, including 22 starts. He fanned 158 batters over 141 innings while allowing just 59 walks, a 2.7-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He recorded five quality starts and over his 22 starts, the Chants posted a 16-6 record overall.
