#3 ranked Clemson baseball has had an outstanding season, and on Tuesday, May 21, three terrific Tigers were announced as recipients of All-ACC honors.
Freshman pitcher Aidan Knaak (first team), second baseman Blake Wright (second team), and outfielder Cam Cannarella (third team) all brought home the hardware, and all three have been exemplary on the diamond this season for Clemson baseball. Knaak’s selection was even historic. He became the Tigers’ first freshman pitcher since Ryan Mottl in 1997 to take home first-team conference honors.
Knaak has indeed been sensational in his first season at Clemson. Entering the ACC Tournament, Aidan has compiled a 5-1 record and 2.96 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 97 batters in 76 innings pitched. He has allowed only 12 extra-base hits all season, and the Tigers are 12-1 when Knaak starters.
Blake Wright, meanwhile, has been the offensive mainstay for Clemson baseball. Batting a blistering .341, Wright leads the Tigers with 21 home runs and 70 RBI and has recorded eight doubles and two triples. He has scored 62 runs and slugged .677 in 53 games. Blake has a sparking fielding percentage of .961, committing just six errors in 153 chances. He was a third team All-ACC selection in 2022 as well.
Cannarella was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2023, and the talented outfielder has once again been one of the top contributors for Clemson baseball. Cam sports a .332 batting average with 16 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, and 51 RBI in 51 games. Cannarella has scored 50 runs and has an on-base percentage of .411 while recording 25 multi-hit games.
Clemson baseball is 40-13 overall and enters the ACC Tournament as the number two seed. The Tigers are coming off a sweep of Boston College to end the regular season. Undoubtedly, Knaak, Wright, and Cannarella are major reasons for Clemson’s success in 2024 and the Tigers’ dreams of returning to Omaha for the College Baseball World Series.
