High expectations have already been set for Clemson’s star outfielder Cam Cannarella, who was named Baseball America’s Preseason ACC Player-of-the-Year on Friday.
Cannarella etched his name in the minds of all Clemson fans in the final game of the Super Regionals against Florida last June, where he had a remarkable 10th inning. In a 9-6 ballgame with Clemson trailing in the top of the 10th, Cannarella smoked a three-run home run to even the score and keep the Tigers’ hopes alive. Now, if that sounded impressive, just wait until you hear what he did next.
In the bottom of the 10th, with the score tied 9-9 and a runner in scoring position with two outs, Florida’s Ashton Wilson ripped a ball deep to center field that looked to sail right over Cannarella’s head. Cannarella drop-stepped, sprinting full-speed backward, and made a leaping, over-the-shoulder catch in true Willie Mays fashion to save the Tigers’ season in that moment.
Unfortunately, the Tigers came up short after 13 innings, losing 13-10. Although the Tigers’ season came to an end, the praise for Cam Cannarella did not.
To make everything even more impressive, Cannarella announced in July that he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum he suffered in February. Cannarella played the entire season in spite of his injury, showcasing his resilience and determination to remain on the field no matter what.
Despite playing with a torn labrum, Cannarella still slashed .337/.417/.561 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) with 11 home runs, 16 doubles, and 60 RBI in 2024. He extended a 17-game hitting streak and a 25-game on-base streak, both spanning from May 2023 to March 2024. He was named ACC Player-of-the-Week on April 29.
Cannarella is confident he will be the same-caliber player after surgery. “Next year, I’ll have a way better season,” Cannarella said. He is expected to be back for the start of the 2025 season.
In his time at Clemson, Cannarella has a career .363 batting average with 32 doubles, 18 homers, 107 RBIs, 130 runs, and 24 steals across 117 starts. His freshman season was just as impressive as his sophomore season, when he slashed .388/.462/.560 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs in 59 starts. Cannarella was First-Team All-ACC Selection, All-ACC Freshman Selection, and won ACC Freshman-of-the-Year.
The eligible junior is projected to be a top 10 pick in the upcoming MLB draft. In October, MLB.com and MLB Pipeline had Cannarella as the No. 2-ranked prospect in collegiate baseball. As of January, Baseball America predicts Cannarella going No. 6 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. This would make him the highest-drafted position player in Clemson history.
What more does Cam Cannarella have up his sleeve for the 2025 season? We’ll find out soon as the Clemson baseball team opens their campaign on February 14 against Oklahoma State.
