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Clemson baseball's Cam Cannarella picked No. 43 by Miami Marlins in 2025 MLB Draft
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- Clemson baseball's Cam Cannarella picked No. 43 by Miami Marlins in 2025 MLB Draft
(This was updated because of inaccurate information)
CLEMSON — Clemson baseball star outfielder Cam Cannarella was selected No. 43 overall by the Miami Marlins in the Competitive Balance Round A of the 2025 MLB Draft on July 13.
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Cannarella is Clemson and Tigers coach Erik Bakich's highest-drafted player since Caden Grice in 2023 (No. 64 by the Arizona Diamondbacks ). The No. 43 pick has a slot value of $2.28 million.
Here's what Cannarella brings to Miami, based on our own observations from his tenure at Clemson:
Cam Cannarella picked by Miami Marlins in 2025 MLB Draft
Cannarella, 6-foot and 185 pounds, played three seasons at Clemson, spending most of his time as its leadoff hitter. He batted .353 last season with five home runs (a career low) and a career-high 22 doubles. He also recorded 52 walks and stole six bases after stealing none a year prior.
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He battled a torn labrum in his right shoulder that limited him in 2024 and rebounded a bit in 2025 after getting offseason surgery. He is a line-drive hitter who can reach all parts of the field, and ended his career on a 22-game hitting streak. He also is an elite outfielder who has made plenty of acrobatic catches that prevented walk-off wins and home runs.
Cannarella won ACC freshman of the year in 2023 and earned multiple All-America honors in his career.
MORE: How Erik Bakich's Clemson baseball 2026 lineup could be impacted by MLB Draft
Cam Cannarella made plenty of clutch plays for Clemson baseball
Late-game heroics were Cannarella's calling card at Clemson. He crushed a tying three-run homer in the ninth inning in Game 2 of the Clemson Super Regional against Florida in 2024. He followed that up with one of the best baseball plays, making a leaping over-the-shoulder Willie Mays-style catch in deep center field with runners on first and second in the 10th inning.
Cannarella hit a two-run double to spark a three-run inning against USC Upstate in this year's Clemson Regional. He also hit a two-run homer in a four-run inning to tie the game against West Virginia in the winner's bracket of the regional.
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In 192 at-bats in 178 games, Cannarella recorded:
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.360 batting average
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23 home runs
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52 RBIs
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30 stolen bases
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Cam Cannarella: Clemson star picked by Miami Marlins in 2025 MLB Draft
