The 2026 MLB Draft got underway yesterday in Philadelphia , with the first four rounds wrapping up on day one, and continues today with the remaining 16 rounds of the two-day event.
Over the first five rounds, there were a pair of Clemson players selected, including Tigers right-handed pitcher commit Blake Bryant , who went 31st overall, and three-year starter Aidan Knaak , who went 163rd overall.
Shortly after Knaak, the Kansas City Royals selected Clemson left-handed pitcher Justin LeGuernic with the No. 180 overall pick in the sixth round of the MLB Draft. He ranked as the No. 151 overall draft prospect, according to ESPN's prospect rankings .
The 6-foot-4 lefty has had a much different career than the other two drafted Tigers , as it wasn't always straight and narrow.
Coming out of the 2023 class, LeGuernic was one of the top players in the country, ranking as the No. 107 overall player, the No. 16 left-handed pitcher and the No. 3 recruit in the state of New York, according to Perfect Game .
Entering his first collegiate season, he was named the No. 36 freshman in the nation by Perfect Game. However, he ended up struggling as a reliever , allowing 11 walks, eight earned runs and six hits across nine games (one start) and 6.2 innings pitched, finishing with a 0-1 record.
LeGuernic then opened his sophomore season as a Top 70 player in his class, but continued to struggle while splitting reps between starter and reliever roles. Across 12 mound appearances (six starts), he finished with a 0-3 record while allowing 30 hits, 25 earned runs and 14 walks to 33 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched.
After a pair of underwhelming seasons, he transitioned into one of Clemson's full-time relievers ahead of 2026. As a junior, he boasted career highs of a 4.69 ERA and a 4-2 record, along with 50 strikeouts and three saves across 19 mound appearances and 40.1 innings pitched.
Most recently, LeGuernic's been getting extra work in with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod League - the same league where Clemson sophomore Danny Nelson has caught fire . Unfortunately, though, it hasn't been the same story for the draftee.
Across two starts and 6.2 innings pitched, LeGuernic has posted a 5.40 ERA, 2.100 WHIP and a 0-1 record to go with nine strikeouts.
Clemson Tigers on SI will remain updated with all the other Tigers who are selected throughout the event.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/clemson as Clemson Left-Handed Pitcher Selected in Sixth Round of 2026 MLB Draft .
