The MLB Draft began yesterday and will continue through today, and while many Clemson fans had their eyes on current players like Jarren Purify and Aidan Knaak, one of the best players in the 2026 class may already be gone after just one day.
During the Competitive Balance Round A (CB-A), the Arizona Diamondbacks selected right-handed pitcher Blake Bryant - a Clemson commit since September 2025 - with the No. 31 overall pick of the MLB Draft. He ranked as the No. 65 overall draft prospect, according to Major League Baseball .
For those who don't know, the CB-A is a set of bonus picks that's given by the MLB to teams that rank near the bottom in revenue or market size. The picks are slotted in right after the traditional first-round wraps up. Coincidentally, the Miami Marlins selected former Clemson outfielder Cam Cannarella with the 43rd overall pick in the CB-A last year.
It's not certain yet that he'll forgo his collegiate career, but it's the likely outcome. It's a pattern we've seen before with Clemson commits like Bubba Chandler (Pittsburgh Pirates) , Dax Kilby ( New York Yankees ), Dillon Head (San Diego Padres/Miami Marlins) and, most recently, Ryan Wideman ( San Diego Padres ).
Kilby and Head both went in the first round, while Chandler and Wideman came off the board in the third. All four bypassed Clemson entirely - three of them straight out of high school - heading right to the minors to begin their development.
If Bryant does end up heading straight to the league, it'll be a huge loss for the Tigers as the 6-foot-6, right-handed hurler is not only one of the best pitchers in the nation, but one of the best overall players.
Coming out of Citizens Christian Academy, Bryant is the No. 44 overall player, the No. 7 player at his position and the No. 6 recruit in the state of Georgia, according to Perfect Game .
"His fastball already sits at 91-94 mph and tops out at 97 with ride and armside run, and Bryant should add more velocity as he gets stronger," his scouting report read. "He utilizes two different breaking balls, a sweeping low-80s slider with the potential to become a plus pitch and an upper-70s curveball. He also displays aptitude for a fading changeup, though it's a bit firm in the mid-80s."
"Bryant generates his solid arsenal with athleticism and arm speed. His stuff and control will fluctuate at times, which is typical of a lanky high schooler who's still developing physically, but he generally throws strikes. He has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter."
Now that we see why his potential is high enough to get selected inside the Top 35 of the MLB Draft, let's take a look at his numbers over the past few years.
Bryant has been listed on the Citizens Christian Academy's team roster since seventh grade, and while he didn't play that much in his first year, it's only been up from there.
Over the course of his six-year career with the Patriots, Bryant dominated not only on the mound but at the plate, too. Across 146 games (421 at-bats), he recorded a .371 batting average and a 1.091 OPS to go with 157 RBIs, 156 hits, 110 runs, 103 walks, 44 stolen bases, 38 doubles, 12 home runs and 10 triples.
Defensively, Bryant boasted a 1.67 ERA, 28-10 record and a .168 opponent batting average along with 421 strikeouts across 57 mound appearances and 256 innings pitched.
He also led Citizens Christian to back-to-back GIAA Class A state championships throughout his final two years with the program.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/clemson as Clemson RHP Commit Selected No. 31 Overall in 2026 MLB Draft .
