Clemson got a major boost on Monday when Aidan Knaak chose college baseball over the pros and announced he is coming back for his senior season.
The right-hander made the call just before the 5 p.m. deadline for players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft to decide whether they would sign or return to school. Knaak, who was taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round, will head back to Doug Kingsmore Stadium instead.
“I’m extremely grateful to the Brewers for believing in me and offering an incredible opportunity,” he said in the post. “After a lot of reflection, I’ve decided to return to Clemson for my senior year.”
The news was first reported by TheClemsonInsider’s Jason Priester before Knaak confirmed it later in the afternoon.
For Clemson head coach Erik Bakich, the decision fits right into an offseason that has centered on keeping key pieces in place. And this is a big one. Knaak is the only pitcher from last season’s starting rotation returning to the Tigers.
Knaak’s first two seasons in Tiger Town were loaded with production and records. The Fort Myers, Fla., native became the first player in program history to earn First Team All-ACC honors in both 2024 and 2025, doing it as a freshman and sophomore. He also set a freshman strikeout record with 108 in his debut season.
This past year was a tougher one. Knaak went 2-6 as a starter and posted career lows in innings pitched at 57.1, strikeouts at 88 and ERA at 5.81. Even so, his return gives Clemson a proven arm and a chance to reset after a difficult 2026.
Knaak was the first Tiger selected in this year’s draft, one of five Clemson players taken across the 20 rounds at the end of June. Given Milwaukee’s pitching track record in recent years, there was real uncertainty about whether he’d make it back to school.
Instead, Clemson gets him for another season, and Knaak also returns with two years of eligibility remaining. Because of the five-year eligibility rule and the fact that he did not redshirt in 2024, he can still play through the 2028 season if he chooses. He could always enter the draft again next year, but for now, Bakich has the kind of retention win he was looking for.
Now the focus shifts to getting Knaak back to the level he showed early in his Clemson career. That’s the next challenge.
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