CLEMSON – A third Clemson pitcher has been selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. 

Justin Leguernic, a left-hander, was taken at pick No. 180 by the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, following Aidan Knaak and Blake Bryant as the first Tigers to be drafted in this cycle.

Taken in round six, the Dix Hills, N.Y., native became the seventh Tiger pitcher (or signee) drafted in the first seven rounds over the last three years.

At Clemson, Leguernic started his three-year career in 2024, making nine appearances and one start. He gave up five earned runs and struck out 10 in 6.2 innings of work. 

As a sophomore, the 6-foot-4 athlete got much more time on the mound, starting six games and making 12 appearances. Leguernic finished that year with an 0-3 record and a 9.12 Earned Run Average, though he did strike out 33 in 24.2 innings.

The highlight of that season came on March 2 that year, when he pitched four scoreless innings against South Carolina en route to a sweep over the Tigers’ rival. The hurler struck out six in four innings.

Leguernic’s best season at Clemson came his junior year, when he was used primarily as a long reliever, getting some opportunities as a closer as well.

With a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s, Leguernic held a 4.69 ERA across 19 appearances and 40.1 innings of work, a high among all relievers and third-most on the team.

The southpaw finished with 10 scoreless outings and had a season-best six strikeouts twice, against Army West Point and Boston College. He finished the year allowing 21 earned runs, 21 walks and 50 strikeouts, third-most on the team behind Knaak and starter Michael Sharman.

He joins Knaak as the second player in the 2023 high school class to be selected this season by the Tigers, and the 11th ACC pitcher to be selected.

Pitcher Mack Anglin was the most recent Tiger to become a Royal, getting drafted in the seventh round in 2022.