The next couple of days could prove to be big ones for Clemson baseball.

Players who still have college eligibility and were selected in the recent MLB Draft have until Monday afternoon to sign with their respective teams.

One player The Clemson Insider is tracking is right-handed hurler Aidan Knaak, who has yet to sign after being taken by the Milwaukee Brewers with pick No. 163 in the fifth round.

Sources tell TCI that Clemson has stepped up to the plate in an effort to keep its star pitcher, and that Knaak is seriously considering returning for a fourth season with the Tigers. It has long been presumed that Knaak would head off to the professional ranks after three seasons, so getting him back would be a big boost for a program that saw its pitching staff hit hard by the draft. Justin LeGuernic, Drew Titsworth, Ariston Veasey and incoming freshman Blake Bryant were all taken in the first 11 rounds. Hayden Simmerson also transferred out.

Until a final decision is reached, the negotiations could certainly have different outcomes.

With the new eligibility rules that recently passed, giving student-athletes five years of eligibility, Knaak could return and not lose all of his draft leverage since he now has two more years he could play at the collegiate level.

Knaak had a down year in 2026, going 2-6 with a 5,81 ERA, but he still struck out 88 hitters in 57.1 innings pitched. However, he was a two-time All-ACC selection over his first two seasons and was the first Clemson hurler to accomplish that feat.

In 231.0 career innings pitched over 44 starts, he is 16-8 with a 4.29 ERA, .239 opponents’ batting average and 306 strikeouts against 81 walks. He is second in Tiger history in strikeouts per nine innings pitched (11.92), sixth in strikeouts, ninth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.78) and tied for ninth in starts on the mound. Clemson was 32-12 in games in which Knaak started.

Stay tuned to TCI as we continue to track this story over the coming days.