CLEMSON BASEBALL

Wilkerson (17)  says the call-up is
Wilkerson (17) says the call-up is "a very special moment" after some tough times recently.

Former Clemson 2B called up to MLB


by - Staff Writer -

Former Clemson infielder Steve Wilkerson was called up by the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

Wilkerson was drafted in the eighth round by the Orioles in 2014. He has hit .290 with three home runs and nine RBIs over 16 games this season with Triple-A Norfolk. Wilkerson hit .294 at the Double-A level with six home runs and .323 at the A-level last season.

He served a 50-game suspension for testing positive for amphetamines into the early part of the 2018 season.

“This is a very special moment,” Wilkerson told reporters Tuesday. “Regardless of how my season started, I’m very happy and very fortunate to be here right now and I’m really looking (forward) to it. … It was a very difficult time. The last few months of the offseason and spring training and the first few months of the season were difficult and I made the decision at that time to try to put my best foot forward and go about it in a way that I was continuing to prepare myself as best I could for when I got the opportunity to play.”

The Roswell, Georgia native was a first switch hitter in the Clemson lineup in a decade and was a three-time second-team All-ACC member, who hit .291 with 47 doubles, 11 home runs, 115 RBIs, 131 runs and 29 steals over four seasons.

Wilkerson is a sixth former Tiger to make a MLB roster this season, joining Daniel Gossett (RHP Oakland A's; currently on DL), Spencer Kieboom (C Washington Nationals), Dominic Leone (RHP St. Louis Cardinals; on DL), Brad Miller (SS Milwaukee Brewers; currently in minors after trade from Tampa Bay) and Tony Sipp (LHP Houston Astros).

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