A former Clemson Tigers star baseball player has made his MLB debut.
Former Clemson Tigers star catcher Cooper Ingle has made his MLB debut. The Cleveland Guardians drafted Ingle in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB June Amateur Draft.
Ingle played for three seasons with the Tigers, slashing .063/.211/.063 with three RBIs in 20 at-bats in his freshman season. In his sophomore year, he had a breakout campaign, slashing .351/.449/.526 with eight home runs, 44 RBIs, 52 runs, and a .975 OPS.
Ingle played well again in his junior year, slashing .328/.417/.461 with six home runs, 34 RBIs, 60 runs, and an .878 OPS.
Following his career at Clemson, Ingle went on to play in the Minor Leagues and performed well. In 87 games in A+, Ingle slashed .309/.439/.480 with nine home runs, 65 RBIs, 53 runs, and a .919 OPS.
Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesIn Double-A, Ingle played well across 117 games, slashing .275/.388/.436 with 11 home runs, 61 RBIs, 64 runs, and an .824 OPS.
Ingle also played at a high level in Triple-A, slashing .260/.405/.481 with 13 home runs, 47 RBIs, 46 runs, and an .886 OPS.
The 24-year-old has now been called up to the Guardians and has appeared in three games thus far. In seven at-bats, Ingle is slashing .143/.400/.143 with two RBIs, a run, and a .543 OPS.
While he hasn't been great thus far, it's been a limited sample size, and Ingle has shown his talent during his time with the Tigers and in the Minor Leagues. He has also shown his versatility with the ability to play left field despite primarily being a catcher.
Ingle was the third-ranked prospect in Cleveland's farm system per MLB Pipeline. He will look to continue to develop his game as he adjusts to MLB pitching, but the former Tiger has the talent to become an everyday player for the Guardians.
"The swing was the swing and I happened to find a hole," Ingle said after collecting two RBIs on his first hit. "I kind of just blacked out, but in my brain I knew it was a hit, I guess, and mentally freaked out. I was pumped and excited to get that first one."
Clemson Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Clemson. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
