UNC Asheville right-handed pitcher Clay Edmondson was selected 430th overall by the San Diego Padres in the 14th round of the MLB Draft on July 14.
Edmondson is the 15th player to be drafted of out UNC Asheville and the highest-ever pick, according to a release from the school.
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Edmondson committed to Tennessee in the transfer portal in April, following three seasons at UNC Asheville. According to On3, Edmondson will sign with the Padres and forego his final season of eligibility with the Vols.
The Padres are managed by Mike Shildt, who was a utility infielder for UNC Asheville from 1987-90 and served as an assistant coach from 1992-93. In 2019, Shildt was inducted in the UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame.
Edmondson was the 2025 Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year after winning five games in 13 starts. He threw a Big South-best 81â…” innings in the regular season and tied for the league-lead with 87 strikeouts. His 2.20 ERA was 11th-best in the country and fifth all-time on Asheville’s single-season list.
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Over his three seasons, the redshirt junior from Greensboro totaled 156â…“ innings with156 career strikeouts, 59 walks and a career .259 batting average against.
Edmondson is the first Bulldog to be drafted since Ryan Dull was picked in the 32nd round of the 2012 draft. Dull would pitch for five seasons in the majors.
Evan Gerike is the high school sports reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times. Email him at egerike@citizentimes.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @EvanGerike.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: MLB Draft: UNC Asheville’s Clay Edmondson selected by San Diego Padres