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Leone Returns Home

Leone Returns Home

Story & Visit Pictures By Brian Hennessy, Video By Don Munson // Athletic Communications

Former Tiger righthander Dominic Leone (2010-12) recently returned to campus to meet up with his former Clemson coaches and speak with the current Tiger pitchers. In just two years since being drafted after the 2012 season, he made his major league debut with the Seattle Mariners in 2014.

And Leone didn’t just make the team, he excelled.

In 66.1 innings pitched with the Mariners, he used his blazing fastball to register an 8-2 record, a 2.17 ERA and .217 opponents’ batting average along with 70 strikeouts against 25 walks in 57 appearances. It’s safe to say he had one of the best MLB rookie campaigns by a Tiger in history.

On his return trip to Clemson in January, when many former Tigers who are professionals return to work out, he stopped by the coaches offices in Jervey Athletic Center, where he reminisced about his time in Tigertown with Head Coach Jack Leggett and his pitching coach, Dan Pepicelli.

In the afternoon, he visited Doug Kingsmore Stadium, where he spoke with some of his former Clemson teammates, including righthanders Patrick Andrews and Kevin Pohle.

After practice, Pepicelli gathered the pitchers in the lockerroom, where Leone spent 30 minutes speaking with them, explaining some of the ups and downs of professional baseball as well as his time at Clemson.

It was Clemson Family at its best.

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