Senior righthander who was one of Clemson’s top relievers in 2020 and 2021 ... was a weekend starter during the first half of 2022, but was back in the bullpen in 2023 with his new delivery from the side as one of the team’s top relievers; started working on his new delivery in February 2023 ... two-time All-ACC Academic selection ... two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member ... in 146.2 innings pitched over 75 appearances (10 starts) and five seasons, he had a 17-3 record, one save and a 4.36 ERA while allowing 135 hits (.244 opponents’ batting average) and 71 walks with 147 strikeouts ... tied for sixth in Tiger history in winning percentage (85.0).
Career Stats
Senior righthander who was one of Clemson’s top relievers in 2020 and 2021 … was a weekend starter during the first half of 2022, but was back in the bullpen in 2023 with his new delivery from the side as one of the team’s top relievers; started working on his new delivery in February 2023 … two-time All-ACC Academic selection … two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member … in 146.2 innings pitched over 75 appearances (10 starts) and five seasons, he had a 17-3 record, one save and a 4.36 ERA while allowing 135 hits (.244 opponents’ batting average) and 71 walks with 147 strikeouts … tied for sixth in Tiger history in winning percentage (85.0).
2024: Team co-captain … NCBWA Stopper-of-the-Year Award Watch List member … All-ACC Academic selection … had a 2-0 record and 6.64 ERA in 15 relief appearances … in 20.1 innings pitched, he allowed 21 hits (.266 opponents’ batting average) and 13 walks with 23 strikeouts … did not allow a steal … held opponents to .095 with two outs, 0-for-15 with runners on base and two outs and 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and two outs … in 5.1 innings pitched after the eighth inning, he allowed two hits and no runs with six strikeouts … in 8.0 innings pitched over three relief appearances in night games, he allowed three hits (.120 opponents’ batting average) and no runs with seven strikeouts … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits and one walk with five strikeouts to earn the win against Xavier on Feb. 17 … pitched 1.1 hitless and scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts against No. 12 South Carolina on March 3 … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with three strikeouts to earn the win at Miami (Fla.) on March 29 … pitched 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with two strikeouts at Notre Dame on April 7 … pitched 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit, no runs and no walks with two strikeouts in the second game of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh on April 20 … pitched 4.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit, no runs and one walk with four strikeouts at No. 17 Georgia on April 23.
2023: Won the Stowe Award, given to the team’s most valuable pitcher … All-ACC Academic selection … ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had an 8-0 record and a 3.17 ERA in 24 relief appearances … in 48.1 innings pitched, he allowed 35 hits (.207 opponents’ batting average) and 27 walks with 53 strikeouts … tied for sixth in Tiger history in wins without a loss … tied for fourth in the ACC in wins … tied for the team lead in wins … his eight wins were the most without a loss in a season by a Tiger since 2006 … only allowed nine extra-base hits … held opponents to .143 with runners on base, .121 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-9 with five strikeouts with the bases loaded … allowed only seven of 26 inherited baserunners to score … had 62 groundball outs compared to 23 flyball outs … had a 5-0 record, 2.84 ERA, .198 opponents’ batting average and 36 strikeouts in 31.2 innings pitched over 13 relief appearances in ACC regular-season games … pitched 2.0 innings in relief, allowing no walks with one strikeout to earn the win in the second game of a doubleheader against Georgia State on March 11 … pitched 3.0 perfect innings in relief with four strikeouts to earn the win against Winthrop on March 21 … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing three hits, one run and no walks with two strikeouts at Georgia Tech on March 26 … pitched 4.2 innings in relief, allowing three hits, one run and one walk with eight strikeouts against No. 2 Wake Forest on March 31 … pitched 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with three strikeouts at Florida State on April 8 … pitched 1.2 hitless and scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts against Notre Dame on April 15 … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits, no runs and no walks with three strikeouts to earn the win against Notre Dame on April 16 … pitched 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one hit with four strikeouts at NC State on April 22 … pitched 4.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts to earn the win in the first game of a doubleheader at No. 11 Boston College on April 28 … pitched 1.1 innings in relief with three strikeouts to earn the win against No. 22 Louisville on May 6 … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with one strikeout to earn the win at Virginia Tech on May 13 … pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts to earn the win against North Carolina on May 18 … pitched 2.0 innings in relief with four strikeouts to earn the win against Lipscomb in the Clemson Regional on June 2.
2022: ACC Academic Honor Roll member … had an 0-1 record and a 5.97 ERA in 12 appearances (nine starts) … in 31.2 innings pitched, he allowed 40 hits (.301 opponents’ batting average) and 15 walks with 23 strikeouts … pitched 4.2 innings in a starting role, allowing four hits, one run and one walk with four strikeouts against South Carolina on March 6 … pitched 4.2 innings in a starting role, allowing three hits and one earned run with two strikeouts against No. 23 Miami (Fla.) on March 20 … pitched 3.0 innings in a starting role, allowing two hits and no earned runs with two strikeouts at No. 6 Notre Dame on April 10.
2021: Had a 6-2 record and a 4.30 ERA in 18 appearances (one start) … in 37.2 innings pitched, he allowed 35 hits (.241 opponents’ batting average) and 12 walks with 40 strikeouts … tied for ninth in the ACC in wins … led the team in wins … allowed only one steal in three attempts … pitched 2.1 innings in relief, allowing two hits and no walks with five strikeouts to earn the win against East Tennessee State on March 2 … pitched 1.1 perfect innings in relief against USC Upstate on March 9 … pitched 2.1 perfect innings in relief with five strikeouts against Georgia State on March 16 … pitched 3.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit, no runs and no walks with three strikeouts against No. 13 Virginia Tech on March 21 … pitched 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit with two strikeouts to earn the win against Georgia Southern at North Augusta, S.C. on March 23 … pitched 2.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with two strikeouts to earn the win in the first game of a doubleheader against Boston College on March 27 … pitched 4.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits and no runs with four strikeouts to earn the win at NC State on April 2 … pitched 2.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit, no runs and no walks with one strikeout against Virginia on April 11 … pitched 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no walks with one strikeout to earn the win in the first game of a doubleheader against Wake Forest on April 25 … pitched 4.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits, no runs and no walks with two strikeouts to earn the win against USC Upstate on May 5 … played for Wareham in the Cape Cod League in the summer, when he had a 3.43 ERA and 15 strikeouts against five walks in 18.1 innings pitched over five appearances (four starts).
2020: Received a redshirt from the NCAA with the season’s suspension on March 12 and cancellation due to a coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic … had a 1-0 record, one save and an 0.00 ERA in six relief appearances … in 8.2 innings pitched, he allowed four hits (.143 opponents’ batting average), no homers and four walks with eight strikeouts … did not allow a steal in four attempts … did not allow an extra-base hit … allowed only two of nine inherited baserunners to score … held lefthanded batters to 0-for-12 with one walk and four strikeouts … held opponents to 1-for-15 (.067) with runners on base, 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-9 with two outs … pitched 2.0 innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs with two strikeouts to record the save against Liberty on Feb. 15; was his first career appearance … pitched 2.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits, no runs and no walks with three strikeouts to earn his first career win against Stony Brook on Feb. 22 … pitched 2.1 innings in relief, allowing no hits and no earned runs with one strikeout against Winthrop on March 11 … No. 36 freshman in the nation in the preseason by Perfect Game … No. 8 freshman in the ACC in the preseason by Perfect Game.
Before Clemson: All-state selection … region pitcher-of-the-year … team MVP … lettered four times in baseball at York Comprehensive High School, where he was coached by Eddie Tisdale and Tripper Crisson.
Personal: His cousins, Chad and Drew, played baseball at USC Lancaster … graduated May 11, 2023 with a degree in parks, recreation & tourism management … earned a certificate on May 9, 2024 in athletic leadership in education … born Nicholas Bryant Clayton on April 10, 2001 in York, S.C.
• Favorite hobbies – Golfing, hunting and hanging out with friends• One fact that most people don’t know – Used to play the piano at a young age• Favorite food or candy – Bacon-wrapped duck and sour punch straws• Ideal vacation spot – Australia• Childhood hero – His father• One person, living or dead, to eat dinner with – LeBron James
My name is Nick Clayton and I am a Right Handed Pitcher at Clemson University! I plan to get into Real Estate when my playing career is over. I enjoy golfing, hunting, fishing, and trying new restaurants.
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