Sam Clay

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Sam Clay
Clay with the Washington Nationals in 2022
High Point Rockers – No. 32
Pitcher
Born: (1993-06-21) June 21, 1993 (age 32)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 7, 2021, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win–loss record0–5
Earned run average5.90
Strikeouts39
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Samuel Thomas Hunter Clay (born June 21, 1993) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. The Minnesota Twins selected Clay in the fourth round of the 2014 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Nationals in 2021.

Amateur career

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Clay attended Buford High School in Buford, Georgia.[1] He enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Professional career

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Minnesota Twins

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As a draft-eligible sophomore, the Minnesota Twins selected Clay in the fourth round, with the 110th overall pick, of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He made his professional debut with the rookie-level Elizabethton Twins, recording a 5.59 ERA with 44 strikeouts across 19 games. Clay split the 2015 campaign between Elizabethton and the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, accumulating a combined 1-6 record and 3.61 ERA with 73 strikeouts over 72+1⁄3 innings.[3]

Clay split the 2016 season between Single-A Cedar Rapids and the High-A Fort Myers Miracle, accumulating a 6-7 record and 4.60 ERA with 115 strikeouts across 115+1⁄3 innings pitched.[4] In 2017, he made 43 relief appearances for Fort Myers and the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, registering a cumulative 9-0 record and 1.87 ERA with 67 strikeouts and nine saves across 67+1⁄3 innings of work.[5] Clay returned to Chattanooga in 2018, logging a 2-6 record and 5.88 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched across 34 appearances.[6]

In 2019, Clay played for the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. In 45 appearances split between the two affiliates, he compiled a 4-4 record and 3.25 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 10 saves across 69+1⁄3 innings pitched.[7] In 2020, he was a non-roster invitee to Minnesota's 60-man player pool, working out at the alternate training site at CHS Field in St. Paul.[8] The season was subsequently cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The Twins never added Clay to their major league roster, and he became a minor league free agent after the 2020 season on November 2, 2020.[10]

Washington Nationals

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On November 18, 2020, the Washington Nationals announced they had signed Clay to a major league contract, adding him to a major league roster for the first time in his playing career.[11] On April 6, 2021, Clay was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[12] He made his MLB debut the next day, throwing a shutout inning against the Atlanta Braves. Clay made 58 appearances for Washington during his rookie campaign, compiling an 0-5 record and 5.60 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 45 innings of work.[13]

Clay made six appearances for the Nationals in 2022, struggling to a 10.38 ERA with three strikeouts in 4+1⁄3 innings pitched.[14] He was designated for assignment by Washington on July 1, 2022.[15]

On July 5, 2022, the Philadelphia Phillies claimed Clay off of waivers from the Nationals.[16] He did not appear for the organization before was designated for assignment on July 8, following Kent Emanuel's activation from the injured list.[17]

New York Mets

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On July 10, 2022, Clay was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.[18] He tossed one scoreless inning of relief before he was designated for assignment on August 20.[19] Clay cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple–A Syracuse Mets on August 23.[20] In 19 games in Syracuse, Clay registered a 3.97 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 22+2⁄3 innings of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.[21]

Detroit Tigers

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On December 12, 2022, Clay signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks that included an invitation to spring training.[22] Clay was released by the organization prior to the start of the season on March 24, 2023.[23]

On April 30, 2023, Clay signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers organization.[24][25] In 42 games for the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens, he logged a 6–3 record and 5.16 ERA with 53 strikeouts across 52+1⁄3 innings of work. Clay elected free agency following the season on November 6.[26]

Olmecas de Tabasco

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On May 26, 2024, Clay signed with the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League.[27] In 16 games for Tabasco, he struggled to a 7.15 ERA with 11 strikeouts across 11+1⁄3 innings pitched. Clay was waived by the Olmecas on July 4.[28]

Leones de Yucatán

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On July 5, 2024, Clay was claimed off waivers by the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League.[29] In 11 games for Yucatán, he logged a 1–1 record and 3.48 ERA with 13 strikeouts across 10+1⁄3 innings pitched.

Rieleros de Aguascalientes

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On October 23, 2024, Clay was traded to the Rieleros de Aguascalientes in exchange for Shea Spitzbarth.[30] In 21 appearances for Aguascalientes in 2025, he compiled a 1-0 record and 5.89 ERA with 18 strikeouts across 18+1⁄3 innings pitched. Clay was released by the Rieleros on June 5, 2025.[31]

Pericos de Puebla

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On June 11, 2025, Clay signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League. In four appearances for Puebla, he struggled to a 10.80 ERA with no strikeouts and one saves across 1+2⁄3 innings pitched. Clay was released by the Pericos on June 20.[32]

High Point Rockers

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On July 24, 2025, Clay signed with the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[33]

Pitching style

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Clay is noted as an extreme groundball pitcher who rarely allows home runs. His pitching arsenal includes a sinking fastball and an above-average curveball.[34]

References

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  1. ^ "Buford's Clay signs baseball scholarship with Georgia Tech".
  2. ^ "Clay drafted by Minnesota in fourth round". Georgia Tech. June 6, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  3. ^ "Sam Clay - Stats - Pitching". fangraphs.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  4. ^ "Sam Clay, Miles Nordgren and Daniel Kihle promoted to Fort Myers". milb.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  5. ^ "Minnesota Twins 2017 Minor League Awards". puckettspond.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  6. ^ "Sam Clay - Baseball Statistics". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "Clay 'shell-shocked' by contract with Nats". mlb.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  8. ^ "Twins' Sam Clay: Part of 60-man player pool". CBS Sports. June 29, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  9. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  10. ^ "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Reddington, Patrick (November 18, 2020). "Washington Nationals sign Sam Clay to major league deal..." Federal Baseball. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  12. ^ "Nationals Set Opening Day Roster". April 6, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sam Clay 2021 pitching Stats Per Game". espn.com. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  14. ^ "Sam Clay 2022 pitching Stats Per Game". espn.com. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  15. ^ "Nationals Designate Sam Clay For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  16. ^ "Phillies Claim Sam Clay". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  17. ^ "Phillies Designate Sam Clay For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  18. ^ "Mets Claim Sam Clay Off Waivers, Designate Jake Reed". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  19. ^ "Mets Select Nate Fisher, Designate Sam Clay". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  20. ^ "Mets' Sam Clay: Remains in organization". cbssports.com. August 24, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  21. ^ "2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams". baseballamerica.com. November 13, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  22. ^ "Reno Aces on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  23. ^ "Transactions".
  24. ^ "Tigers Sign Sam Clay To Minor League Deal". May 2023.
  25. ^ "Tigers' Sam Clay: Catches on with Detroit". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  26. ^ "2023 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  27. ^ @OlmecasTabasco (May 26, 2024). "D💣ming💣 de bienvenidas estelares. El estadounidense Sam Clay lanzará lumbre con la camiseta Olmeca 😎 #SomosOlmecas👊🏽⚾️" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved May 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
  28. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 4 de julio de 2024". milb.com. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  29. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 5 de julio de 2024". milb.com (in Spanish). Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  30. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 23 de octubre de 2024". milb.com. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
  31. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 5 de junio de 2025". lmb.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  32. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 20 de junio de 2025". lmb.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  33. ^ "High Point Rockers Add Former MLB Hurler Sam Clay to Roster". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  34. ^ Adams, Steve (November 18, 2020). "Nationals Sign Sam Clay To Major League Contract". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
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