Blake Wright has excelled for Clemson on and off the field
CLEMSON, S.C. (BVM) – Blake Wright has become a vital part of the Clemson baseball program over the course of his three years there. The junior infielder hit .261 this regular season with 7 home runs and 44 RBIs.
He was a big reason why the Tigers finished the year with a 39-17 record.
Blake Wright plays the hero for #16 Clemson as he sizzles a walk-off single into left to lift the Tigers to a 5-4 win and their 7th consecutive ACC series win! Not only will the Tigers host, but a top-8 National seed is also well within reach. pic.twitter.com/oBRXRzWaq3
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) May 20, 2023
Wright, a Belleair, Florida, native, grew up on baseball. His father is from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series. The sport runs deep in the Wright family, and to no surprise, Blake started playing very early.
“Pretty much right out of the womb I was hitting whiffle balls in the house,” Wright joked.
Despite spending his whole life in Florida, Wright adopted the Philadelphia fandom from his dad, and luckily for him, the Phillies spent their spring training in nearby Clearwater. He was a regular every year at the now-named BayCare Ballpark and quickly realized he wanted to be just like his idols.
“From a young age, I knew that was something I wanted to be one day,” Wright said.
As he matured and got into high school, the possibility became more and more likely.
Wright began receiving calls from colleges as a high school sophomore and would soon commit to the local University of South Florida. But after a coaching change, Wright considered all of his opportunities and found his home at Clemson.
“It’s an amazing school for sports, it’s an amazing academic school, but it just has an amazing culture overall,” Wright said. “It has everything you’d want in a school.”
Three years into his collegiate career, he has become quite the ambassador for the university. Not only is Wright a two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member, but he is also always helping out in the Clemson community.
One of his more notable contributions is the time that he has spent helping out with the Miracle League. The league is designed to help kids with physical and mental disabilities find their passion for baseball.
The Miracle League creates positive life experiences for individuals with special needs and rewarding volunteer experiences through baseball. I was very fortunate to work with this organization through @tigerimpactnil pic.twitter.com/WJtl54c9pR
— Blake Wright (@BlakeWr86324186) May 1, 2023
“It was amazing working with those kids,” Wright said. “Just seeing the smiles on their faces and how happy they are regardless of their situation.”
Wright will likely have the opportunity to make an impact on a larger scale in the near future.
The Tiger third baseman is viewed as an MLB draft prospect and he could hear his name called early on in July. But he remains focused on the postseason.
Blake Wright with his second bomb of the day! @BlakeWr86324186 (we love the Twitter handle)
pic.twitter.com/gqgVhjp0vw— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) February 17, 2023
“If you put your full focus on it, it is going to end up hurting the team and hurting yourself,” Wright said. “I just try to go day-by-day, trying to get better every day.”
Wright is looking to finish out the Clemson season with a bang with a National title, and beyond that, he is hoping to be a difference-maker in the sport.
He remembers all the Phillies’ players he idolized and hopes he can have a similar impact on the next generation.
“I’d love to build a platform for myself where I can inspire other players,” Wright said. “That would be the ultimate goal.”
