Clemson Baseball Star Earns Dick Howser Award Semifinalist Nod

This Clemson Tigers baseball pitcher has been one of the best pitchers in the ACC and in the country this season.

Clemson senior Lucas Mahlstedt (47) closes out the game against University of Louisville during the top of the ninth inning at Doug Kingsmore Stadum in Clemson, S.C. Friday, April 18, 2025. / Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lucas Mahlstedt, a key piece of the Clemson Tigers pitching staff, is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce in Florida announced 67 semifinalists on Thursday, with Mahlstedt making the list.

The award is given to the top amateur baseball player. Georgia’s Charlie Condon won the award last year. Three Clemson players have won the award previously — Seth Beer in 2016, Khalil Greene in 2002 and Kris Benson in 1996.

About Lucas Mahlstedt

The 6-foot-3 right-hander has emerged as one of the best closers in the country entering this weekend’s ACC finale series against Pittsburgh.

The Ormond Beach, Fla., native entered the series second in Division I with 15 saves, which is also tied for Clemson’s single-season record. He is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA, has allowed batters to hit .233 against him and has 54 strikeouts against six walks in 39.1 innings pitched.

He’s only spent two seasons at Clemson after transferring in from Wofford after two seasons with the Terriers. For his Tigers career, he is 6-1 with a 3.59 ERA and has allowed betters to hit .256 against him. He has struck out 93 and walked 21 in 92.2 innings in 50 outings. His 16 career saves are tied for sixth in program history.

In his 2024 season with the Tigers, he finished 4-1 with a 4.72 ERA and one save in 28 relief appearances. He gave up 56 hits, 15 walks and struck out 39 in 53.1 innings. He led Clemson in appearances and in relief appearances.

He was especially hard to deal with at home, as he was 4-0 with one save, a 2.41 ERA, .190 opponents’ batting average and 22 strikeouts against 12 walks in 33.2 innings pitched over 16 relief appearances.

He impressed scouts playing for Wareham in the Cape Cod League last summer, as he was 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 14 strikeouts in 12.2 innings pitched over eight relief appearances.

Before transferring to Clemson, he played his first two seasons of college baseball at Wofford, where he went 9-3 with six saves, along with a 4.23 ERA. He struck out 97 and walked 29 in 115 innings and 48 appearances as batters hit .239 off him.

During his final season with Wofford in 2023, he was No. 22 in the nation in WHIP at 1.08. He was also a semifinalist for national pitcher of the year, a first-team All-Southern Conference selection and earned all-SoCon Tournament honors.

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