Clemson slugger Seth Beer taken in first round of Major League Baseball Draft by Astros

Scott Keepfer | The Greenville News

Clemson's pipeline to Houston continued Monday night, although this time it was a baseball player joining the fold.

The Houston Astros tapped Clemson slugger Seth Beer with the 28th pick of the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft Monday night, and former Clemson football stars Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins were quick to reach out to the junior outfielder.

"I was like, 'Wow,' and I felt like a little fan girl again," Beer said. "My dad, who loves football, said, 'Oh, you have his number?'

"And I said, 'No, you can't have it, dad.' "

Houston, which won last year's World Series, seemed like a highly desirable place for Beer to land.

"It's a big deal no matter where you go," Beer said Tuesday. "But when I heard my name, I thought what would it be like to play with some of those great players (in Houston)."

Beer will find out soon enough.

"This is my dream," he said.

Beer is the 14th player in Clemson history to be selected in the first round of the draft, which certainly came as no surprise to Clemson coach Monte Lee.

“You just don’t get the chance to coach a guy like Seth Beer maybe once in a lifetime, and that’s the truth,” Lee said after his team was eliminated from the Clemson Regional with a 19-6 loss to Vanderbilt Sunday night. “I certainly hope somebody takes him in the first round because they’re getting a heck of a hitter.”

Lee, and perhaps the Astros, got their wish Monday night.

Beer, a junior from Suwanee, Georgia, hit .301 this season with a team-leading 22 home runs, helping Clemson to a 47-16 record, the program’s highest win total since 2006.

Beer also led the team in runs (64), total bases (145), slugging percentage (.642). walks (54) and on-base percentage (.456).

“If you look at Clemson baseball, you’re looking at Seth Beer,” Lee said. “He is definitely the guy who represents our program as good as anybody.

“We’ve hosted three Regionals, we’ve won 40-plus games three consecutive years, so we’ve done some good things in this program the last three years while Seth Beer has been here and he has been a huge part of it. He’s won ball games for us time and time and time again.”

Also on Monday, Clemson signee Parker Meadows, an outfielder from Grayson, Georgia, was selected 44th overall by the Detroit Tigers.

The draft continued with rounds 3 through 10 starting on Tuesday, and Clemson pitcher Ryley Gilliam, a junior right-hander, was taken in the fifth round, 140th overall, by the New York Mets. Gilliam posted a 1.41 ERA and had 11 saves -- tied for the third-highest single-season total in program history -- in 2018.

Senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Miller was picked by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth round, 189th overall. Miller went 7-1 with a 2.51 ERA last season.

Senior catcher Chris Williams, who led Clemson with 72 RBIs and had 18 homers last season, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the eighth round at No. 244 overall.

Also on Tuesday, Clemson signee Charles Mack, an infielder from Williamsville, N.Y., was selected by the Twins in the sixth round, No. 184 overall.

The 2018 draft concludes Wednesday, and it didn't take long for a Clemson player to be tabbed. Junior lefty Jake Higginbotham was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round, No. 322 overall.

CLEMSON FIRST-ROUND MLB DRAFT PICKS

2018: Seth Beer, OF (Astros)

2012: Richie Shaffer, 3B/1B (Rays)

2010: Kyle Parker, OF (Rockies)

2007: Daniel Moskos, LHP (Pirates)

2006: Tyler Colvin, OF (Cubs)

2002: Khalil Greene, SS (Padres)

1999: Mike Paradis, RHP (Orioles)

1996: Kris Benson, RHP (Pirates), Billy Koch, RHP (Blue Jays)

1995: David Miller, 1B (Indians)

1987: Bill Spiers, SS (Brewers)

1979: Mike Sullivan, RHP (Reds)

1975: Denny Walling, OF (Athletics)

1968: John Curtis, LHP (Red Sox)