Clemson Superstar Outfielder Underwent Surgery on Right Shoulder

Cam Cannarella of Clemson posted on Instagram that he underwent surgery on his shoulder.

Jun 2, 2024; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson sophomore Cam Cannarella (10) hits against Coastal Carolina University during the bottom of the first inning of the NCAA baseball Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson. / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

Clemson baseball has had an eventful past few days, with five players drafted in the 2024 MLB draft. In other news, sophomore sensation Cam Cannarella underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum he suffered against Presbyterian in February.

Cannarella played with a torn labrum for nearly the entire season, only missing two games. His willingness to stay on the field and compete the way he did is the perfect way to describe him, as the future MLB draft pick will run through a brick wall to help the Tigers win a game.

Head coach Erik Bakich spoke with reporters after the season about his injury, highlighting his character.

"It was more of an injury that affected him right away," he said, according to Derrian Carter of Greenville News. "We limited his throwing, which is why he DH'd for a while, but there's another example of just Cam's character, who he is as a person to play through an injury all year."

Labrum injuries are tricky in baseball, as they aren't as common as UCL issues that can result in Tommy John surgery, however, Cannarella being an outfielder should help his recovery.

If he were a pitcher, this would be a bit more worrisome.

He seems to be in good spirits, posting on Instagram that his recovery starts now.

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It's not only remarkable that he played the remainder of the campaign, but the fact that Cannarella slashed .337/.417/.561 with 11 home runs, 16 doubles, and 60 RBI just shows the type of talent he is.

He also impressed in center field, proving he's a legitimate star on defense and at the plate.

Labrum surgeries have different recovery times for everyone, but they're typically healed in about three months. Baseball players could take about nine to 12 months to recover fully in terms of throwing, but that can also be shorter or longer depending on the person.

If one thing is for certain, Cannarella will do everything he can to get back on the field as soon as he can. From what he shows on the diamond, he'll be taking his recovery very seriously and is in good hands at Clemson to do so.

It'll be a massive campaign for the soon-to-be draft-eligible junior.

He's viewed as a potential Top-10 pick and will need to play well for the Tigers to have the year they're looking for by getting back into the College World Series for the first time since 2010.

Cannarella is confident in what he'll do.

"Next year, I'll have a way better season," he said.

Recovering from this surgery will be the first step to making sure that proclamation becomes a reality for the superstar.