Reading signs: Here's why Clemson will lose returning ace, potential ace to MLB Draft

Signs have been flashed.

Clemson's pitching staff will lose its returning ace and its projected ace, based on what happened Monday during the second day of the MLB Draft.

Mack Anglin didn't find being a 13th-round selection last year enticing enough to leave college. As the No. 1 starter in 2022, his numbers actually got a little worse but his stock rose to the seventh round, where Kansas City grabbed him.

Brock Porter, a Clemson signee considered by most scouts as one of the top two high school pitchers in the country, surprisingly slipped out of the first two rounds Sunday night and went early in the fourth round to Texas.

Their ceilings are higher, but their doors are open.

For Porter, it was the right team at the right time. Texas had monetary leverage with its first-round pick, former Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker, because he was in the Frontier League after failing to sign last year with the New York Mets. As the third overall pick, his slot value was $7.59 million. He reportedly agreed to $5.2 million, which is still more than he would've gotten last year at No. 10 before the Mets decided they didn't like his medical evaluation.

So, the Rangers had extra cash. They surely asked the 19-year-old Porter, who wouldn't be draft eligible again until 2024, if he would like some.

More: Texas Rangers pick Clemson baseball signee Brock Porter in 2022 MLB Draft

More: Baltimore Orioles pick Clemson baseball's Max Wagner in 2022 MLB Draft

Porter is a Michigan native but has no ties to former Michigan coach Erik Bakich, who took over at Clemson last month after Monte Lee was fired. Porter committed to Lee two years ago.

Anglin, meanwhile, has plenty of pro potential as well but still needs polish. He's basically a two-pitch (fastball and slider with developing change-up) arm with occasional control problems. He walked 48 batters in 72 innings.

If he returns to Clemson, he'll have a new pitching coach, Jimmy Belanger from Florida State. Belanger is highly regarded, but has never worked with Bakich, either. Anglin is going to start over with new coaches anyway; why not do it at the professional level?

Another potential ace, however, left-hander Tristan Smith from Boiling Springs High School, now seems headed Clemson.

Smith was listed as the No. 46 overall prospect by MLB.com but went undrafted in the first 10 rounds. The more he falls Tuesday in final 10, the closer he is to the Tigers' mound at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Todd Shanesy covers Clemson athletics for the USA TODAY Network.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson likely to lose top arms Brock Porter, Mack Anglin to MLB Draft