Baseball | 1/23/2017 4:08:00 PM

Corbin Clouse, a former DU pitcher, is now a part of the Atlanta Braves organization in professional baseball. During Corbin's freshman year, he sustained a back injury and it forced him to redshirt due to the severity of the injury. Once Corbin came back into his redshirt freshman year, he stayed healthy and was able to learn a lot from the upperclassmen, "Just watching them and seeing how they handled different situations, it made a big difference in my game." In Corbin's sophomore year, he was able to bring his game to the next level that saw him eventually drafted in the 27th round by the Braves. Corbin was one of four Panthers selected in the Major League Baseball Draft in 2016.
 
Corbin's first year in minor league baseball raised some eyebrows. He began playing in rookie ball with the Danville Braves and pitched in four games with a 1-0 record and 16 strikeouts in 6.2 innings. That led to a promotion to Class A Rome in the South Atlantic League. There he continued to excel with a 4-0 record and 1.52 earned run average in 15 games. He picked up four saves and in 23.2 innings struck out 37 batters.
 
Many people that are involved in a sport never know when or where they might get the call to be a part of a professional organization. "My first thought when I found out I got drafted was to call my parents. I was at a friend's house bailing hay when I got the call and couldn't believe it. I didn't even care that I was doing hard labor because a lifelong dream of mine had come true. All that was left to do was sign that contract," Corbin said.
 
While Corbin was at Davenport, his academic success finished on a high note with a 3.25 GPA in his last semester. Corbin loves DU from an academic standpoint, "The advisors are amazing and find a way to get the schedule you want. I like taking all online classes just so I could "go to class" whenever I want. In addition, the academic coach I had on campus, Harry Rinker, was awesome. Any problem that arises with a class he helps me get it resolved."
 
Being at DU as a student athlete, you make many memories with teammates, coaches, and trainers. Corbin's favorite memory was when DU won the NAIA Opening Round in 2015 at home. "Dogpiling after that final out of the regional was unreal. I've dogpiled before but that is one I will never forget because it meant so much to us." Davenport's goal from the start was to make the World Series and after the win, they had accomplished and reached their first goal.
 
Q. How did Davenport get you ready for the next level?
A. DU did a great job with getting me ready for the next level. Over my three years here, I gained so much knowledge about baseball. Head Coach Kevin Tidey and the staff taught me what good baseball is and how you play it. We had a great team and a lot of fun and that falls back on the coaches. The talent of players we had on our team was eye opening. We had a First Team All-American in Travis Bolin. How often do you get to play with an All-American? Playing with good teammates just raises your game because you try to keep up with them.
 
Q. How has your daily routine changed since being signed?
A. My daily routine has changed quite dramatically actually. In college, I was eating cheap meals that probably were not the best for me, but they were easy and filled me up. Now I have to watch what I eat because it is so important for your body to feel good all the time in what I do. My workouts have changed as well. Everything I do workout wise is baseball related. Before it was just the normal bench press, squats, but now it all has something to do with my career. Lastly, my sleep schedule is different. Sleep is extremely important for your body and muscles. In college, I definitely wasn't getting enough sleep and that was my own fault. Now I have to take it very seriously.
 
Clouse Professional Bio Link

Story by: Aaron Beally