from the mound

Clarke Schmidt is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the New York Yankees and the founder of the Clarke Schmidt Home Base Foundation, supporting children of military veterans through sports, mentorship, and educational opportunities.

Born in El Toro California and raised in Acworth, Georgia, Clarke grew up in a proud military family, where discipline, service, and teamwork were core values. His father, retired United States Marine Corps Colonel, F/A-18 Pilot and now a commercial airline pilot for a major airline and his mother who kept a stable household and all-the-while ran a successful home décor business instilled in him a deep respect for those who serve and the families who support them. Clarke learned a deep appreciation for those that served through many of his own experiences with numerous deployments of his father to combat operations overseas. These experiences helped develop a maturity in Clarke beyond his years.That upbringing shaped Clarke’s character both on and off the field. 

Growing up in the Acworth community he was an active participant in a very vibrant youth sports program. He went on to become a integral player in a very successful Allatoona High School Baseball Program. Upon graduation he went on to become a student athlete at the very storied University of South Carolina Gamecocks. After becoming an All-American at the University of South Carolina, he was selected by the Yankees as the #16th pick in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Known for his determination and resilience — especially after overcoming a major arm injury early in his career — Clarke has carried those same values of perseverance and commitment into his foundation’s mission.

Being a child of a military family, and valuing both the opportunities and education he was graciously blessed with access to receive in excelling athletically, identifying unique outlets in which he could give back was nothing shy of a hitless inning. The Clarke Schmidt Home Base Foundation is where a vast majority of his time away from the mound is now spent. Clarke's foundation started off as a mere dream of a concept that he and his family often discussed, until he brought it to reality on November 11 2025, which sentimentally also fell on the same calendar day as Veterans Day!

Through the Clarke Schmidt Home Base Foundation, he strives to give back to the children of veterans by providing them with access to leadership development and educational resources that honor their families’ service and sacrifice.