Max Clark quickly makes himself right at home in High-A ball
Max Clark has been in West Michigan for less than a week, but he's already making a lot of noise.
MLB’s No. 10 prospect impressed with his bat and his glove Thursday in just his third game at High-A. The 19-year-old made a diving catch, tied the game with a triple on a four-RBI night and scored the winning run on a walk-off balk in the Whitecaps' 5-4 win over Lansing.
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With two men on in the second inning, Clark laced an RBI single to center field off right-hander Jake Garland. He replicated that success in the seventh to the opposite field against righty Grant Judkins.
But it was the final inning that sent fans at LMCU Ballpark -- just two-and-a-half hours away from Comerica Park -- into a frenzy. The top Tigers prospect capped his first three-hit night at High-A by using his 70-grade speed to full advantage on a game-tying two-RBI triple to deep right in the bottom of the ninth and then scoring the winning run two pitches later on a walk-off balk by righty Hunter Breault.
And that was just with the bat. Baseball's No. 4 outfield prospect also impressed with his 60-grade defense in the third, laying out for a diving catch that robbed Euribiel Angeles of a base hit. The 22-year-old A's prospect even tipped his helmet to Clark while returning to the dugout.
The 2023 third overall pick is hot off his appearance in the All-Star Futures Game. Clark was the only American League starter to play the entire contest, going 1-for-4 while manning center field. He has hit in all five games since the All-Star break, batting .409 with two three-hit outings.
Since his promotion to High-A on July 21, the 19-year-old has compiled a slash line of .357./357/.500, continuing the best month of his young career to date. In July, Clark has slashed .410/.489/.769 with a 1.258 OPS, nine extra-base hits – including three home runs – six walks, 12 RBIs and nine runs.