Tigers To Promote Max Clark

Clark has had a nice season overall, hitting .276/.368/.434 with 10 homers and 21 steals in 413 plate appearances, but he’s caught absolute fire over the past six weeks. In 32 games dating back to mid-June, he’s exploded with a .328/.427/.523 batting line (155 wRC+). His huge 13.3% walk rate in that time matches his tiny 13.3% strikeout rate, and he’s connected on six of his season’s ten long balls in this stretch. That production comes despite Clark being one of the younger players in the Triple-A International League. He won’t turn 22 until December.

The lefty-swinging Clark has hit from the moment he was drafted. Despite consistently facing older and more experienced competition at every level, he’s posted better-than-average offensive numbers in each season of his professional career.

Scouting reports praise Clark as a plus-plus runner with a plus hit tool and at least average power. His wheels give him plenty of range for center, but scouts also feel that he has the type of plus throwing arm that’d play well in right field. BA’s report on him likens Clark’s bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline to that of fellow Tigers wunderkind Kevin McGonigle. They note that Clark has big exit velocities but doesn’t get to all of his raw power in games due to a penchant for grounders, particularly against lefties. That’ll be a point of focus for the Tigers as they continue Clark’s development and try to get him to reach his All-Star ceiling in the majors. As far as 21-year-olds go, however, he’s one of the most polished and big league-ready players you’ll come across at this age.

There’s no chance Clark will pick up a full season of major league service this year. We’re too deep into the calendar for him to factor prominently into an AL Rookie of the Year class (currently being led by the aforementioned McGonigle), and there are only 58 days of regular-season play remaining on the schedule, so he can’t accrue a full year organically. The timing of the promotion means Detroit won’t get any sort of draft-related compensation from MLB’s prospect promotion incentives and that Clark will fall well shy of Super Two designation. Of course, if this proves to be a short-term stay in the majors (e.g. as an injury list replacement), it’s possible Clark will retain his rookie eligibility into next season, but one would imagine that with a prospect of this stature, the Tigers are hoping that his first call-up will be the only one necessary.

While corresponding moves aren’t yet clear, Clark figures to get an opportunity to step in as the everyday center fielder in Detroit. The Tigers have been without Parker Meadows for most of the season, leading them to mix and match with Javier Báez, Wenceel Pérez, Matt Vierling and James Outman, among others. Vierling exited yesterday’s heartbreaking loss — the Tigers led 7-0 heading into the seventh inning but lost to the Orioles in extra innings — with a potential groin injury. It’s possible he’ll require an IL stint. Detroit could also be ready to move on from Outman, who’s hitting .167/.219/.322 with a 42% strikeout rate since being added via waivers.

It’s also feasible, of course, that the Tigers could open a spot on the roster in another, more dramatic way. Yesterday’s gutting loss dropped Detroit to 51-58. They’ve played much better since a horrendous 6-22 showing in May, but not enough to firmly place themselves back in playoff contention. The Tigers are six games back in the AL Central and 4.5 back in the Wild Card race. Going 3-4 in a set of seven games against two injured, sub-.500 clubs (Kansas City, Baltimore) feels like a clear missed opportunity.

A deadline sell-off has only become likelier over the past week. If Detroit does plan to move some veteran pieces, then a trade on today’s off-day could open up a spot for Clark. All eyes are on ace Tarik Skubal, but the Tigers have several other veterans (e.g. Casey Mize, Gleyber Torres, Kenley Jansen, Kyle Finnegan, Spencer Torkelson, Drew Anderson) who could be moved if they opt to go the seller’s route.