Latest news with #MaxClark
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tigers top prospects promoted: Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño to Double-A Erie
Here comes the future. First stop, Erie. Later this week, the Futures Game. Detroit Tigers prospects Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark and Josue Briceño have been promoted from High-A West Michigan to Double A Erie. They are expected to make their Erie debut at Harrisburg on Tuesday, July 8. Advertisement Then, the spotlight will only get brighter for this talented trio. All three have been selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, July 12, at Truist Park in Atlanta, a showcase of the top prospects in baseball. Detroit Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025. McGonigle, Clark and Briceño are the Tigers top-three prospects who are healthy, considering shortstop Bryce Rainer underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in June. McGonigle, a 20-year-old shortstop, is ranked the No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He hit .372 with a 1.110 OPS in 36 games at West Michigan. Said MLB Pipeline: 'McGonigle might have the best hit tool in the minors and has been a double machine when healthy this season.' Advertisement INSIDER: One story about Kevin McGonigle sheds insight into why he's different 'He's really good at baseball,' Whitecaps manager Tony Cappuccilli told the Free Press on June 14. 'I mean, he's a special player. He makes everybody around him better. He just plays the game the right way. He knows where to be and wants to be coached. If he does something wrong and had another option, then he wants to hear it. He wants to get better. It's not just show up and throw the glove on and strap on the batting gloves — he wants to be coached. He wants to learn and he wants to know if he had other options in different situations throughout the game. So, he's invested in becoming a great player and playing for a long time.' Detroit Tigers prospect Max Clark gets ready for practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. Clark, 20, is ranked the No. 12 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He went through a slump earlier this season, but he is hitting .285 with a .430 on base percentage at West Michigan. Advertisement 'He's played incredible center field for us,' Cappuccilli said. 'So just he's definitely grown in terms of how he handles success and failure.' INSIDER: Max Clark shows maturity, growth dealing with 'failure moments' Briceño, 20, is ranked No. 58 by MLB Pipeline. He has jacked 15 homers with a .296 batting average in 55 games for the Whitecaps. Detroit Tigers prospect Josue Briceño bats at practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025. While Briceño has showed impressive power, it has been his defense at catcher that has been the most pleasant surprise. 'He wants to be a catcher,' Cappuccilli told the Free Press. 'He walks around like a catcher. He carries himself like a catcher.' Advertisement He has improved his receiving and his throwing has impressed Cappuccilli. 'It's really been a pleasant surprise,' Cappuccilli said. 'You see him getting more and more comfortable. He's exceeded our expectations back there, both with his desire to be back there and his improvement. The questions he asked are good questions. He's engaged in what he's doing. I mean, he carries himself like a catcher. So it's been a lot of fun.' In June, Cappuccilli was asked what it is like to coach this talented team in West Michigan. ANALYSIS: He's no All-Star (yet) but Zach McKinstry is the fuel that makes Tigers purr Advertisement "It's an incredible group of guys," Cappuccilli said. "They are great players — that's a given. People always ask, 'Oh, what's gonna happen when these guys move on to Erie?' "I know I'm gonna miss the guys. I'll miss them in the clubhouse. Obviously writing their names in the lineup is nice, but the quality of character of the guys that we have here is amazing. Not only are they getting good players, but they are good people, and they want to win. They're not happy when they lose." Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@ Follow him on X @seideljeff. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers prospects promoted: Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Josue Briceño
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How has Detroit Tigers president Scott Harris done in MLB draft? Pretty darn good
Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has had a brief but already impactful draft history at the helm of the team. The Tigers hired Harris as their president on Sept. 19, 2022, meaning Harris has run the team's draft strategy during the 2023 and 2024 MLB Drafts. And though that only represents two years of drafting, Harris' drafts have already given the Tigers' farm system a wealth of talent. Advertisement Much of these high draft picks have come as the result of losing seasons, since MLB typically allocates high draft picks to sub-.500 teams, which the Tigers were in every season from 2017-23. The Tigers had the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft as one of their two first-round picks and the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 draft. WHAT A STORY: How Tigers surprised Zach McKinstry with MLB All-Star announcement However, with the Tigers surprise playoff appearance in 2024, the team is picking No. 24 overall in the 2025 draft. Here's a quick primer on Harris' draft history as the head of the Tigers: 2023: Selecting the future – Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle Tigers first-round draft pick Max Clark walks on the field before a game between Tigers and Padres at Comerica Park on Friday, July 21, 2023. Harris wasted no time in his first draft at the helm for the Tigers, armed with two first-round picks at the 2023 draft. With the No. 3 overall pick, the Tigers selected Max Clark, an outfielder out of Franklin Community High School in Indiana. Advertisement In less than two years, Clark has risen to become the No. 12 overall prospect in MLB (according to MLB Pipeline) and the No. 2 prospect in the organization. He's recently been called up to Double-A Erie and will be featured at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, July 12 at Truist Park in Atlanta. And he arguably wasn't even the Tigers' best pick that draft. Detroit Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025. That title could go to shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who the Tigers drafted with the No. 37 overall selection in the first round of the 2023 draft. McGonigle has since leapt Clark to become the organization's No. 1 prospect (and the No. 7 prospect overall). McGonigle will also be playing in the Futures Game with Clark. Advertisement Fifth-round pick Jaden Hamm is rocketing up the farm system at Double-A Erie, now listed as the organization's No. 7 prospect after a successful season at High-A West Michigan in 2024. Second-round pick Max Anderson, who the Tigers selected at No. 45 overall, is listed as the organization's No. 22 prospect, with fourth-round pick Carson Rucker (No. 107 overall) the team's No. 23 prospect. That's five players from one draft already in the top 30 of one of MLB's strongest farm systems. For a Tigers team that has had a lot of recent success developing draft picks to become MLB regulars, that's a strong sign of health. 2024: Rounding out the farm Detroit Tigers prospect Bryce Rainer watches practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland on Friday, Feb. 20, 2025. It's still way too early to have a robust understanding of the Tigers' 2024 draft performance, but early results look good. Advertisement The team's first-round pick Bryce Rainer (No. 11 overall), a shortstop out of Los Angeles, is already the team's No. 3 prospect (and No. 41 overall among all prospects) while in his second professional season at Low-A Lakeland. He had a season-ending shoulder injury in June, however, cutting his 2025 season short. The team's 2024 second-round pick, pitcher Owen Hall at No. 49 overall, is the team's No. 9 prospect, giving the Tigers two top-10 prospects from the 2024 draft (and five overall from Harris-drafted players). Left-handed pitcher Ethan Schiefelbein, the next second-round pick (No. 72 overall), is the team's No. 13 prospect, while right-handed pitcher Josh Randall, the team's third-round pick, is the team's No. 16 prospect. Rounding out the list are fourth-round pick Michael Massey, the team's No. 19 prospect, and pitcher Zach Swanson, the team's ninth-round pick at No. 24 in the organization. That's 11 total players drafted by Harris who currently stand in the top 30 of the team's prospect group. That's a list that is bound to change as players rise and fall with their performances, and as Harris drafts the next crop of Tigers prospects in the 2025 draft. Advertisement But for just two years of drafting, Harris has already helped build out the Tigers farm system to be one of the strongest in the majors. You can reach Christian at cromo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers MLB draft: How Scott Harris has done in first two tries
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How big is the ceiling for the Detroit Tigers' top prospect?
The Detroit Tigers are already the best team in the MLB right now. And the fact that they are as good as they are now with the young team they have should spit fear into the hearts of the other 29 teams in the league. Advertisement Riley Greene is playing at his highest level, Tarik Skubal is in the perfect spot to repeat as AL Cy Young recipient, and Gleyber Torres and Javier Baez are enjoying some nice career resurgence in the Motor City. But there's still one more player that the Tigers and fans are waiting to see bloom, and that is the team's current top prospect, center fielder Max Clark. Clark, who was the third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, roused many with his play in the MLB Futures Game in Atlanta, where many of the top prospects amongst all 30 teams come together and play during the All-Star week. With a 3.89-second sprint to first base, Clark's notorious speed was well on display during the game. Advertisement And according to The Athletic's Keith Law, Clark just needs to tweak one tool of his playing to be a true star in the majors, a tool that is very much needed in today's offensive-heavy contests. "I saw him and Kevin McGonigle on Thursday, and I don't think there should be any concerns about Clark's speed or his defense in center," Law wrote. "I still think he's going to be a star once the power comes." For a guy like Clark, it is difficult to find that combination of speed and power that we've seen in recent times with players like Ronald Acuna Jr., Elly De La Cruz, and especially last year with Shohei Ohtani inventing the 50-homer/50-stolen base club on his way to his third MVP award. Clark's power has definitely lacked so far in his pro days up to this point, only 19 balls hit over the fence by the young prospect, but his eight homers this year are nearly equal to the nine he hit in the minors last year, showing much promise as he continues to trend towards getting the call up from the Tigers' front office.
Indianapolis Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Max Clark's speed on display as former Franklin star, Detroit Tigers prospect plays in MLB Futures Game
Max Clark wasted no time by creating the first highlight of the MLB All-Star Futures Game by using his wheels in the Atlanta heat. The former Franklin baseball star and social media sensation is already rising through the Detroit Tigers system, promoted to Double-A Erie on July 7. He led off Saturday's Futures Game for the American League with a seven-pitch walk, taking a 2-2 changeup and then full-count curveball from JR Ritchie. Clark further frustrated Ritchie by taking off as he came set, and swiped second to give the A.L. an immediate scoring threat with one out. Baseball's No. 12 prospect, per and the No. 3 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft further showcased his speed with a ground ball to the right side of the infield, which reportedly took him 4.03 seconds to sprint from the left-handed batter's box to first base. It was just one of three hits for the A.L. in a 4-2 loss to the N.L. Clark spent his first 68 games of the 2025 seasons with High-A West Michigan. He hit .285 with an .857 OPS, drawing 65 walks to go with seven home runs, 47 RBIs, 12 doubles and two triples. He was 12-for-14 when attempting to steal. That was enough for the Tigers to promote the 20-year-old to Double-A Erie, where he's played three games and is 2-for-11 with a solo home run. He also was promoted with fellow top prospect Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceno. Insider: With a massive social media following, Max Clark hears the haters. He's ready to quiet them in Year 2
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top MLB Prospect Had Embarrassing Admission After Meeting Bryce Harper
Top MLB Prospect Had Embarrassing Admission After Meeting Bryce Harper originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Detroit Tigers prospect Max Clark has quickly become one of the baseball's more prominent rising talents, sitting 12th in the latest Top 100 rankings. Advertisement The 20-year-old outfielder has yet to make his major league debut after signing a $7.7 million contract with Detroit after being drafted No. 3 overall in 2023. He is currently making his way through the Tigers' minor league system with the West Michigan Whitecaps in High-A after advancing from the Lakeland Flying Tigers in Single-A. Despite not making it to the majors yet, he was able to play with the Tigers during spring training and even interacted with Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Bryce Harper in his first game. 'Funny enough, my first big league camp start was against the Phillies, and I ended up drawing a walk,' Clark recalled during a recent interview posted on X. 'Reached first base and Bryce Harper was playing first and he said, 'What's up, Max.'' Advertisement Clark noted he was caught off guard by the moment and didn't say anything. 'I couldn't get a word out of my mouth, so I hit him with 'Bryce Harper,'' he admitted. 'And then didn't say anything the rest of the time. Obviously, star-struck. When you grow up idolizing those guys, to be able to share the field was special.' Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3)Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Clark's remarks came as Harper is considered one of the league's most recognizable players. He is a two-time National League MVP, eight-time MLB All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger. That's the type of career that Clark can hope for once he makes it to the big leagues. Related: Phillies' Bryce Harper Reveals Good News After Returning From Injury This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
