The Tigers announced that they have agreed to terms with first-round pick Max Clark. The club did not announce the signing bonus, but Kiley McDaniel of ESPN reports that it’s $7.7MM, a bit below the $8.34MM slot value for the third overall pick.
Clark, 18, is a left-handed hitting outfielder who was selected out of Franklin Community High School in Franklin, Indiana. He was a consensus top five player in the draft class, with each of Baseball America, ESPN, FanGraphs, MLB.com and Keith Law of The Athletic ranking him either fourth or fifth. In each case, the top three slots were split between Dylan Crews, Paul Skenes and Wyatt Langford, with Clark and Walker Jenkins either #4 or #5.
The Tigers selected third and saw the Pirates take Skenes first and the Nationals grab Crews second. Instead of taking the other consensus top three guy in Langford, they went for Clark, who was generally considered to be a tier below that group. But the $7.7MM bonus he received is basically equivalent to the slot value of the fourth overall pick, perhaps allowing the Tigers to use some of those savings to sign some of the other players they drafted.
The reports on Clark all consider him a well-rounded player with the potential to contribute in all facets of the game. His speed and defense get universal praise, with Clark considered to be capable of playing above-average center field defense but also having a strong enough arm to play any outfield position. His power hitting might be his biggest question mark but he’s thought to be an excellent “pure” hitter with good plate discipline and the ability to hit the balls to all fields.
The more I learn about Clark, the more I love this pick. Langford is probably a lower-risk pick that will get to the majors faster. Clark sounds like an all-around great player, that prototypical five-tool guy.
It’s similar with me. Although this is the wrong reasoning in principle, I think Langford as a corner OF might fill less of a need for the Tigers, since Greene will have to move off CF eventually and Carpenter hitting well. Getting Clark for a bonus below-slot is another plus.
Gruß,
BSHH
I think they made the right choice. He may be up around the same time as Langford if he is on the fast track like Riley Greene was. The money saved will help sign some of the other great picks they made like McGonigle. Their draft was panned as being pretty good overall.
Me too! Its been too long since we’ve had an elite glove covering Comerica’s acreage. And we all know good Tiger baseball correlates strongly with elite centerfield play. We need a guy who gets everything like Stanley or Lemon.
Tigers should have picked Langford and will probably live to regret they didn’t.
I doubt either pick will wash out, but drafting a corner outfielder #3 overall is kind of admitting a severe limitation right off the bat.
Yeah, hate to get stuck with a Harper, Soto or Judge type. Langford did play some CF. Langford should have been the pick for Detroit, because they need power. Comerica is also better for RH hitters. But the main reason is that if he takes the usual 4 years for a HS players to reach the majors, Clark will be arriving just as Mize, Skubal, Manning, Greene, Carpenter and Torkelson are reaching free agency. I haven’t seen players signing extensions to stay in Detroit past the 6 year window (Other than Schoop). Harris has to work with the reality he is in. Maybe he’s banking on other Avila picks like Keith, Workman, Dingler, Meadows, Pacheco, Perez, and Madden, to keep the ball rolling.
Or maybe Harris wants to build “his” team and the guys he has now aren’t in his vision of the Tigers future when he ultimately gets “his” team out there. I think it’s this. These first few years of his tenure are for preparing for 2026 and beyond. I’m sure you’d do the same if you took over as GM from an incompetent they had to fire. Can’t expect those previous pieces to fit your team build.
But the Tigers haven’t anything with that core yet. So right now, you’re not really worried about competitive windows or extensions. So you draft what you believe is the best player available. The MLB draft is such a crap shoot I can’t see that it would ever be wise to pick a player based on the composition of your current roster. Taking the best player available is the only sensible strategy.
Spot on Don. Take the best player. Clark was the best player in the draft. High school player of the year, that’s of all high school players in the nation, best in Indiana for three straight years. We will finally have a true superstar when he gets up there. I have little doubt he’s going to be great.
Tork was taken 1-1. If the best bat is out there, take it. Now in hindsight, he may not have been. But at the time, he was the concensus top hitter available.
And yes, I know, he was drafted as a third baseman.
Can you even imagine the outcry if Langford starts out like a dynamo ? Oh my lord, the radio will be buzzing, and with Clark not up yet, it”ll be a hoot.
The Tiger farm system is good, no emergency drafting seemed to be needed. More good guys in the farm looking for a slot than slots right now. After Miggy is gone they’ll have 13 fielders again, and a great mix of R-L hitters.
Yeah, amazing how incompetent the previous GM was considering all the players currently on the team from his drafts. If only they hadn’t let him sign Free Agents! If Proctor & Gamble hires a new CEO, they expect them to work with the current product offerings, so why do the owners of sports teams even consider hiring a POBO that won’t work with the current players? I understand tweaking the roster, but punting for 4-6 years while “building his team” can’t possibly be good for the owners or fans. Langford was rated as the better player, has more power, and is closer to the majors. I’m sure Clark will be good too, just not as soon, and without the much needed power.
Power hitting in Comerica is a fly out on the warning track.
MPrck
July 17, 2023
DETROIT TIGERS SIGN MAX CLARK !
Got your wish. Congrats!
HAHA, I’d like to claim I was prescient, but alas I’d received word on the signing before the post. I knew it was going to come out so I posted it on the St Louis news first as the Tigers one upped them this year already. Were just having fun in the formerly Motown. Waiting for 45 to come back and restore the roar, er, the car production again. Thanks anyways, I appreciate it.
45 will be in jail soon where he belongs! If you’re buying an ounce of anything he’s selling, you’re getting robbed
Do I have to separate you again? Why can’t we take you anywhere without you children fighting again?!?!
Went right over me.
Best of luck to Max Clark. Always good to see an Indiana kid make it big.
Tigers are so lucky he fell to them, he should have been first overall pick I think. Not only is he going to be an electric player, he already has a huge following of young fans and he’ll be a marquee attraction who will bring people to the park. I’m very excited about the Tigers future.
I like the pick, until proven wrong…..hopefully, someone is paying attention like the Baltimore Orioles organization…..
Mullets, uh those are cool
Congratulations!
There’s a good chance that the Tigers’ 2nd pick, SS Kevin McGonigle may not sign.
That would suck.