Max Clark is among the top hitter prospects in baseball. Three years removed from being drafted third overall by the Detroit Tigers out of Indiana’s Franklin Community High School, the 21-year-old left-handed outfielder was described by our team as having a “mature combination of tools and skills that are believed to be young,” and a “feel for hitting. [that] it is bright.” Clark currently holds his own as one of the youngest players in Triple-A. In addition to 310 plate appearances with the Toledo Mud Hens, he has 22 extra-base hits, including six home runs, to go along with a .264/.346/.394 slash line and 100 wRC+.
In the latest installment of our Talks Hitting series, Clark discusses his approach at the plate, and the strides he’s made since arriving in proball. My interview with 60-FV took place before Wednesday’s Mud Hens game in Worcester, Massachusetts.
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David Laurila: How would you describe yourself as a hitter?
Max Clark: “I’m definitely a hitter. I’ve developed more power over the last few years, obviously from growing up, but also from understanding where I’ve done damage on pitches and what’s important. All in all, I’m just going to hit. I’m going to play the ball. I hate being hit; I absolutely hate it. So, I want to put my pitching tool on, let my ball play, put some speed on the chaal. I get a pitch in the damage zone, I’m going to take a rip. “
Laurila: What do you really mean when you say feel for hit?
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Clark: “I try to contribute when I need to, and be strong when I need to. Whatever the game needs at the time.”
Laurila: Is that how you always talk about hitting? For example, would you describe yourself the same way before pro ball?
Clark: “Sure, even though I was a very good hitter when I started training for the team. I couldn’t really catch the ball in the air, I didn’t really know how to lift the ball that well. In the last two years, I’ve dropped my groundball rate by about 10% overall. The velos have been there. The velos have been there. I had to learn to lift the ball. Now those ground balls I was hitting turned into line drives, and line drives turned into leave it at home.
Laurila: Do you have to choose between being a hands-on batsman and being able to drive the ball in the air, or can a batsman be both?
Clark: “I think you can be both. Kevin McGonigle and JJ Wetherholt are great examples. Both of those guys have a low punchout/high walk. They don’t swing and miss when they get their pitches, they turn hot. Kevin has been outstanding in the big leagues this year. He and JJ are probably the two Rookie of the Year winners. They’re going to do everything. They can go all out. In a game, and I can do damage when they can.
Laurila: Which of the two do you like the most?
Clark: “I think I’m going to have to go… I think I’m very close to JJ. Kevin’s in his league. I mean, he’s probably a top-five player in the American League at 21 years old. It’s hard to compare yourself to a guy like that, and JJ still…like I said, he’s going to be Rookie of the Year. But we can have the same ability as an All-Star. hit the ball and go and go. But again, Kevin is on another level.
Laurila: What changes have allowed you to drive the ball more consistently?
Clark: “It’s a combination of things. Some of it is pitch selection, understanding where the pitch starts and where you have to turn on pitches. The standards have gotten harder every year. Guys obviously have better stuff, so getting low on sweepers, getting low on lefty sinkers, which is one of the hardest pitches to hit like a lefty ball.
“There are also mechanical, and biomechanical, changes that need to be made and understood. Body position at the plate, better ground contact, controlling your movement and turning behind the ball rather than having a super flat VAA. [vertical approach angle] towards it.”
Laurila: Which of the equipment repairs have you made that stands out the most?
Clark: “It’s all mixed up, but I needed to stay on my back side for a while. I had a quick and heavy forward motion that caused me to fall, come out early, and hit the ball. That’s where the bad VAAs come in. Being in better position at the plate, staying on my back side, and turning behind the baseball allowed the lift to happen.”
Laurila: Is there such a thing as a perfect toss?
Clark: “Any A-swing, for any hitter, is your perfect swing – just being able to get out in the best possible position, trying to have an impact on the baseball. At the same time, I think I have two swings. I have my A-swing, where I try to lift and hurt baseballs, and then I’ll have my two swings where I hit and try to run especially to move them. That said, while I have the mindset of being hurt a lot with my A-swing, it doesn’t mean I’m not looking to do damage by hitting two balls in the middle, and you have to use that.
“I like to push the fastball back with a double strike. I want to push it deep, because with heavy off-speed stats…with all the stats we have now, we know what pitches guys want to go to. Maybe they like their slider with a two-strike, or they like their splitter with a two-strike. You need to be ready for that, so I’m going to push that other ball to go deep. and I made a mess, especially at the beginning of the countdown.
Laurila: By pushing it deep, I assume you mean letting the ball go?
Clark: “Yeah. That’s where being a smart hitter comes in. I trust my hands to do that. I feel like I have great bat-to-ball and pitch skills that give me confidence to hit twice, no matter who’s on the mound.”
Laurila: Are you satisfied with your walk and strikeout rate this year (10.5% and 15.2%, respectively)?
Clark: “I’d like to go a little slower, but I’m satisfied with the K. I’m actually K-ing at the lowest rate of my career, and I’m doing it at the highest level I’ve ever been at. I don’t know how big the stat-away percentage is among the FanGraphs team, but I know mine is really low. I’m trying to get one strike out to get two guys in again. I’d like to do anything but that, to give myself a chance.
“And I’d like to go a lot. At the same time, I’m backing off a little bit, especially this month. I’m aggressive in hanging breaking balls and heaters that are in the heart of the plate. Before, I’ve missed a mistake. I’d put myself in two strike counts because I didn’t want to swing too far off the spidge but also without the heart too far. You exposed that and you have to go early if it gives you a place where you can do damage.
Laurila: Rounding back to the mechanics, I noticed a simple toe tap while watching you practice hitting. What is the story behind that?
Clark: “That’s the change we were talking about before, control going forward. I was a leg hitter when I was first drafted, until last year. This offseason I went to a toe pump to reduce the movement, make it easier and more manageable, and it helped me stay behind me. It was good. I hit the ball a lot, because I was adjusting it more. times when I’m still comfortable with it, though; I have almost plates it’s only 300 this year, but I’m more relaxed than the first month.
Laurila: To close, what metrics are most important to you when looking at your hitting data?
Clark: “Chase rates and whiff rates. As long as it’s low, I’m in a good spot; I know my pitch vision is taking me. Then I keep the ball off the ground. I’m not too bought into the breathers, because I catch the ball well in the air. I don’t have to grind to know that I can hit the ball when I get over the heart. to the air. So, it’s about keeping it off the ground and trusting my ability to split the gap.
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Previous “Talks Hitting” interviews can be found at these links: Jo Adell, Jeff Albert, Greg Allen, Nolan Arenado, Aaron Bates, Jacob Berry, Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Justice Bigbie, Cavan Biggio, Charlie Blackmon, JJ Bleday, Bobby Bradley, Will Brennan, Jay Bruces, Matttt Cooper, Triston Chavin, Gavis Chavin, Gavin Cooper, Gavin Cavin, Gavin Cooper, Cavin Biggio, Cavan Biggio, Jay Bruce Cross, Jacob Cruz, Nelson Cruz, Paul DeJong, Brenton Del Chiaro, Josh Donaldson, Brendan Donovan, Donnie Ecker, Rick Eckstein, Drew Ferguson, Justin Foscue, Michael Fransoso, Ryan Fuller, Joey Gallo, Paul Goldschmidt, Devlin Granberg, Gino Groover, Matt Haguery, Mitchy Hagues III, Anderson Austin Hays, Nico Hoerner, Jackson Holliday, Spencer Horwitz, Rhys Hoskins, Eric Hosmer, Jacob Hurtubise, Tim Hyers, Walker Jenkins, Connor Joe, Jace Jung, Josh Jung, Jimmy Kerr, Heston Kjerstad, Steven Kwan, Shea Langeliers, Trevor Leetta, Diokllon Larnach, Diokllon Lewis Larnach, Diokllon Lewis Elaw Longoria, Joey Loperfido, Michael Lorenzen, Mark Loretta, Gavin Lux, Dave Magadan, Trey Mancini, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly, Marcelo Mayer, Kevin McGonigle, Hunter Mense, Owen Miller, Paul Molitor, Colson Montgomery, Tre’ Morgan, Ryan Mount Muphyrus Nogan, La C. O’Hoppe, Vinnie Pasquantino, Graham Pauley, David Peralta, Luke Raley, Julio Rodríguez, Brent Rooker, Thomas Saggese, Anthony Santander, Drew Saylor, Nolan Schanuel, Marcus Semien, Giancarlo Stanton, Spencer Steer, Trevor Story, Fernando Tatis Trubbs Jr, James Tatis Jr. Turang, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Josh VanMeter, Robert Van Scoyoc, Chris Valaika, Zac Veen, Alex Verdugo, Mark Vientos, Matt Vierling, Luke Voit, Anthony Volpe, Joey Votto, Ryan Waldschmidt, Christian Walker, Jared Walsh, Jordan Westburg, Jesse Winker, Mike York Witt Jr.
