Even as Max Clark was hitting .377 through his first 17 games at Triple-A Toledo, the Tigers weren’t going to rush him to the Majors, insisting that he needed more time to develop. The slump that followed proved that the Tigers were wise to be patient with their No. 1 prospect (MLB’s No. 8 overall).
Clark, though, may be forcing the issue once again.
After going 8-for-58 (.138) with a .374 OPS in 15 games from April 18 through May 7, Clark’s bat has rebounded over the past two weeks. The 21-year-old has hit safely in 11 of his past 12 games, slashing .283/.333/.453 in that span.
On Sunday at Fifth Third Field, Clark went 2-for-4 with a homer -- his first since April 17 -- a double, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored in Toledo’s 5-4 win over Indianapolis.
The Tigers opted to have Clark begin this season at Triple-A even though he had only 43 games of experience at Double-A. Overall, he’s hit .272 with a .742 OPS in his first taste of the Minors’ highest level.
With Clark heating up again and the Tigers in search of a spark, the club may start to hear renewed calls from its fan base to promote the center fielder to the big leagues.
COMPLETE TIGERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
The Tigers, who sit at 21-33, have been using Matt Vierling as their starting center fielder since Parker Meadows suffered a radial fracture in his left forearm in an outfield collision on April 9.
Vierling is slashing just .216/.285/.373 this season. And while he has handled himself well on defense with +3 Outs Above Average in center, he’s not in the same class as Clark, who is widely regarded as one of the top defensive center fielders in the Minors.
Clark’s 70-grade speed would also be a welcome addition to a Tigers club that ranks 28th in steals (21) and is tied for 26th in Statcast’s Baserunning Run Value metric.
For a team that has lost 16 of its last 19, the pressure to promote Clark is only mounting.