Denzel Clarke

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #5 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 55/Very High
  
  Track Record: Clarke was a decorated amateur for Canada’s junior national team, but he was more raw than the average college outfielder when the A’s drafted him in the fourth round in 2021. He accrued just 326 at-bats over three college seasons at Cal State Northridge, so it was a mild surprise when he opened 2023 with Double-A Midland in late April after missing time with a left shoulder strain. Clarke blitzed the competition, hitting four homers over his first three games. He cooled off a bit in May and June, but still hit .261 with 12 homers through 64 games until a left shoulder injury ended his season in late July.
  
  Scouting Report: Clarke has long faced questions about whether his hitting instincts and contact ability can improve to the point where his dynamic power and speed flourish regularly. He made meaningful progress toward addressing those concerns in 2023, albeit in a shortened season. Clarke showed more consistent timing and cut both his whiff and chase rates, allowing his plus raw power and solid on-base skills play more consistently. He still has some rather unique moves--Clarke holds his hands high and heel off the ground prior to the pitch--but tinkered with his stance and setup less in 2023. Clarke still battled bouts of swing-and-miss and was susceptible at times to good four-seam fastballs, especially up in the zone. Laying off breaking stuff down and away has also been a point of emphasis. Clarke is a plus defender who covers ample ground and is capable of making highlight-type plays in center field, with a strong arm. He’s also a plus runner who has stolen 42 bases in 48 tries in pro ball.
  
  The Future: Clarke will turn 24 in May and still has yet to reach Triple-A, but he has a relatively high ceiling if he can sustain his contact gains against more skilled pitching.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 70 | Field: 70 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #11 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Clarke is cousins with Josh and Bo Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians and his mother, Donna, represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Clarke burnished a reputation as a dynamic outfielder at Cal State Northridge and carried that into the professional ranks after the A's made him their fourth-round selection in 2021. Clarke hit .248 with 15 homers and 30 steals across Low-A Stockton and High-A Lansing, where he became the first professional baseball player to hit inside-the-park homers in back-to-back games. He also appeared in the Futures Game and participated in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Simply put, Clarke is a toolshed. He has arguably the best raw power of any player in Oakland's system and pairs it with easy 70-grade speed in center field, where he routinely makes spectacular defensive plays. Clarke's offensive game, though, is still quite raw. He has tinkered with several iterations of his setup and stance going back to college in an effort to help simplify his swing, unlock more consistent contact and cut down on the swing-and-miss in the strike zone. He settled on a short stride in 2022, although his hands can drift higher in his setup than the A's prefer. Clarke has a solid understanding of the strike zone, but also has a tendency to chase offspeed pitches and posted a 36.2% strikeout rate in his first taste of High-A. Breaking ball recognition was a point of emphasis throughout the season. Already a prolific runner, his basestealing could continue to improve as learns the nuances of baserunning. Clarke is commended throughout the A's organization for his makeup and work ethic.
  
  The Future: Clarke has one of the highest ceilings in the A's organization. If his hit tool improves, he could be an impact center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #13 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Clarke surged up draft boards following a strong second half at Cal State Northridge, and the A’s made him their fourth-round selection in 2021, coveting his power-speed potential and makeup they ascertained during pre-draft conversations. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League, appearing in seven games. Clarke’s mother, Donna, was an Olympian heptathlete for Canada in 1984 and he is cousins with the Guardians’ Naylor brothers, Josh and Bo.
  
  Scouting Report: Clarke boasts enormous tools, headlined by easy plus raw power that allows for home run potential even on fly balls he doesn’t barrel. He rebuilt his swing mechanics following his freshman year in college, working with several instructors, including hitting coach Craig Wallenbrock, to find a solution that allowed him to access his power more consistently. He reduced his leg kick and adopted more of a simplified, balanced approach. He still has swing-and-miss concerns, and at times he struggles to sync his upper and lower half when he gets overly aggressive, but he now shows fringe-average hitting potential. Clarke is a plus runner who shows good defensive instincts, although his fringe-average arm may push him to left field. Clarke’s impressive frame still has room to add more strength, too.
  
  The Future: It’s a risk-reward profile, but Clarke is one of Oakland’s most intriguing prospects as he enters full-season ball in 2022.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #130 prospect in 2021 draft
  A cousin of Indians outfielder Josh Naylor, Clarke starred for Canada’s junior national teams growing up and was drafted by the Mets in the 36th round out of high school. He made his way to Cal State Northridge and began to blossom as a sophomore in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. He got off to a slow start this spring but exploded in the second half to become one of the fastest risers in the draft class. Clarke is a physical specimen at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and has some of the best power potential in this year’s draft class. He has huge raw power that is easily plus, and he still has room to get stronger and add even more. Clarke was previously a raw hitter who swung at everything and struggled to keep his swing in sync, but he’s improved rapidly the last two years. He now stays on breaking balls, has begun walking more and is doing a better job of keeping his swinging consistent. His improvements to his approach, combined with his natural strength and leverage, give him a chance to be a fringe-average hitter. Clarke has a chance to stick in center field despite his size. He is a plus runner with good instincts and impressive athleticism. His below-average arm will limit him to left field if he has to move. Clarke’s swing still gets out of sync and he has to show he can maintain his improved approach against better competition. His power and athleticism have teams interested late on the draft’s first day or early on the draft’s second day.
• Ranked #384 prospect in 2018 draft
  An immensely athletic outfielder, Clarke gets his natural physical ability from his mother, Donna, who was an Olympic heptathlete. Likewise, Clarke has also competed in other sports, including track and field, soccer, basketball and tennis. He is also cousins with Josh and Noah Naylor. On the baseball field, Clarke's athleticism is apparent in the outfield, where he has the speed and body control to be a plus defender. He will likely move from center field to one of the corner outfield spots as he continues to add muscle to his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame. Clarke has a hit-over-power profile right now, although he has some timing issues and a lack of strength that prohibits him from finishing his swing with authority. He has the hand speed to develop into a solid hitter with more reps, but he is still raw with the bat. Those who know him compare him to fellow Canadian Tristan Pompey at the same age.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #83 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Clarke is cousins with Josh and Bo Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians and his mother, Donna, represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Clarke burnished a reputation as a dynamic outfielder at Cal State Northridge and carried that into the professional ranks after the A's made him their fourth-round selection in 2021. Clarke hit .248 with 15 homers and 30 steals across Low-A Stockton and High-A Lansing, where he became the first professional baseball player to hit inside-the-park homers in back-to-back games. He also appeared in the Futures Game and participated in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Simply put, Clarke is a toolshed. He has arguably the best raw power of any player in Oakland's system and pairs it with easy 70-grade speed in center field, where he routinely makes spectacular defensive plays. Clarke's offensive game, though, is still quite raw. He has tinkered with several iterations of his setup and stance going back to college in an effort to help simplify his swing, unlock more consistent contact and cut down on the swing-and-miss in the strike zone. He settled on a short stride in 2022, although his hands can drift higher in his setup than the A's prefer. Clarke has a solid understanding of the strike zone, but also has a tendency to chase offspeed pitches and posted a 36.2% strikeout rate in his first taste of High-A. Breaking ball recognition was a point of emphasis throughout the season. Already a prolific runner, his basestealing could continue to improve as learns the nuances of baserunning. Clarke is commended throughout the A's organization for his makeup and work ethic.
  
  The Future: Clarke has one of the highest ceilings in the A's organization. If his hit tool improves, he could be an impact center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Clarke is cousins with Josh and Bo Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians and his mother, Donna, represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Clarke burnished a reputation as a dynamic outfielder at Cal State Northridge and carried that into the professional ranks after the A's made him their fourth-round selection in 2021. Clarke hit .248 with 15 homers and 30 steals across Low-A Stockton and High-A Lansing, where he became the first professional baseball player to hit inside-the-park homers in back-to-back games. He also appeared in the Futures Game and participated in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: Simply put, Clarke is a toolshed. He has arguably the best raw power of any player in Oakland's system and pairs it with easy 70-grade speed in center field, where he routinely makes spectacular defensive plays. Clarke's offensive game, though, is still quite raw. He has tinkered with several iterations of his setup and stance going back to college in an effort to help simplify his swing, unlock more consistent contact and cut down on the swing-and-miss in the strike zone. He settled on a short stride in 2022, although his hands can drift higher in his setup than the A's prefer. Clarke has a solid understanding of the strike zone, but also has a tendency to chase offspeed pitches and posted a 36.2% strikeout rate in his first taste of High-A. Breaking ball recognition was a point of emphasis throughout the season. Already a prolific runner, his basestealing could continue to improve as learns the nuances of baserunning. Clarke is commended throughout the A's organization for his makeup and work ethic.
  
  The Future: Clarke has one of the highest ceilings in the A's organization. If his hit tool improves, he could be an impact center fielder.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Clarke surged up draft boards following a strong second half at Cal State Northridge, and the A&#39s made him their fourth-round selection in 2021, coveting his power-speed potential and makeup they ascertained during pre-draft conversations. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League, appearing in seven games. Clarke&#39s mother, Donna, was an Olympian heptathlete for Canada in 1984 and he is cousins with the Guardians&#39 Naylor brothers, Josh and Bo.
  
  Scouting Report: Clarke boasts enormous tools, headlined by easy plus raw power that allows for home run potential even on fly balls he doesn&#39t barrel. He rebuilt his swing mechanics following his freshman year in college, working with several instructors, including hitting coach Craig Wallenbrock, to find a solution that allowed him to access his power more consistently. He reduced his leg kick and adopted more of a simplified, balanced approach. He still has swing-and-miss concerns, and at times he struggles to sync his upper and lower half when he gets overly aggressive, but he now shows fringe-average hitting potential. Clarke is a plus runner who shows good defensive instincts, although his fringe-average arm may push him to left field. Clarke&#39s impressive frame still has room to add more strength, too.
  
  The Future: It&#39s a risk-reward profile, but Clarke is one of Oakland&#39s most intriguing prospects as he enters full-season ball in 2022.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Clarke surged up draft boards following a strong second half at Cal State Northridge, and the A’s made him their fourth-round selection in 2021, coveting his power-speed potential and makeup they ascertained during pre-draft conversations. He debuted in the Arizona Complex League, appearing in seven games. Clarke’s mother, Donna, was an Olympian heptathlete for Canada in 1984 and he is cousins with the Guardians’ Naylor brothers, Josh and Bo.
  
  Scouting Report: Clarke boasts enormous tools, headlined by easy plus raw power that allows for home run potential even on fly balls he doesn’t barrel. He rebuilt his swing mechanics following his freshman year in college, working with several instructors, including hitting coach Craig Wallenbrock, to find a solution that allowed him to access his power more consistently. He reduced his leg kick and adopted more of a simplified, balanced approach. He still has swing-and-miss concerns, and at times he struggles to sync his upper and lower half when he gets overly aggressive, but he now shows fringe-average hitting potential. Clarke is a plus runner who shows good defensive instincts, although his fringe-average arm may push him to left field. Clarke’s impressive frame still has room to add more strength, too.
  
  The Future: It’s a risk-reward profile, but Clarke is one of Oakland’s most intriguing prospects as he enters full-season ball in 2022.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  A cousin of Indians outfielder Josh Naylor, Clarke starred for Canada's junior national teams growing up and was drafted by the Mets in the 36th round out of high school. He made his way to Cal State Northridge and began to blossom as a sophomore in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. He got off to a slow start this spring but exploded in the second half to become one of the fastest risers in the draft class. Clarke is a physical specimen at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and has some of the best power potential in this year's draft class. He has huge raw power that is easily plus, and he still has room to get stronger and add even more. Clarke was previously a raw hitter who swung at everything and struggled to keep his swing in sync, but he's improved rapidly the last two years. He now stays on breaking balls, has begun walking more and is doing a better job of keeping his swinging consistent. His improvements to his approach, combined with his natural strength and leverage, give him a chance to be a fringe-average hitter. Clarke has a chance to stick in center field despite his size. He is a plus runner with good instincts and impressive athleticism. His below-average arm will limit him to left field if he has to move. Clarke's swing still gets out of sync and he has to show he can maintain his improved approach against better competition.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  A cousin of Indians outfielder Josh Naylor, Clarke starred for Canada’s junior national teams growing up and was drafted by the Mets in the 36th round out of high school. He made his way to Cal State Northridge and began to blossom as a sophomore in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the season. He got off to a slow start this spring but exploded in the second half to become one of the fastest risers in the draft class. Clarke is a physical specimen at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and has some of the best power potential in this year’s draft class. He has huge raw power that is easily plus, and he still has room to get stronger and add even more. Clarke was previously a raw hitter who swung at everything and struggled to keep his swing in sync, but he’s improved rapidly the last two years. He now stays on breaking balls, has begun walking more and is doing a better job of keeping his swinging consistent. His improvements to his approach, combined with his natural strength and leverage, give him a chance to be a fringe-average hitter. Clarke has a chance to stick in center field despite his size. He is a plus runner with good instincts and impressive athleticism. His below-average arm will limit him to left field if he has to move. Clarke’s swing still gets out of sync and he has to show he can maintain his improved approach against better competition. His power and athleticism have teams interested late on the draft’s first day or early on the draft’s second day.