Max Clark, a lefty slugger from Franklin, Indiana is having one of the greatest seasons in high school baseball history. But, how is Clark’s stock being affected by this? Is it time for more people to throw respect on his name? Today, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the 5-star Vanderbilt commit, and his 2023 season thus far.

2023 Season: A Year for the Books

Coming into 2023, it’s been no secret as to just what Max Clark is capable of, but he’s put it on full display and more this season. As of 5/1/23, Clark is hitting .625, 5 homers, 30 walks, 26 RBI, 21 stolen bases, .789 OBP, and a 1.250 SLG in just 16 games. These numbers are quite literally the definition of straight out of a video game, but Clark hasn’t just shown his abilities on the diamond this season. As you can see with his 30 walks, Clark is really not being pitched to much due to his status. But, what has he done? Kept his head down, and kept grinding. For a high school player about to enter the MLB draft, this is a really impressive trait to carry.

Clark has done his fair share of shutting down the haters this season as well, as he homered twice in a game where he was trash talked repeatedly by his opponents.

Another thing that is important to mention, is Clark’s 2023 season stats averaged out over a full season. If his 2023 counting stats were over a full, 162 game season, Clark would hit around 50 homers, steal around 212 bases, walk around 303 times, and drive in about 263 runs. These numbers are again, insane, and would certainly be record breaking.

In a season where Clark’s draft stock had been rapidly declining with the increase of a lot of college prospects, Clark has certainly proved his doubters wrong. The smooth swinging lefty is going to be a surefire MLB superstar, and it’s time people stop doubting that.

How has this Effected his Draft Stock?

So far this season, Max Clark has seen draft stock rises of over 3 slots, landing him as high as number 3 overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. For reference, Clark was typically seen around the 5-6 overall range previously. This is an incredibly impressive rise in stock, especially for a high school prospect

Scouts also previously had some doubts when it came to Clark’s consistency, but those have been put to rest after this season. Clark has shown time and time and again that he can hit the ball consistently, at any level, against any competition.

Clark has one of the best, and sweetest swings in this upcoming draft. With his quick, and easy approach at the plate, Clark does not get challenged by velocity much, which is a trait that will be incredibly valuable as he climbs the MiLB ranks. Clark is incredibly disciplined, and determined to reach his goals, and as we’ve seen in 2023, he won’t have any issue doing so.

Conclusion

Max Clark has proven time, and time, and time and again that he is and always will be a generational high school talent. As the summer season inches closer, Clark’s full potential is only to come. As for where he gets drafted? That’s still a mystery until the draft itself is underway, but I guarantee you it’ll be higher than it was before the 2023 season. Keep slugging Max, we can’t wait to see what you can do once you enter pro baseball.