A New Max Has Taken Over Detroit

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster for Tigers fans when it comes to Max Clark.

The third overall pick by the Tigers in the 2023 MLB Draft, Clark faced some backlash when he appeared with the team during spring training. Some fans were quick to judge him simply because he wore chains, somehow associating his appearance with his potential as a baseball player.

It was a strange connection to make, but it happened.

Clark ultimately didn’t make it out of spring training with a spot on the Opening Day roster. Instead, he continued developing in the minors before finally getting the call to the big leagues on July 31.

Now, after 30 games with the Tigers, the fans who once seemed annoyed by Clark have completely changed their tune.

The baby-faced killer has arrived.

A lot of the criticism directed toward Clark probably wasn’t really about Clark himself. Instead, it felt like frustration stemming from what Tigers fans had seen from some of the organization’s previous high draft picks.

Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson were both former No. 1 overall picks who struggled to live up to the enormous expectations that came with being selected at the top of the draft.

Jackson Jobe, another highly touted first-round pick, has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

After watching several highly drafted prospects struggle to become the stars everyone expected them to be, it’s easy to understand why some Tigers fans were already preparing themselves for Clark to follow the same path.

After all, it sometimes feels like nothing can work out in Detroit unless the player is a seventh-round steal named Tarik Skubal.

But something has changed with Clark.

With the Tigers’ playoff hopes fading after their inability to consistently close out games, some of the enormous expectations surrounding the team have quieted down. That has allowed fans to simply watch Clark play baseball and appreciate the potential he brings to Detroit.

And he is starting to make that potential impossible to ignore.

On Wednesday night, during a wild 12-inning affair, Clark made Tigers history.

At just 21 years and 255 days old, Clark became the youngest player in franchise history to record three doubles in a single game. He surpassed Omar Infante, who previously held the record at 22 years and 224 days old.

That’s nearly a full year younger.

And Clark’s speed was on full display throughout the night.

On one of his doubles, Clark moved so quickly that he likely could have stretched the hit into a triple. Instead, with the inning still getting started, he wisely held at second.

That combination of speed and aggressiveness is becoming a major part of Clark’s game.

Over his last eight games, Clark has been a problem for opposing pitching. During that stretch, he is slashing .304/.407/.696 with one home run, one triple, four doubles, four RBIs and four runs scored.

Through his first 30 games in the majors, Clark is hitting .257/.328/.766 with two home runs, 14 RBIs and one stolen base.

The numbers are encouraging, but they only tell part of the story.

Clark’s speed is electric, and his excitement and passion for the game are beginning to catch on with Tigers fans.

It has been a full-on youth movement in Detroit, led by soon-to-be Rookie of the Year Kevin McGonigle.

Now, with Clark firmly establishing himself in The Show, Tigers fans have another young star to get excited about.

McGonigle and Clark could become a dynamic duo for Detroit, and they won’t be alone. The Tigers have several young players who could play significant roles in the organization’s future.

For a fan base that has spent years waiting for highly touted prospects to finally live up to their potential, seeing Clark begin to put everything together is refreshing.

The expectations may have been overwhelming when he first arrived.

Now, they’re turning into excitement.

And if these first 30 games are any indication, it could be very fun to watch Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle and the rest of Detroit’s young core lead the Tigers for the next decade or more.