The Super 60 is one of, if not the most prestigious event we at Prep Baseball will hold for the upcoming 2018 draft prospects as we continue to trend into the direction of opening day for high school baseball. As some states and provinces start sooner than others, it’s not out the equation to see prospects in midsummer form in early February at The Max Facility in McCook Illinois. 

This year, our representative from the great white north was outfielder and recent Cal State Northridge commit Denzel Clarke. For those unfamiliar with Clarke, he’s an athletic, 6-foot-4, 210-pound centre-fielder who plays for the Toronto Mets and Canadian Junior National Team. The 6’4 and 210 pounds hasn’t always been included in his profile, as the 2018 grad has made significant gains to his frame over the last three months and you see the body slowly coming together as Clarke was noticeably stronger than the last time we saw him perform in October.

Your typical showcase format at The Max with 60’s, exit velocity, BP and defensive work, the only difference is that it’s in front of 150 plus professional scouts. Clarke started the day of with a 6.79 60-yard dash, not the best time he has ran but you were still able to see the easy running form and long strides he possesses. The extra strength and weight he has put on may have taken his time down a notch, but it is easy to see that he can be back to his 6.60 form as he continues to carry and get accustomed to his new weight.

At the plate, Clarke had two rounds of BP, with the  latter being the more impressive round. The new found strength was evident as you can see the ball jump off his bat with more juice than in the past with louder contact than he previously has shown during batting practices. He really seemed to focus on staying in his lower half, and when he was extended through the baseball is when it really seemed to jump. An average leg kick to load, he gets his hands set early in a good position to hit while the bat angle showed an uphill path with a two-handed finish. It’s easy to project another 15-20 pounds on Clarke as he matures which should incorporate more power into his game. He had his best exit velocity to date off the tee at 92 mph and overall offensively has made strides in his game.

Defensively, Clarke is an above average centre fielder at the moment as he has shown many times over the last couple years that he can go and get in the outfield. The arm has always been the tool that has lacked but again, you can see the improvements and strength he has made over the winter this past Sunday. The footwork and approach was thorough and online, and the arm, long and loose in the back, showed cleaner actions out the hand with proper rotation and carry on the ball. Another measurable to date that has been his best, with a velocity of 86 mph from the outfield. With the National Team this past year, Clarke has shown he can play the corners in the outfield, but when it’s all said and done we envision Clarke patrolling centre for a long time to come.

The evolution of Denzel has come along way since the first time we saw him in 2015 at our Future Game Trials. Then a skinny, weak, uncoordinated Clarke has turned himself into an elite athlete and one of the top players in the country heading into the 2018 season. It’s safe to say that he is still somewhat raw, and nowhere near a finished product, but the main thing is that he continues to improve, continues to change his body for the better, and continues to learn the game and the nuances that come with playing at the highest level. He keeps trending upwards and in the right direction, and the best learning device for Clarke is going to be getting as many reps and as many in game at-bats as possible. A very intriguing mlb prospect this year, it will be fun to follow Clarke as he prepares for live game action this March in Florida with the Junior National Team and take those reps into league play that is scheduled to start late early May in Ontario.