Clark takes it to the max with first Lakeland slam

Tigers' top prospect plates career-high five, follows Jung's HR lead

By Kenny Van Doren @thevandalorian

12:31 AM EDT

The tools are galore for Max Clark, and on Saturday, he showed off his upside from the plate. MLB’s No. 10 prospect tallied a career-high five RBIs for Single-A Lakeland. The 19-year-old drove four of those runs in on his first professional grand slam, en route to a 9-2 victory

The tools are galore for Max Clark, and on Saturday, he showed off his upside from the plate.

MLB’s No. 10 prospect tallied a career-high five RBIs for Single-A Lakeland. The 19-year-old drove four of those runs in on his first professional grand slam, en route to a 9-2 victory over Tampa on the grounds of Joker Marchant Stadium.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the second inning, Clark pummeled an 83 mph changeup on the inner half for a 363-foot homer. It marked the second long ball Tarpons righty Danny Flatt (Yankees) surrendered on his changeup to a left-handed hitter in the first two frames.

The first? Well, that came courtesy of rehabbing infielder Jace Jung.

Clark batted second for the Flying Tigers on Saturday, one spot ahead of Jung, who hit the shelf with right wrist soreness June 20 at Triple-A. In his fourth game at Single-A, Jung -- MLB’s No. 41 prospect -- connected on his first home run of his rehab assignment, depositing an 84.9 mph changeup beyond the right-field wall.

It marked the left-handed-hitting infielder’s second extra-base hit of his rehab assignment with the Flying Tigers. Jung, the Tigers’ third-ranked prospect, went 1-for-3 on the evening with a pair of RBIs, giving the 23-year-old three knocks in 10 at-bats while at Single-A.

Clark roped an RBI double in the sixth to cap his career-best performance. The lefty went 2-for-4 while also scoring a run and drawing a walk, improving his slash line to .281/.382/.400 in 68 games this season at Single-A.

Along with his six home runs and 55 RBIs this season, Clark has boasted an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio, fanning 53 times and drawing 45 free passes. The 70-grade runner has also swiped 24 bases in 26 chances.

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Clark is nearly a year removed from being selected third overall in the 2023 Draft. Approaching 100 career games as a pro, the 19-year-old has seen peaks and valleys in his first full season, but to start July, he's totaled three of his nine hits for extra bases while walking more than he's struck out.

Kenny Van Doren is a contributor for MiLB.com.