Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Heads to minor-league camp
Rotowire
The Athletics optioned Clarke to Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday.
Clarke was one of 13 players the Athletics reassigned or optioned to minor-league camp Monday in the club's latest round of roster cuts. The Athletics added the 24-year-old outfielder to their 40-man roster in November following a 2024 season in which he slashed .269/.339/.445 with 13 home runs and 36 steals over 478 plate appearances at Double-A Midland. Clarke is likely to spend most of the upcoming season at Las Vegas but should have the opportunity to make his MLB debut at some point in 2025 if he shows he can handle pitching in the Pacific Coast League.
The Athletics selected Clarke's contract from Double-A Midland on Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Clarke is now on the 40-man roster after slashing .269/.339/.446 with 13 homers and 36 stolen bases at Midland last season. The 24-year-old can play all three outfield spots and will likely begin the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Las Vegas.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Slugs two homers Sunday
Rotowire
Clarke went 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and three RBI on Sunday in Double-A Midland's 4-1 win over Frisco. He also reached base on a hit by pitch.
Clarke saw his 2023 campaign come to an early end in late July due to a left shoulder strain, but he returned to full health for the start of the 2024 campaign. Though Clarke's .717 OPS over 215 plate appearances on the season lags far behind his 2023 mark (.877), the 24-year-old outfielder has caught fire at the plate of late. Over his last 11 games, Clarke has gone 17-for-38 (.447 average) with eight extra-base hits and two stolen bases.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Likely done for season
Rotowire
Clarke, who was placed on Double-A Midland's 7-day injured list in late July with a left shoulder strain, was transferred to the 60-day IL on Tuesday, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.
Given that Clarke last played July 21, he won't be eligible for activation until late September, essentially spelling an end to his 2023 campaign. Lockard notes that Clarke missed the first three weeks of the season with a left shoulder strain, so he may have aggravated the injury to his non-throwing arm at some point after making his 2023 debut April 25. The 23-year-old outfielder will wrap up the campaign with a .261/.381/.496 slash line with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 286 plate appearances.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Returns from Double-A injured list
Rotowire
Clarke (shoulder) is slashing .382/.488/.941 with four home runs, 13 runs, 11 RBI and one stolen base in 43 plate appearances over his nine games since being activated from Double-A Midland's 7-day injured list April 24.
Clarke missed the first two and a half weeks of the minor-league season while recovering from a left shoulder strain, but he hasn't had any trouble tapping into power upon being activated from the IL. For all his success thus far, the 23-year-old outfielder is striking out at a 30.2 percent clip, so expect his production to drop off considerably once his .500 BABIP regresses to a normal level.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Out with shoulder strain
Rotowire
Clarke is on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Midland with a left shoulder strain, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports.
Clarke presumably suffered the injury in minor-league camp, so his 2023 season will be delayed by several weeks. The 6-foot-5 slugging outfielder registered a 36.2 percent strikeout rate as a 22-year-old at High-A last year, so it will be a tall task for him to make contact at an acceptable clip in his first year against Double-A pitching.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Returns from IL
Rotowire
Clarke (undisclosed) has gone 1-for-19 with three walks and four stolen bases in six games since being reinstated from High-A Lansing's 7-day injured list Tuesday.
Clarke was on the shelf for just five days with the unspecified issue, which may have been COVID-19-related. Since moving up to the High-A level in mid-June, Clarke has slashed .209/.308/.407 with eight home runs and 14 steals in 46 games.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Heads to IL
Rotowire
High-A Lansing placed Clarke on the 7-day injured list Thursday due to an unspecified injury.
Lansing's season is set to come to an end Sept. 11, so Clarke's 2022 campaign could well be over if his injury keeps him sidelined beyond the minimum amount of time. Since receiving a promotion from Single-A Stockton in mid-June, Clarke is hitting .226 with eight home runs and 12 stolen bases over 180 plate appearances in the Midwest League.
Athletics' Denzel Clarke: Makes jump to High-A Lansing
Rotowire
The Athletics promoted Clarke from Single-A Stockton to High-A Lansing on Tuesday, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.
Clarke will fill one of the three roster spots that opened up for Lansing after three prospects (pitchers Hogan Harris and Jeff Criswell and outfielder Austin Beck) were advanced to Double-A Midland earlier Tuesday. A 2021 first-round pick, Clarke slashed .295/.420/.545 with seven home runs and 14 steals in 193 plate appearances to earn the bump up to Lansing.
0:37
8:20
1:16
8:44
8:45
9:28
10:27
9:20
9:32
