Athletics Community Prospect List: Denzel Clarke’s high ceiling propels him to #4

After seeing the top three go fairly chalk, Athletics Nation placed its faith behind a little known, high-ceiling prospect in Denzel Clarke. Touted as one of minor league baseball’s athletic showstoppers, the 24-year-old outfielder has the potential to end up the best player from this list. Despite repeating the year at Double-A, Clarke got off to an extremely slow start, striking out in nearly half of his plate appearances and barely reaching a .600 OPS. However, he reignited his career in June and put himself back on track for a long-awaited breakthrough year at Triple-A next year. The old swing-and-miss will always hold him back, but Clarke’s talent and athleticism alone may be enough to overcome it.

Joining the candidates for #5, narrowly beating out Colby Thomas in a 16-to-15 vote, is baby shortstop Max Muncy. Still just 22 years old, the youngster is entering his fifth year in the A’s farm system that’ll likely start with a repeat of Triple-A. He’ll have stiff competition with Mason Barnett and Henry Bolte nearly tied for the runner-up spot last time around. Make sure to vote!

The process for this public vote is explained below. Please take a moment to read this before participating:

• Please only vote for one. The player with the most votes at the end of voting will win the ranked spot. The remaining four players move on to the next ballot where they are joined by a new nominee.
• If a prospect is traded, his name will be crossed out, and all other players will be moved up a space. If a prospect is acquired, a special vote will be put up to determine where that player should rank.
• If you wish to nominate a prospect for the next round, clearly comment, “Nomination: (player)” and fellow readers will upvote your comment.

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A’s fans top prospects, ranked:

1: Jacob Wilson, SS

2: Nick Kurtz, 1B

3. Luis Morales, RHP

4. Denzel Clarke, OF

The voting continues now! Here’s a quick rundown on each one — the scouting grades (on a 20-to-80 scale) and scouting reports come from MLB Pipeline (last updated mid-2024).

Nominees on the current ballot:

Tommy White, 3B

Expected level: A+ | Age 21

2019 stats (A): 107 PA, .224/.303/.299, 2 doubles, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 9 BB, 21 K, 0 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 50

White generates huge right-handed power to all fields with strength, bat speed and an uncanny ability to barrel balls. Known more for his slugging, he’s underrated as a hitter who makes repeated contact with impressive exit velocities. Though he’s overly aggressive and regularly expands his strike zone, he rarely swings and misses.

As a well-below-average runner with average arm strength, White provides limited value on the bases and in the field. Mostly a DH as a freshman, he primarily played third base after that and likely will wind up at first base in pro ball. He lacks range and is erratic at the hot corner, though he earns praise for gritting through the 2023 season and filling a team need despite his bad shoulder.

Henry Bolte, OF

Expected level: Double-A | Age 21

2024 stats (A+): 318 PA, .278/.393/.519, 19 doubles, 11 HR, 52 RBI, 41 BB, 101 K, 28 SB

2024 stats (AA): 227 PA, .252/.332/.396, 13 doubles, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 20 BB, 88 K, 18 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 65 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The eye-popping raw power Bolte showed during batting practice at the Oakland Coliseum shortly after signing his pro contract has quickly appeared in the Minors. As with most young players, his overall offensive approach is still being refined. There is still some swing-and-miss he needs to cut down on, particularly on offspeed stuff out of the zone, though he did show signs of improvement as his first full year went along.

Bolte’s near-elite speed was on display as he swiped 32 bags. The run tool also helps on defense, which along with a strong arm, makes him a solid defender at all three outfield spots. The five-tool skillset gives him a very high ceiling as he looks to continue advancing levels.

Mason Barnett, RHP

Expected level: AAA | Age 24

2024 stats (AA): 4.20 ERA, 133 IP, 161 K, 49 BB, 13 HR, 3.55 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Barnett has gotten things done in the past mainly with his above-average fastball and changeup, with his heater sitting mid 90s and reaching 99 mph, though this year he sat 94 mph and topped out at 96. He started going to his mid-80s slider (which features good bite) more and he did start to get more separation velocity-wise with his upper-70s curve. He still used his changeup, sitting around 87-88 mph, effectively at times.

The 6-foot right-hander has shown an understanding of how to get himself back in counts using his breaking stuff to do so. He throws strikes but has fringe-average control, with a goal of being more precise in the zone as he faces tougher hitters. Barnett throws from a three-quarters arm slot and sometimes shows long arm action but is otherwise clean. He gets high marks for his mentality on the mound, a bulldog personality who is cerebral in how he does it, with a chance to start long-term.

Denzel Clarke, OF

Expected level: Triple-A | Age 24

2024 stats (AA): 479 PA, .269/.339/.446, 21 doubles, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 39 BB, 143 K, 36 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

It’s easy to see where Clarke gets his athleticism from. His family ties include baseball-playing cousins Josh, Bo and Myles Naylor, who was a 2023 Competitive Balance Round A Draft pick by the A’s. Clarke brings a volatility that reminds some in the organization of watching a young Bo Jackson. He has worked to improve his overall hitting mechanics, though the swing-and-miss remains high, especially when facing pitches with good spin. When he puts the ball in play, the results are impressive with power to all fields.

Clarke’s strong arm and plus speed, which also makes him a serious threat on the basepaths, enable him to handle center field well, but his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame and continued injury concerns might make right field a better long-term spot. The main focus for the A’s is to get the incredibly toolsy outfielder through a full season healthy while continuing to refine his raw tools with a full campaign of at-bats.

Jack Perkins, RHP

Expected level: Double-A | Age 25

2024 stats (AA): 2.96 ERA, 76 IP, 100 K, 35 BB, 2 HR, 2.74 FIP

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Perkins features a hard riding fastball in the 94-97 mph range. He has gained a good feel for both his breaking ball that can miss some bats and a newly developed changeup implemented this past season, while his cutter tops out around 91 mph and gives hitters a different look.

Perkins still walks his fair share of batters as he continues to work on his command. Refining that aspect could lead to another big jump in 2024 with potential to evolve into a solid back-of-the-rotation piece. Invited to his first big league Spring Training, a lat strain early in camp slowed him, though the A’s are not too concerned about the injury.

Max Muncy, SS

Expected level: Triply-A | Age 22

2024 stats (AAA): 203 PA, .278/.374/.491, 11 doubles, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 18 BB, 50 K, 4 SB

MLB Pipeline grades and scouting report:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

There is no relation between Muncy and his namesake who stars for the Dodgers, though he does carry his own set of special hitting tools that are really starting to show up. He demonstrated real plate discipline growth by taking more walks upon moving to Double-A and adjusted his swing to become shorter and more connected. He drives the ball to all fields and continues to tap into his power, which the A’s believe will continue to amplify on bigger stages.

Muncy’s competitive spirit stands out in games. There once were questions as to whether he might switch positions at some point, but they have seemingly been answered. While the A’s do want to keep him versatile, his solid arm and strides made on defense this past year give him a good chance to stick at shortstop for the long haul.

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