Chris Clarke

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #19 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Clarke had Tommy John surgery in high school and struggled his first two years at Southern California, but he clicked working with Bethesda pitching coach Bill Sizemore in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League after his sophomore season. Clarke followed with a breakthrough junior year as the Trojans' closer and was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round, signing for $426,600.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clarke's success came as a closer, but the Cubs believe he can start. He's a big, 6-foot-7 righthander who throws a lot of strikes with a sinking 92-95 mph fastball and a big-breaking curveball in the low 80s that he commands to make it a plus or better pitch. His sinking heater and downer curveball induce a steady stream of ground balls and prevent hard contact in the air. Clarke complements his two primary pitches with a darting slider in the mid 80s and a changeup with solid depth. He is a good athlete for his size and has a smooth, repeatable delivery that allows him to fill up the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke will jump to full-season ball in 2021. He will continue developing as a starter and has a fallback as a late-inning reliever.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #14 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After beginning the year as Southern California's setup man, Clarke moved into the closer's role because of an injury to the team's regular ninth-inning option. He had Tommy John surgery in high school and scouts connected it to a drop-off in his stuff when he pitched back-to-back days. The Cubs saw starter traits in his pitch mix, took him in the fourth round and set him into the rotation at short-season Eugene for his first taste of pro ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After being primarily a fastball-curveball reliever in the second half of his college career, Clarke began throwing a five-pitch mix as a starter in pro ball. He works with two fastballs—four-seam and sinker—in the low-to-mid 90s. He pairs them with a powerful spike curveball that was among the best collegiate curveballs available in the draft class and with a hard-darting slider with cutter-type break. He also has a changeup with deep fade action as well. Clarke throws all his pitches with a smooth, repeatable delivery that belies his massive, 6-foot-7 frame.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke should move to low Class A South Bend in 2020 and has the makings of a back-end rotation piece with powerful stuff that could also fit well in the late innings if necessary.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #216 prospect in 2019 draft
  Clarke began 2019 as USC's setup man and became the Trojans' closer when Connor Lunn ascended to the rotation. He quickly took to the role and was effective in both one-inning and multiple-inning stints. Clarke is a 6-foot-7 righthander who looks the part of a major league reliever. His fastball sits 92-95 mph with sink, and he complements his heater with a 70-grade curveball that is his out-pitch. Clarke is a good athlete despite his size and fills up the strike zone. He had Tommy John surgery in high school and his stuff drops off when he pitches back-to-back days, but he's shown the ability to be effective even at lower velocities.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Clarke had Tommy John surgery in high school and struggled his first two years at Southern California, but he clicked working with Bethesda pitching coach Bill Sizemore in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League after his sophomore season. Clarke followed with a breakthrough junior year as the Trojans' closer and was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round, signing for $426,600.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clarke's success came as a closer, but the Cubs believe he can start. He's a big, 6-foot-7 righthander who throws a lot of strikes with a sinking 92-95 mph fastball and a big-breaking curveball in the low 80s that he commands to make it a plus or better pitch. His sinking heater and downer curveball induce a steady stream of ground balls and prevent hard contact in the air. Clarke complements his two primary pitches with a darting slider in the mid 80s and a changeup with solid depth. He is a good athlete for his size and has a smooth, repeatable delivery that allows him to fill up the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke will jump to full-season ball in 2021. He will continue developing as a starter and has a fallback as a late-inning reliever.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Clarke had Tommy John surgery in high school and struggled his first two years at Southern California, but he clicked working with Bethesda pitching coach Bill Sizemore in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League after his sophomore season. Clarke followed with a breakthrough junior year as the Trojans' closer and was drafted by the Cubs in the fourth round, signing for $426,600.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clarke's success came as a closer, but the Cubs believe he can start. He's a big, 6-foot-7 righthander who throws a lot of strikes with a sinking 92-95 mph fastball and a big-breaking curveball in the low 80s that he commands to make it a plus or better pitch. His sinking heater and downer curveball induce a steady stream of ground balls and prevent hard contact in the air. Clarke complements his two primary pitches with a darting slider in the mid 80s and a changeup with solid depth. He is a good athlete for his size and has a smooth, repeatable delivery that allows him to fill up the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke will jump to full-season ball in 2021. He will continue developing as a starter and has a fallback as a late-inning reliever.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After beginning the year as Southern California’s setup man, Clarke moved into the closer’s role because of an injury to the team’s regular ninth-inning option. He had Tommy John surgery in high school and scouts connected it to a drop-off in his stuff when he pitched back-to-back days. The Cubs saw starter traits in his pitch mix, took him in the fourth round and set him into the rotation at short-season Eugene for his first taste of pro ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After being primarily a fastball-curveball reliever in the second half of his college career, Clarke began throwing a five-pitch mix as a starter in pro ball. He works with two fastballs—four-seam and sinker—in the low-to-mid 90s. He pairs them with a powerful spike curveball that was among the best collegiate curveballs available in the draft class and with a hard-darting slider with cutter-type break. He also has a changeup with deep fade action as well. Clarke throws all his pitches with a smooth, repeatable delivery that belies his massive, 6-foot-7 frame. BA GRADE 50 Risk: Very High BA GRADE 50 Risk: Very High
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke should move to low Class A South Bend in 2020 and has the makings of a back-end rotation piece with powerful stuff that could also fit well in the late innings if necessary.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After beginning the year as Southern California's setup man, Clarke moved into the closer's role because of an injury to the team's regular ninth-inning option. He had Tommy John surgery in high school and scouts connected it to a drop-off in his stuff when he pitched back-to-back days. The Cubs saw starter traits in his pitch mix, took him in the fourth round and set him into the rotation at short-season Eugene for his first taste of pro ball.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: After being primarily a fastball-curveball reliever in the second half of his college career, Clarke began throwing a five-pitch mix as a starter in pro ball. He works with two fastballs—four-seam and sinker—in the low-to-mid 90s. He pairs them with a powerful spike curveball that was among the best collegiate curveballs available in the draft class and with a hard-darting slider with cutter-type break. He also has a changeup with deep fade action as well. Clarke throws all his pitches with a smooth, repeatable delivery that belies his massive, 6-foot-7 frame.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clarke should move to low Class A South Bend in 2020 and has the makings of a back-end rotation piece with powerful stuff that could also fit well in the late innings if necessary.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Clarke began 2019 as USC's setup man and became the Trojans' closer when Connor Lunn ascended to the rotation. He quickly took to the role and was effective in both one-inning and multiple-inning stints. Clarke is a 6-foot-7 righthander who looks the part of a major league reliever. His fastball sits 92-95 mph with sink, and he complements his heater with a 70-grade curveball that is his out-pitch. Clarke is a good athlete despite his size and fills up the strike zone. He had Tommy John surgery in high school and his stuff drops off when he pitches back-to-back days, but he's shown the ability to be effective even at lower velocities.