Clarke Schmidt

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #13 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Yankees took Schmidt in 2017 knowing he’d need Tommy John surgery. He had the surgery, then made his pro debut late in the 2018 season. In 2019, he showed the potential the Yankees sought when they drafted him, and developed enough in 2020 at the alternate training site to make his big league debut in 2020. Schmidt strained his pitching elbow in the early days of spring training, which kept him out until a rehab appearance on July 26 and limited him to just 6.1 big league innings in 2021.
  
  Scouting Report: At his best, Schmidt mixes an excellent two-seam fastball with a hard, low-80s curveball which rates as the best in the system. He also added a slider this season to give him more options and a more natural pairing with his sinker. The slider checks in at around 86 mph on average and is understandably behind his curveball. Schmidt also has a four-seam fastball in roughly the same velo range as his sinker, as well as a changeup in the high 80s, but his two-seamer and curveball are his clear money pitches. The next step will be for his command and control to improve.
  
  The Future: Because his workload was so small in 2021—just 44.1 innings between the minors and majors—it is hard to envision Schmidt as a viable rotation candidate in 2022. It is more likely he’ll either head to Triple-A or be utilized as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.
  
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #3 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
  Track Record: The Yankees drafted Schmidt 16th overall in 2017 knowing he would need Tommy John surgery. He missed most of 2018 recovering but returned fully healthy in 2019 and bullied his way to Double-A. The Yankees called Schmidt up for his big league debut in September out of the bullpen, and he made his first big league start on Sept. 27.
  
  Scouting Report: Schmidt initially dominated hitters with a powerful two-seam fastball and a filthy power curveball thrown in the mid 80s. The Yankees used the downtime during the coronavirus shutdown to give him a four-seamer, which gave him a pitch that played better against lefthanded hitters as well as an offering that rode up in the zone to pair with his signature curveball. Schmidt throws both fastballs in the 95 mph range, but they really just set up his power curve. It’s a tight-spinning weapon that averages 3,085 rpms and dives straight down, garnering a 44% whiff rate in the majors. It’s a consensus plus pitch that batters can’t help but swing over the top of. Schmidt rounds out his arsenal with a seldom-used, high-80s changeup that doesn’t fool lefties and needs a lot of work.
  
  The Future: Schmidt will look to cement a spot in the Yankees’ rotation in 2021. He has barely pitched above the Class A levels and may need more time in the minors. .
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Yankees selected Schmidt in the first round in 2017 knowing he'd need Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2017 recovering, then pitched just 23 innings in 2018 between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and short-season Staten Island. He skipped low Class A Charleston and then sped to Double-A Trenton, albeit with about six weeks on the injured list.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Schmidt starts his repertoire with a 92-95 mph fastball that scouts saw up to 97 mph. The pitch shows boring, cutting action in on the hands of lefties. He backs it up with a potentially plus or better changeup with enough velocity and bottom that it can be mistaken for a split-fingered fastball. His curveball—which can behave like a slider—also earns above-average and plus grades. Schmidt also changes arm slots on his pitches, alternating between a high threequarter and three-quarters, to give hitters different looks.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a season that saw his pre-surgery stuff return in full, Schmidt has ceiling of a midrotation starter and looks like a wise gamble with the 16th overall pick.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #13 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: After two successful seasons at South Carolina, Schmidt’s draft year was cut short by Tommy John surgery. Even so, the Yankees liked what they’d seen and selected Schmidt with the 16th overall pick and signed him to a below-slot bonus of $2,184,300. He made his pro debut in 2018 at the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before making two starts with short-season Staten Island.
  
  Scouting Report: Schmidt pitched sparsely this season, but when he got on the mound he showed a plus fastball in the mid-90s that touched 97 mph. He paired the pitch with a plus slider as well as a seldom-thrown changeup. As with most undersized righthanders, there are questions about whether Schmidt’s stature and his high-effort delivery will lead to a relief role long-term. That’s a long way away, however, and his future will become clearer once he makes his full-season debut.
  
  The Future: After a cautious first taste of pro ball, Schmidt should have the reins taken off in 2019.
• 
  Ranked New York Yankees #14 prospect in 2018
  Were he healthy, there was a good chance Schmidt would not have lasted until the 16th selection in this year's draft. Instead, he had Tommy John surgery during the season and fell to the Yankees, who were happy to snap him up and add him to their collection of hard-throwing righthanders for a below-slot bonus of $2,184,300. At his best, Schmidt, the brother of Tigers prospect Clate Schmidt, shows a low-90s fastball that routinely touched 95-96 during his junior year with the Gamecocks. He blended the four-seam fastball with a two-seamer, a slider that got plenty of swings and misses and a changeup that showed above-average potential as well. More than his stuff, the Yankees were wowed by makeup that made them buy in despite knowing he wouldn't get back on the mound until sometime in 2018. He had the surgery in early May, which would put him on track for a return during the summer. If his stuff returns in full, he has the potential to pitch in a big league rotation.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #32 prospect in 2017 draft
  The younger brother of Tigers prospect Clate Schmidt, who pitched for rival Clemson and was also drafted by the Tigers out of high school, Clarke Schmidt didn't have near the level of fame his brother had out of high school. A dimunitive righthander who worked in the upper 80s, Schmidt went undrafted and enrolled at South Carolina. Pitching primarily out of the bullpen and in midweek starts, Schmidt had an inconsistent freshman year, but he blossomed his sophomore year, when an injury to staff ace Wil Crowe forced him into the Friday role. Throughout the course of his college career, Schmidt has added about 30 pounds to his frame, and this spring he was routinely touching 95-96 mph with his four-seamer and sitting comfortably in the low 90s. He also throws a heavy two-seamer, although his four-seamer shows good movement as well. Schmidt's slider has developed into one of the better breaking balls in the college class, a strikeout pitch in the mid-80s with tilt. He also flashed an above-average changeup at times, with sinking movement to his arm side. Schmidt was putting together a first-team All-America-type season with the Gamecocks this spring, going 4-2, 1.34 with 70 strikeouts to 18 walks in 60.1 innings before he tore his UCL in late April and had to have Tommy John surgery. Before the surgery, Schmidt's stock was steadily rising, and to some evaluators, he had inserted himself into the uppermost tier of college pitching. Schmidt could still be taken early in the draft, given what he showed before the injury and with teams less wary of Tommy John surgery than ever before. Schmidt is a fierce competitor with plus-plus makeup, staying home from summer ball in 2015 in order to be with his brother, Clate, as he battled cancer.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #12 prospect in 2019
  The further away from Tommy John surgery Schmidt has gotten, the better he’s looked. He opened his season by going pitch for pitch with 2018 No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize in a game that saw Schmidt spin five hitless innings with nine punchouts. He showed scouts a 92-95 mph fastball that touched 97 mph, as well as a changeup that has the potential to be a 65-grade pitch on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. His breaking ball was nearly as impressive, with multiple scouts projecting it as a future plus pitch. He showed guile on the mound, too, by mixing and matching his arm slots to add a bit of deception to his already impressive mix. He moved to Double-A Trenton and tossed 10.2 innings of one-run ball with 13 strikeouts over the course of two playoff starts en route to the Thunder’s first Eastern League championship since 2013. The Yankees gambled on Schmidt in 2017 knowing he would need surgery, and the results this season are making it look like the risk was worth the reward.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #62 prospect in 2020

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Yankees took Schmidt in 2017 knowing he&#39d need Tommy John surgery. He had the surgery, then made his pro debut late in the 2018 season. In 2019, he showed the potential the Yankees sought when they drafted him, and developed enough in 2020 at the alternate training site to make his big league debut in 2020. Schmidt strained his pitching elbow in the early days of spring training, which kept him out until a rehab appearance on July 26 and limited him to just 6.1 big league innings in 2021.
  
  Scouting Report: At his best, Schmidt mixes an excellent two-seam fastball with a hard, low-80s curveball which rates as the best in the system. He also added a slider this season to give him more options and a more natural pairing with his sinker. The slider checks in at around 86 mph on average and is understandably behind his curveball. Schmidt also has a four-seam fastball in roughly the same velo range as his sinker, as well as a changeup in the high 80s, but his two-seamer and curveball are his clear money pitches. The next step will be for his command and control to improve.
  
  The Future: Because his workload was so small in 2021—just 44.1 innings between the minors and majors—it is hard to envision Schmidt as a viable rotation candidate in 2022. It is more likely he&#39ll either head to Triple-A or be utilized as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Yankees took Schmidt in 2017 knowing he’d need Tommy John surgery. He had the surgery, then made his pro debut late in the 2018 season. In 2019, he showed the potential the Yankees sought when they drafted him, and developed enough in 2020 at the alternate training site to make his big league debut in 2020. Schmidt strained his pitching elbow in the early days of spring training, which kept him out until a rehab appearance on July 26 and limited him to just 6.1 big league innings in 2021.
  
  Scouting Report: At his best, Schmidt mixes an excellent two-seam fastball with a hard, low-80s curveball which rates as the best in the system. He also added a slider this season to give him more options and a more natural pairing with his sinker. The slider checks in at around 86 mph on average and is understandably behind his curveball. Schmidt also has a four-seam fastball in roughly the same velo range as his sinker, as well as a changeup in the high 80s, but his two-seamer and curveball are his clear money pitches. The next step will be for his command and control to improve.
  
  The Future: Because his workload was so small in 2021—just 44.1 innings between the minors and majors—it is hard to envision Schmidt as a viable rotation candidate in 2022. It is more likely he’ll either head to Triple-A or be utilized as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
  Track Record: The Yankees drafted Schmidt 16th overall in 2017 knowing he would need Tommy John surgery. He missed most of 2018 recovering but returned fully healthy in 2019 and bullied his way to Double-A. The Yankees called Schmidt up for his big league debut in September out of the bullpen, and he made his first big league start on Sept. 27.
  
  Scouting Report: Schmidt initially dominated hitters with a powerful two-seam fastball and a filthy power curveball thrown in the mid 80s. The Yankees used the downtime during the coronavirus shutdown to give him a four-seamer, which gave him a pitch that played better against lefthanded hitters as well as an offering that rode up in the zone to pair with his signature curveball. Schmidt throws both fastballs in the 95 mph range, but they really just set up his power curve. It's a tight-spinning weapon that averages 3,085 rpms and dives straight down, garnering a 44% whiff rate in the majors. It's a consensus plus pitch that batters can't help but swing over the top of. Schmidt rounds out his arsenal with a seldom-used, high-80s changeup that doesn't fool lefties and needs a lot of work.
  
  The Future: Schmidt will look to cement a spot in the Yankees' rotation in 2021. He has barely pitched above the Class A levels and may need more time in the minors. .
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
  Track Record: The Yankees drafted Schmidt 16th overall in 2017 knowing he would need Tommy John surgery. He missed most of 2018 recovering but returned fully healthy in 2019 and bullied his way to Double-A. The Yankees called Schmidt up for his big league debut in September out of the bullpen, and he made his first big league start on Sept. 27.
  
  Scouting Report: Schmidt initially dominated hitters with a powerful two-seam fastball and a filthy power curveball thrown in the mid 80s. The Yankees used the downtime during the coronavirus shutdown to give him a four-seamer, which gave him a pitch that played better against lefthanded hitters as well as an offering that rode up in the zone to pair with his signature curveball. Schmidt throws both fastballs in the 95 mph range, but they really just set up his power curve. It’s a tight-spinning weapon that averages 3,085 rpms and dives straight down, garnering a 44% whiff rate in the majors. It’s a consensus plus pitch that batters can’t help but swing over the top of. Schmidt rounds out his arsenal with a seldom-used, high-80s changeup that doesn’t fool lefties and needs a lot of work.
  
  The Future: Schmidt will look to cement a spot in the Yankees’ rotation in 2021. He has barely pitched above the Class A levels and may need more time in the minors. .
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 45. Control: 50.
  Track Record: The Yankees drafted Schmidt 16th overall in 2017 knowing he would need Tommy John surgery. He missed most of 2018 recovering but returned fully healthy in 2019 and bullied his way to Double-A. The Yankees called Schmidt up for his big league debut in September out of the bullpen, and he made his first big league start on Sept. 27.
  
  Scouting Report: Schmidt initially dominated hitters with a powerful two-seam fastball and a filthy power curveball thrown in the mid 80s. The Yankees used the downtime during the coronavirus shutdown to give him a four-seamer, which gave him a pitch that played better against lefthanded hitters as well as an offering that rode up in the zone to pair with his signature curveball. Schmidt throws both fastballs in the 95 mph range, but they really just set up his power curve. It’s a tight-spinning weapon that averages 3,085 rpms and dives straight down, garnering a 44% whiff rate in the majors. It’s a consensus plus pitch that batters can’t help but swing over the top of. Schmidt rounds out his arsenal with a seldom-used, high-80s changeup that doesn’t fool lefties and needs a lot of work.
  
  The Future: Schmidt will look to cement a spot in the Yankees’ rotation in 2021. He has barely pitched above the Class A levels and may need more time in the minors. .
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Yankees selected Schmidt in the first round in 2017 knowing he’d need Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2017 recovering, then pitched just 23 innings in 2018 between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and short-season Staten Island. He skipped low Class A Charleston and then sped to Double-A Trenton, albeit with about six weeks on the injured list.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Schmidt starts his repertoire with a 92-95 mph fastball that scouts saw up to 97 mph. The pitch shows boring, cutting action in on the hands of lefties. He backs it up with a potentially plus or better changeup with enough velocity and bottom that it can be mistaken for a split-fingered fastball. His curveball—which can behave like a slider—also earns above-average and plus grades. Schmidt also changes arm slots on his pitches, alternating between a high threequarter and three-quarters, to give hitters different looks.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a season that saw his pre-surgery stuff return in full, Schmidt has ceiling of a midrotation starter and looks like a wise gamble with the 16th overall pick.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Yankees selected Schmidt in the first round in 2017 knowing he'd need Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2017 recovering, then pitched just 23 innings in 2018 between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and short-season Staten Island. He skipped low Class A Charleston and then sped to Double-A Trenton, albeit with about six weeks on the injured list.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Schmidt starts his repertoire with a 92-95 mph fastball that scouts saw up to 97 mph. The pitch shows boring, cutting action in on the hands of lefties. He backs it up with a potentially plus or better changeup with enough velocity and bottom that it can be mistaken for a split-fingered fastball. His curveball—which can behave like a slider—also earns above-average and plus grades. Schmidt also changes arm slots on his pitches, alternating between a high threequarter and three-quarters, to give hitters different looks.
  
  THE FUTURE: After a season that saw his pre-surgery stuff return in full, Schmidt has ceiling of a midrotation starter and looks like a wise gamble with the 16th overall pick.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The further away from Tommy John surgery Schmidt has gotten, the better he’s looked. He opened his season by going pitch for pitch with 2018 No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize in a game that saw Schmidt spin five hitless innings with nine punchouts. He showed scouts a 92-95 mph fastball that touched 97 mph, as well as a changeup that has the potential to be a 65-grade pitch on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. His breaking ball was nearly as impressive, with multiple scouts projecting it as a future plus pitch. He showed guile on the mound, too, by mixing and matching his arm slots to add a bit of deception to his already impressive mix. He moved to Double-A Trenton and tossed 10.2 innings of one-run ball with 13 strikeouts over the course of two playoff starts en route to the Thunder’s first Eastern League championship since 2013. The Yankees gambled on Schmidt in 2017 knowing he would need surgery, and the results this season are making it look like the risk was worth the reward.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  The younger brother of Tigers prospect Clate Schmidt, who pitched for rival Clemson and was also drafted by the Tigers out of high school, Clarke Schmidt didn't have near the level of fame his brother had out of high school. A dimunitive righthander who worked in the upper 80s, Schmidt went undrafted and enrolled at South Carolina. Pitching primarily out of the bullpen and in midweek starts, Schmidt had an inconsistent freshman year, but he blossomed his sophomore year, when an injury to staff ace Wil Crowe forced him into the Friday role. Throughout the course of his college career, Schmidt has added about 30 pounds to his frame, and this spring he was routinely touching 95-96 mph with his four-seamer and sitting comfortably in the low 90s. He also throws a heavy two-seamer, although his four-seamer shows good movement as well. Schmidt's slider has developed into one of the better breaking balls in the college class, a strikeout pitch in the mid-80s with tilt. He also flashed an above-average changeup at times, with sinking movement to his arm side. Schmidt was putting together a first-team All-America-type season with the Gamecocks this spring, going 4-2, 1.34 with 70 strikeouts to 18 walks in 60.1 innings before he tore his UCL in late April and had to have Tommy John surgery. Before the surgery, Schmidt's stock was steadily rising, and to some evaluators, he had inserted himself into the uppermost tier of college pitching. Schmidt could still be taken early in the draft, given what he showed before the injury and with teams less wary of Tommy John surgery than ever before. Schmidt is a fierce competitor with plus-plus makeup, staying home from summer ball in 2015 in order to be with his brother, Clate, as he battled cancer.