What Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch Made Clear About Max Clark
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The Detroit Tigers have a ton to look forward to this season and beyond. With one of the best farm systems in all of Major League Baseball, Tigers fans finally can say that their team is a consistent threat to opponents for the first time since the early 2010s.
After making back-to-back playoff runs, Detroit looks to make it a step further and get beyond the American League Division Series. One way they could do that this year is with the involvement of top prospects who have made their names known at spring training.
Kevin McGonigle has the best chance at making the roster on opening day, but the Tigers' second-best prospect in outfielder Max Clark could be a sneaky candidate. However, in recent developments, Clark has been in the media for his play and attire on the field.
A.J. Hinch on Max Clark's Spring
Clark made two errors in the outfield a few games ago that made him stand out to many on social media. On top of his mishaps in left, Clark dons chains around his neck, much like how other MLB players do nowadays. Some people don't think Clark should wear those chains if those mistakes happen in the field.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch recently spoke to reporters and was asked about Clark and his development, coming to the aid of the top prospect.
"He's incredible to be around everyday, I love his enthusiasm. I love that he has the confidence to be himself. Every era is different. Fan opinion is more public than ever....people are incredibly unfair when they criticize with no merit," Hinch said as reported by Logan Reever on X (formerly Twitter).
"Let the kids play" has been a mantra that Major League Baseball has adopted in recent years; therefore, more players are coming out wearing flashier accessories to make themselves stand out. This allows players to show who they are to the world and fans, and that's simply what Clark has done, too.
Former Tiger Austin Jackson had some words for Clark as well, mainly hinting at the fact that he doesn't care what he wears on the field, so long as he has the work ethic to fix his mistakes and learn from them.
Clark owned up to his mistakes in left field that game and hasn't looked back, only worked on being better.
So far this spring, Clark has had a rough go of things at the plate, collecting two hits and one RBI. At this point, it feels as if Clark won't make the opening day roster, but that does allow him to own his craft at the Triple-A level to earn his spot as a potential mid-season call-up.
The Tigers are high on this kid, and they want their fans to be encouraging of him, too. Clark can be a great contact bat with elite speed on the bases in the MLB, and be an above-average fielder too, just some extra work to do.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.