{"id":49334,"date":"2025-04-19T01:38:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-19T01:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=49334"},"modified":"2025-04-19T01:38:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-19T01:38:00","slug":"red-sox-potentially-uncover-big-time-pitching-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=49334","title":{"rendered":"Red Sox Potentially Uncover \u2018Big-Time\u2019 Pitching Gem"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\">\n<div>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Brandon-Clarke.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Brandon-Clarke.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Brandon-Clarke.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Brandon-Clarke.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Red Sox Potentially Uncover \u2018Big-Time\u2019 Pitching Gem\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Getty<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The <\/span>Boston Red Sox <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> boast a <\/span>farm system <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that is <\/span>the envy of most MLB teams <span data-contrast=\"auto\">, due primarily to the top-end talent among its position players.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With a trio of budding superstars in outfielder <\/span>Roman Anthony <span data-contrast=\"auto\">, second baseman <\/span>Kristian Campbell <span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and shortstop <\/span>Marcelo Mayer <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u2013 who are ranked in the top 12 among all prospects and ready to join other recent graduates of the system at Fenway Park such as outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and first baseman Triston Casas \u2013 Boston is on its way toward fielding a lineup teeming with homegrown players.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But what about the pitching staff?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fear not, as early indications point to Boston potentially having unearthed a gem on the mound as well.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI think the Red Sox look like they may have done it again,\u201d Ben Badler said <\/span>on the Baseball America podcast <span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Talking to colleague Chris Collazo, Badler raved about left-hander <\/span>Brandon Clarke, <span data-contrast=\"auto\"> who recently made his professional debut with the Single-A Salem Red Sox. Facing the Fredericksburg Nationals on April 10, his 22<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">nd<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> birthday, the 2024 fifth-round draft pick <\/span>set down all 12 batters he faced <span data-contrast=\"auto\">, striking out five. Clarke would follow that up on April 16 against the Lynchburg Hillcats with 2.1 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk, while striking out 6.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cCool for the Red Sox fans to see it on the pitching side, because I know that\u2019s something they\u2019ve sort of lamented in their system,\u201d Collazo said. \u201cThey want more arms. Well, maybe Clarke is a guy they can get excited about.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Fifth-Round Pick Brandon Clarke Shows First-Round Skills<\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Badler certainly was excited about Clarke, given the skills that look to be well above fifth-round level.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIf you just saw him in that first start, and he was good in his second start, too. But I watched that first start, and you would have thought he was a first-round pick,\u201d Badler said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cEvery fastball out of his hand was 95 to 99 mph in that first start. It was 12 up, 12 down, four perfect innings, struck out five batters, and the slider was a wipeout pitch. It was upper 80s, so he\u2019s throwing it with power. It had a ton of movement on it, too. Can kind of manipulate it in different ways to get two-plane depth, to get that sweepier action to it. That looks like it\u2019s going to continue to be a big-time swing-and-miss pitch for him. Everything looked just phenomenal.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Collazo said, compared to what Clarke showed during the pre-draft combine last year, he is also impressed with the new breaking pitch.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI\u2019m not exactly sure what the development timeline was for the slider, but that pitch alone makes me a lot more excited about what he can do,\u201d Collazo said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cHe located the fastball and changeup nicely [at the combine], he threw a curveball that had 2700 to 2900 RPM spin. So the fact that he\u2019s kind of taken those ingredients and added this hellish looking slider, hard upper 80s pitch that really generated some ugly, back-foot swings from right-handed batters, it looks like a pitch that\u2019s going to be really effective against both righties and lefties.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Brandon Clarke Has Made Impressive Strides Since 2024 Draft<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Both analysts noted that coming out of State College of Florida, Clarke was not a complete unknown, as Baseball America had him among its top 300 prospects entering the draft. And there were legitimate reasons for Clarke slipping to Boston at the 148 spot, as scouts were concerned about control issues and injuries, including Tommy John surgery during high school.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">But Collazo said Clarke\u2019s control only seems to have improved since the combine.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cHis throwing strikes is super encouraging,\u201d he said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As for the injury concerns? Only time will tell.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cBut boy, if he can continue to throw strikes and if he can hold up as a starter, I mean, even if he can\u2019t, that stuff is still going to be really electric out of a bullpen,\u201d Badler said. \u201cBut if he can be a starter, it\u2019s not just, \u2018Oh well, maybe he\u2019s a four or five starter.\u2019 This is somebody who looks like they could pitch \u2026 toward the front end of a rotation.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Dave Benson Dave Benson is a longtime writer with over three decades of experience in a variety of mediums, including 15 years covering high school, collegiate and minor league sports in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent a few years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Boston Red Sox 2024 draft pick Brandon Clarke impresses in his professional debut, giving a glimpse of his top-of-rotation potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":49335,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Red Sox Potentially Uncover \u2018Big-Time\u2019 Pitching Gem - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=49334\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Red Sox Potentially Uncover \u2018Big-Time\u2019 Pitching Gem - 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