Lefty Clark hones pitching arsenal with the Junior National Team

Great Lake Canadians LHP Caleb Clark (Orillia, Ont.) competed in Tournament 12 in September and this spring he honed his skills with the Junior National Team. Photo: Hayley McGoldrick

March 17, 2020

By Hayley McGoldrick

Canadian Baseball Network

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – At the age of 16, most teens aren’t worrying about stepping onto a pitcher’s mound and going up against major league baseball prospects several years older than them.

Caleb Clark did.

The draft class of 2021 prospect has already made waves as a left-handed pitcher getting invited to Tournament 12 in September without even trying out, as well as catching a personal invite to workout in South Carolina with former major leaguer Orlando Hudson.

As a member of the Canadian Junior National Team this spring, Clark is still humble, always focusing on the next game and not the big picture.

“It means the world to me that I get to represent my country,” he said. “It was pretty cool putting on the jersey for the first time (against Fort Lauderdale), but I didn't want to . . . let it take over my emotions and all that.

“Once I got it on, it was a surreal feeling, but once I got on the mound, I kind of just let the nerves get away after my first pitch and just pitched like any other game.”

Born in Orillia, Ont., Clark’s family moved him to London, Ont., for a better shot at improving his game, moving him to the Great Lake Canadians in order to get more exposure and play with more elite competition.

However, Clark isn’t worried about post-secondary education or what team he could possibly play for next. When he was interviewed last week at the Junior National Team camp in St. Petersburg, Fla., he was 100 percent focused on his current squad – a team he had recorded two scoreless innings with as a closer.

“I haven't really focused on it yet, I just talked to a couple of universities and I told them I'm going to wait until I grade 12 year to make any kind of decisions,” Clark said. “Right now, I'm just kind of enjoying playing baseball and enjoying the university process.”

Although many players like Clark are looking to compare stats to those in the big leagues and determine their draft value, he still looks to perfect his game before trying to outshine anyone else.

“I find that I don't have to worry about velocity as much, obviously, everyone's always about velocity and how hard you can throw but for me as a left-hander, I’ve just got to worry about getting more spots. If I can do that, I'll have some success,” Clark said.

Coaches and teammates alike can see the skill and potential that Clark possesses, but just like his own style of game, the coaching staff keeps him grounded and ensures him that there is always ways you can improve.

“Velocity for him is something that he doesn't want to be concerned about. He wants to be concerned about getting people out which they all should be,” said head coach Greg Hamilton.

“But in this particular case it's going to be really important that he can mix three pitches, throw strikes and command strikes on and uses defense and be successful.”