Behold, what artful creature gambols across yon prairie? ‘Tis the ever graceful Denzelope bounding joyfully in its habitat!
Whatever Denzel Clarke does, he certainly does it to the hilt. Defensively he debuted
taking the league by storm and putting up pro-rated numbers that would have broken DRS. At the plate he started his career by striking out in 16 in his first 20 plate appearances.
The Denzelope is far from extinct yet is also one of a kind.
How Was He Acquired?
The son of an Canadian Olympic heptathlete, Clarke was the A’s 4th round selection out of Cal State Northridge in the 2021 draft. Words often used to describe Clarke were “toolsy” and “raw” and scouts differed widely on whether they thought Denzel would make as a big league starter.
What Were The Expectations
By the time Clarke was recalled from AAA on May 23rd, the A’s probably just wanted him to be “not JJ Bleday” as center field had become a place were balls came to fall. Known for his “gold glove level defense,” Clarke was summoned largely to stabilize the outfield with any hitting considered to be a bonus.
2025 Results
Right out of the gate, Clarke dazzled with his defense earning defensive play of the week 3 weeks in a row and ultimately winding up with +13 OAA in just 47 games. (Yes, that would be +40 OAA over 150 games.)
Clarke’s hitting was equally dramatic, just not in the right direction — he followed up that horrific May start with a June slash line of .211/.259/.276, 48 wRC+.
And then something clicked. Denzel was on fire in July, scalding low liners and sometimes scampering to 2B with a “hustle double” on balls that shot by an infielder. He was batting .298/.340/.574, 146 wRC+ in July, with 6 doubles, 2 triples, and a HR in just 52 PA, when he made a “rookie mistake”.
The mistake was racing around 3B on an RBI single on which there was not even going to be a play at the plate. Clarke pulled an adductor muscle in his hip and was not again seen in the big leagues.
2026 Outlook
One thing is certain: going into spring training, CF belongs to Clarke and Clarke alone. The questions that surround him are whether he can pick up where he left off at the plate in July and perhaps most importantly, can he stay healthy?
Injuries have been an issue with Denzel and his “all out, no fear” style of play lends itself to the IL. A healthy Clarke could put up 3.0 WAR without hitting a lick and could put up 5-6 WAR if his hitting is above average.
The sky’s the limit for Clarke….IF he can stay on the field. And also if he can refrain from striking out 80% of the time, but he seems to have gotten past that.
Your expectations/hopes for the Denzelope in 2026?
