This is why I say Ian Clarkin is best LHP.
I’ve said time and time again that Ian Clarkin is the best LHP in this class.
He now on his season has 26K to just 3BB over only 12 IP. His last game included a video game amount of strikeouts at 16. His Curveball is so dynamite it’s probably illegal in some countries and I wouldn’t doubt if it’s one of the best ever seen. He also has a very good velocity from the left side to go with that big curveball and his delivery is smooth and deceptive he has a whole lot of reasons to be worthy of a 1st round choice come June. If not a top 15 pick come june.
He also has a Matchup Tonight against another Top LHP in this class Stephen Gonsalves. I’m sure that should be a very intense heavily scouted game.
UPDATE: Through the First 2 innings of their Game Clarkin had 2H 4K and 2BB.
Gallo will be at the Clarkin-Gonsalves game tonight, I’m anxious to hear what he has to say.
I know me as well. It should be a pretty good game and chance to evaluate Clarkin and Gonsalves.
I still really like Rob Kaminsky and I still say people overlook him a tiny bit but Clarkin is the top guy for me.
I guess the debate continues as Gonsalves outpitched Clarkin today. Having watched both of these guys down here in San Diego for years, it is obvious Clarkin has better present stuff with 3 quality pitches while Gonsalves really doesn’t have a good off-speed offering yet. That being said, I would bet on Gonsalves having a longer and more productive pro career. Gonsalves projects better, he will continue to improve while Clarkin probably has peaked. My opinion only.
While Gonsalves may have won the Game I don’t think he neccisarily outpitched Clarkin.
Also this whole Projects better thing makes absolutely no sense to me. You just said he doesn’t have a good off speed offering yet and his fastball is just average at the moment. Some think he’s got a good amount of projection left given his body frame and size but personally I don’t see him improving the velocity a whole bunch.
If your saying he projects better as a SP then that sounds foolish too because without a solid breaking ball of some kind he’s a RP no 2 ways about it you need at least 3 pitches to be a starter.
Clarkin having peaked also just sounds weird as well considering we are talking about a HS SP. I think he has a tick or 2 left in the tank velo wise and obviously he’s going to refine his command and pure stuff a bit moving forward.
If you ask me Gonsalves is the 4th LHP in this class now behind Clarkin Kaminsky and Wesely.
Ok, I guess Clarkin having peaked maybe too strong. I would just say he’s closer to peaking than Gonsalves. Also, let’s turn around what you said, both are only in high school. My theory is that Gonsalves velo improves more than Clarkin in next 3-4 years. He should also develop a breaking ball.
I wasn’t there yesterday, but I’ve seen these two pitch probably 15 times each over the last 3 years.
That’s what makes this fun, trying to project HS pitchers into the future. I hope we can somehow check back in 5-10 years and see how this turns out.
You may very well be right that Kaminsky and Wesely are ahead of both of them, no argument there.
Yea,
If you buy into Gonsalves this is why:
1-Projectable Frame he sits 88-91 now the hope is he could get up to 91-93 comfortable maybe more.
2-The terrible breaking ball he throws now will be scrapped in favor of something he throws alot better.
3- He does have great command so if he did improve like that from the left side it’d be a very impressive package.
Clarkin is already at 89-93 and i see him getting it up slightly more so he sits more like 92-95. His Breaking Ball is so dynamic as he refines it a bit more that gives him 2 plus pitches with the chance to have a 3rd above average 1 in his changeup.
So when your asking me Gonsalves is well behind now and I don’t see him overjumping Clarkin in the future. While he might be a successful SP and things could go right for him I just also think things will go right for Clarkin and he’ll improve enough to stay ahead if not well ahead.
As of right now I have the LHP like this:
1) Ian Clarkin
2) Rob Kaminsky
3) Jonah Wesely
4) Stephen Gonsalves