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Detroit Tigers top prospect Max Clark had a very honest reaction after seeing a 102.4 mph fastball on the first pitch of the game.
Clark was the leadoff hitter for the Tigers in their 8-7 loss to the Pirates in their Spring Breakout game and was facing top prospect Seth Hernandez. Hernandez’s first pitch was a 102.4 mph fastball above the zone, and it caught Clark’s attention.
“What the fuck,” Clark could be seen saying after the field passed him.
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Detroit Tigers outfielder Max Clark (31) warms up before a prospects game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on March 20, 2026. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Clark, 21, ended up walking to bat. Hernandez ended up forcing a ground ball double play in the bottom of the inning to end his only run of the game.
The game between the Tigers and Pirates was part of MLB Spring Breakout, an annual four-day event featuring exhibition games between the top prospects of all MLB teams during spring training.
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Max Clark (31) of the Detroit Tigers looks on after hitting in the sixth inning during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on March 20, 2026. (Photos by Julio Aguilar/MLB via Getty Images)
Clark is the No. 2 overall prospect in the Tigers’ farm system, according to MLB.com. Last season at High-A and Double-A, Clark hit .271 with 14 homers and 67 RBIs, and could make his big league debut this season, where he’ll see plenty of high-octane heat like Hernandez’s.
Hernandez, 19, was drafted by the Pirates 6th overall in last year’s draft. Hernandez already has a legitimate four-pitch mix and will begin his season with rookie ball.
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Seth Hernandez (25) of the Pittsburgh Pirates during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on March 20, 2026. (Photos by Julio Aguilar/MLB via Getty Images)
The Pirates organization hopes that Hernandez, along with top pitcher Bubba Chandler, will slot behind National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes at the top of their rotation for years to come.
