Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Max Clark faced Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Seth Hernandez as the leadoff hitter in a Spring Breakout exhibition game on March 20, 2026, at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. The Tigers lost 8-7.
Hernandez threw a 102.4 mph fastball above the zone on the first pitch, prompting an audible reaction from Clark, who was seen saying "What the f---" as the pitch passed.[1]
Clark, 21, drew a walk in the at-bat. Hernandez concluded his one inning of work by inducing a ground ball double play.
The matchup was part of MLB's Spring Breakout, an annual four-day event during spring training featuring top prospects from all 30 teams in exhibition games.[2]
Clark, selected third overall by the Tigers in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Franklin Community High School in Indiana, is rated as the No. 1 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline. In 2024, across High-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie, he batted .274 with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, a .387 on-base percentage and 28 stolen bases in 116 games.[3]
Hernandez, 19, was drafted sixth overall by the Pirates in the 2025 MLB Draft. The right-hander features a four-pitch mix and is slated to begin the season in rookie ball.
LECOM Park serves as the Pirates' spring training facility and hosted the game.[4]
Sources
- Publisher/Organization name: Fox News Digital
Article/page title: Detroit Tigers top prospect Max Clark had a very honest reaction...
Publication date: March 2026 (exact date per draft)
Direct URL: https://www.foxnews.com/sports/detroit-tigers-top-prospect-max-clark-reaction-102-mph-fastball - Publisher/Organization name: MLB.com
Article/page title: What you need to know about Spring Breakout
Publication date: March 13, 2024
Direct URL: https://www.mlb.com/news/spring-breakout-preview-2024 - Publisher/Organization name: MLB.com
Article/page title: Max Clark Stats, Fantasy & News
Publication date: Accessed October 2024
Direct URL: https://www.mlb.com/prospects/tigers/max-clark-690184 - Publisher/Organization name: MLB.com
Article/page title: LECOM Park
Publication date: N/A (reference page)
Direct URL: https://www.mlb.com/pirates/ballpark
