Clark To Stay Close To Home At Oakland

Emmanuel Clark 1B / OF / Western International, MI / 2019

DETROIT - The advice from his father turned out to be true.

“If you can do that, they’ll find you,” Darryl Clark told his son Emmanuel in reference to his ability to hit with power.

The 37th-rated senior in Michigan caught the eyes of a number of Division I schools with his capabilities at the plate.

“Everybody loves a left-handed power hitter that can do a little bit of everything,” Clark said.

Oakland, Western Michigan and Bowling Green all showed a major interest in the 6-0 185-pounder, who eventually decided on Oakland as his next home with a recent commitment to play for the Grizzlies.

“The others were great schools, too,” noted Clark, who visited each. “But Oakland was close to home and I feel I have a chance to play there as a freshman.”

The Top Prospect Games and the Black Swamp Tournament proved vital in Clark being seen by those at the next level.

“I started talking to them in August and went on a visit,” Clark said about Oakland, located 45 minutes from home. “They like my ability as a true first baseman and also my ability to move around in the outfield.”

The second-rated 2019 first baseman in the state feels there is a lot he can give to Oakland as a student-athlete.

“I’m hard working and can provide leadership,” Clark said. “I will do whatever the coach needs.”

Those traits were ingrained in Clark growing up.

“It’s been my dream to play college baseball since I was three or four,” Clark said. “I saw my cousins playing and my dad really pushed it. It just seemed natural for me. My goal became to be the first in my family to play college baseball.”

The drive to do that was strong.