Gary Clift, Jr., RHP, Brunswick, Class of 2015

Last year, the T3 Pelicans organization held their inaugural season.

Lead by Neall French, former Cincinnati Bearcat and Yankees farmhand, the team quickly made a name for itself in the Midwest travel baseball circles.

At the time, the club from Northeast Ohio only featured a 17U team, which was headlined by Forrest Perron (Cincinnati recruit), Scott Effross (Indiana recruit), Michael Marsinek (Eastern Michigan recruit), and 2013 prospect Cassidy Brown.

Heading into the summer of 2012, the organization has expanded and will now field teams at the 15U, 17U, and 18U level.

And, with the expansion, the organization welcomes a number of talented, young prospects, including Brunswick’s Gary Clift, Jr.

Clift recently attended the Silver Spikes Clinic in Avon as well as the Pre-Season Underclass in Dayton.

On both occasions, the talented prospect worked out on the mound, but he has the athleticism to play a number of positions.

Looking back on his experience, Clift notes, “I thought I had good control and threw with some velocity.  When it is your turn to pitch on the hot mound you definitely feel pressure to do your best.”

Clift goes on to say, “It has also shown me that if I want to stay competitive, I need to continue to work hard and get better each day.”

Reflecting on the talent at the event, the young prospect notes, “I have seen that there are many talented baseball players that attend these showcases and they show you where you stack up against other players in Ohio.”

While its early, the right-hander shows plenty of potential for the future.

He has a lanky medium build with room for projected physical strength. On the mound, he displays moderate to quick arm speed through 3/4 slot. His fastball shows some run action (78-80 mph). He shows a feel for off-speed pitches: downward, 11/5 tilt on curve ball (67-68 mph) and near fastball arm action on change (73-74 mph).

Despite never having played an inning of high school baseball, Clift shows advanced maturity for his age.

“I have worked hard to focus on not showing emotion on the mound. I was told that if someone comes to watch me pitch they shouldn’t be able to tell by my body language if my team is up by 5 runs or down by 5 runs,” he notes.

This off-season, he been training frequently, including time with the T3 coaches.

Luckily for Clift, he doesn’t need to look far when seeking advice about playing collegiate athletics. His father, Gary Clift, Sr., played football at The Ohio State University under legendary Coach Earle Bruce.

While discussing his relationship with his dad, the younger Clift says, “He reminds me how much hard work and sacrifice it takes to play at the next level. Only a small percentage of athletes make it, and he always tells me hard work has its rewards.”

This summer, Clift will be participating in the PBR Underclass Games at The Ohio State University.

Last quarter, Clift earned a 3.16 grade point average. He has interest in mathematics and American history. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW GARY CLIFT'S PROFILE AND VIDEO