After flying under the radar, Wes Clarke's prodigious power starting to get him noticed

PHOENIX – For a minor-leaguer seeking to get himself noticed, Wes Clarke did about as good a job as one can do in that regard on Saturday.

The 2021 10th-round draft pick homered in each of his first two at-bats and drove in three runs, helping set the tone for an offensive breakout in the Milwaukee Brewers' Cactus League-opening 11-7 victory over the San Diego Padres.

"Just excited to play," Clarke said on Sunday. "Practicing and all is fun, but games are what we do."

Now 24, Clarke was actually first drafted by the Brewers in the 40th round as an 18-year-old but elected to play collegiately at the University of South Carolina.

It proved to be a wise choice for the Richmond, Virginia, native as he proceeded to hit 32 homers in 92 games for the Gamecocks, including 23 in his third and final season to set the stage for Milwaukee to nab him again and this time for the rather tidy sum of $75,000 – a little more than half slot value.

Clarke's first full professional season came in 2022 and he displayed signs of becoming a future run producer with 14 homers and 61 runs batted in over 99 games split between advanced Class A Wisconsin and Class AA Biloxi.

It was last season that Clarke really broke out, however, when he led the entire Brewers organization with 26 homers in 118 games at Biloxi.

"I struggled a little bit in the first half," said Clarke, who also hit .241 with 80 RBI and an .889 OPS. He hit .211/8/36/.775 in 55 games and then .265/18/44/.980 in 63 games in the second half.

"Pitchers used those tacky balls and were nasty. I don't want to use that as an excuse but pitchers were really nasty. But once we went back to the normal baseballs I felt way more confident. I felt like I was seeing the ball better, recognizing pitches better, everything.

"I think last year was very good for consistency, which is what I go for, and that second half was pretty consistent."

At 6 feet and 228 pounds, Clarke is well put-together so it's not tough to see where the power comes from. Defensively, he spent most of his time behind the plate at South Carolina while also logging some time at first base.

With the Brewers, Clarke has actually spent more time at first than catching – 103 starts as opposed to 71 – with another 39 at designated hitter.

His focus has been behind the plate this spring in his first major-league spring training as Milwaukee's staff gets more hands-on with him in an attempt to see where he might project best at the next level.

"I love the bat. Everybody loves the bat," manager Pat Murphy said. "The power potential that you saw yesterday – he hit a bunch of homers in Double A. And when you're hitting homers in Double A you're facing guys that are going to be in the big leagues, a lot of them.

"We're thinking if he can get behind the plate and be serviceable, even if he's a third catcher someday, we think the bat plays. And he plays some first, too, and he's gotten better there.

"The organization thinks highly of him."

Going by the numbers, Clarke's work behind the plate does need some refining. That being the case, he's in the right camp with the Brewers excelling at developing catchers in all areas.

"I don't think it matters that much," Clarke said when asked what his preference is. "I love catching. I love first base. If I show up and catch on a certain day I'm fine with it. If I show up and play first on a certain day I'm fine with it. Either one's good with me.

"But I really enjoy catching. It's coming along good. I feel super-comfortable back there and I'm learning a lot."

Another thing to keep in mind is the Brewers are already well-positioned at catcher for the future with not only William Contreras but also Jeferson Quero, one of Clarke's Biloxi teammates who is regarded as one of the top backstops in the minor leagues.

"Of course you look at it and think about it," Clarke admitted. "Ultimately what it comes down to is the only thing I can handle is myself. So if I can show up and play how I can play and then leave it up to the lord and however it goes is how it goes."

Joining Clarke and Quero on that Biloxi team was Jackson Chourio, one of the most highly touted prospects the Brewers have ever had, and all three are in camp at the same time along with Tyler Black, Jacob Misiorowski, Robert Gasser and Carlos Rodríguez.

With so much star power Clarke has slipped through the cracks somewhat on the prospect lists. He is ranked 19th on Baseball America's top 30 list for the Brewers in 2024 but isn't in The Athletic's top 20. MLB.com has yet to release its updated list.

"I'd say it's annoyed me a little bit, but I don't really worry about it," Clarke said of his lack of buzz. "Like I said, the only thing I can do is play.

"So, that's what I'll do."

And two homers in the opener isn't a bad way to start.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wes Clarke's prodigious power starting to get him noticed