South Carolina Baseball: Former Gamecock finished as home run leader

About two weeks ago, former South Carolina baseball star Wes Clarke retook the Southern League lead in home runs when he clubbed his 23rd home run of the season. Several other players were right behind him with 22 long balls, so it remained to be seen if the Gamecock All-American could hold on to the home run lead in his third professional season.

As it turned out, Clarke did not hold on to his lead over the last two weeks of the Minor League season. Instead, he extended his lead bopping three more balls over the wall before the regular season ended, giving him 26 homers. That’s three more than anyone else in the Southern League of Double-A, and it ties him for second in all of Double-A baseball.

When Clarke was a member of the South Carolina baseball program, he rose from a reserve player in 2019 to a two-time All-American in 2020 (the Covid-shortened season) and 2021. In just over 250 at-bats in those final two seasons in garnet and black, the Virginia native hit 31 home runs for Mark Kingston’s Gamecocks.

Clarke was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers out of high school, and the organization still liked what they saw out of him as a prospect after three years in Columbia and drafted him again (30 rounds earlier the second time around).

Playing for an organization that has a need for offensive firepower (Milwaukee ranks in the bottom half of baseball in scoring), Clarke could be a candidate for a call-up sometime in 2024. Considering the fact that Clarke is a C/1B/DH, and the Brewers have three expiring contracts at first base, Clarke could get a look in spring training.

As he has done every step of the way, South Carolina baseball fans can expect Wes Clarke to continue mashing the baseball. If he does that, it will be no time at all before he will be part of the Big League club.