Emmanuel Clase

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #15 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing with the Padres in 2015, Clase has been traded twice. He went to the Rangers in 2018 for Brett Nicholas, then to Cleveland in 2019 for Corey Kluber. In May 2020, Clase was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for PEDs. When MLB reduced the 2020 season to 60 games, it also reduced Clase's suspension to the full 2020 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly reaches the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph. His slider took a step forward in 2019, becoming a more consistent pitch as he improved his arm speed when throwing it and started locating it better. The pitch is now at least an average offering and plays well with his fastball, which has excellent natural cutting action.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase's suspension and the season's interruption obscured the fact that in late February he suffered a strained teres major muscle in his shoulder, which was projected to shut him down for a few months. He spent much of 2020 rehabbing in Arizona and will enter the 2021 season healthy and ready to pitch high-leverage innings.
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #15 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Signed by the Padres for $125,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 and traded to the Rangers in 2018 for catcher Brett Nicholas, Clase never pitched in a full-season league before 2019. That changed when he advanced to Double-A Frisco in late April. In August he reached Texas and was one of the team's top relievers. In December, the Rangers traded him as the headliner for Corey Kluber.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly registers in the upper 90s and hits 101 mph. He showed that same velocity in 2018, but his slider wasn't reliable. The pitch had good shape and depth, but it was inconsistent and he struggled to land it for strikes. That changed in 2019, as Clase made adjustments, throwing it with better arm speed to develop an average slider with improved ability to throw it for a strike or a chase pitch depending on the situation. Clase's fastball has natural cutting life.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase has the stuff to pitch as a high-leverage reliever in Cleveland right away.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #27 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: When the Padres signed Clase out of the Dominican Republic for $125,000 in February 2015, he was an 18-year-old who had quick, clean arm action and an 86-89 mph fastball, which later that year ticked up to 93 mph in the Dominican Summer League. In April 2018, the Rangers traded catcher Brett Nicholas to the Padres for a player to be named, with Clase going to the Rangers a month later.
  
  Scouting Report: He dominated as the closer for short-season Spokane, posting an ERA of 0.64. Having added 30 pounds since signing, Clase now throws in the mid-to-upper 90s with a peak of 101 mph. His fastball has above-average movement, a blessing and a curse as he can miss barrels with his fastball but is still harnessing his command, though he's generally around the strike zone. Clase is a two-pitch guy but leans heavily on his fastball. His slider flashes as an average pitch with two-plane depth at its best, but it's inconsistent in part because he doesn't always throw it with the same arm speed as his fastball.
  
  The Future: Low Class A Hickory is the next assignment for Clase, who has the upside to be a high-leverage reliever, with the risk of being another fireballer who flames out in the lower levels.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing with the Padres in 2015, Clase has been traded twice. He went to the Rangers in 2018 for Brett Nicholas, then to Cleveland in 2019 for Corey Kluber. In May 2020, Clase was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for PEDs. When MLB reduced the 2020 season to 60 games, it also reduced Clase's suspension to the full 2020 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly reaches the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph. His slider took a step forward in 2019, becoming a more consistent pitch as he improved his arm speed when throwing it and started locating it better. The pitch is now at least an average offering and plays well with his fastball, which has excellent natural cutting action.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase's suspension and the season's interruption obscured the fact that in late February he suffered a strained teres major muscle in his shoulder, which was projected to shut him down for a few months. He spent much of 2020 rehabbing in Arizona and will enter the 2021 season healthy and ready to pitch high-leverage innings.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Since signing with the Padres in 2015, Clase has been traded twice. He went to the Rangers in 2018 for Brett Nicholas, then to Cleveland in 2019 for Corey Kluber. In May 2020, Clase was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for PEDs. When MLB reduced the 2020 season to 60 games, it also reduced Clase's suspension to the full 2020 season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly reaches the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph. His slider took a step forward in 2019, becoming a more consistent pitch as he improved his arm speed when throwing it and started locating it better. The pitch is now at least an average offering and plays well with his fastball, which has excellent natural cutting action.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase's suspension and the season's interruption obscured the fact that in late February he suffered a strained teres major muscle in his shoulder, which was projected to shut him down for a few months. He spent much of 2020 rehabbing in Arizona and will enter the 2021 season healthy and ready to pitch high-leverage innings.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Signed by the Padres for $125,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 and traded to the Rangers in 2018 for catcher Brett Nicholas, Clase never pitched in a full-season league before 2019. That changed when he advanced to Double-A Frisco in late April. In August he reached Texas and was one of the team’s top relievers. In December, the Rangers traded him as the headliner for Corey Kluber.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly registers in the upper 90s and hits 101 mph. He showed that same velocity in 2018, but his slider wasn’t reliable. The pitch had good shape and depth, but it was inconsistent and he struggled to land it for strikes. That changed in 2019, as Clase made adjustments, throwing it with better arm speed to develop an average slider with improved ability to throw it for a strike or a chase pitch depending on the situation. Clase’s fastball has natural cutting life.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase has the stuff to pitch as a high-leverage reliever in Cleveland right away.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Signed by the Padres for $125,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 and traded to the Rangers in 2018 for catcher Brett Nicholas, Clase never pitched in a full-season league before 2019. That changed when he advanced to Double-A Frisco in late April. In August he reached Texas and was one of the team's top relievers. In December, the Rangers traded him as the headliner for Corey Kluber.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clase has an electric fastball that regularly registers in the upper 90s and hits 101 mph. He showed that same velocity in 2018, but his slider wasn't reliable. The pitch had good shape and depth, but it was inconsistent and he struggled to land it for strikes. That changed in 2019, as Clase made adjustments, throwing it with better arm speed to develop an average slider with improved ability to throw it for a strike or a chase pitch depending on the situation. Clase's fastball has natural cutting life.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clase has the stuff to pitch as a high-leverage reliever in Cleveland right away.