Phil Clark (outfielder) facts for kids

Phillip Benjamin Clark (born May 6, 1968) is a former American professional baseball outfielder and coach. He played for teams like the Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox. He also spent four seasons playing in Japan with the Kintetsu Buffaloes. Most recently, he was an assistant hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers.

Playing Baseball: Phil Clark's Career

Phil Clark started his professional baseball journey with the Detroit Tigers. They picked him in the first round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft right after he finished high school. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Tigers in 1992.

Time with the Padres and Red Sox

The next year, Clark joined the San Diego Padres. He had a great season, hitting for a .313 batting average and scoring 9 home runs in 102 games. He continued to play part-time for a few years. In 1996, he played for the Boston Red Sox before being released.

Playing in Japan: Kintetsu Buffaloes

In 1997, Phil Clark moved to Japan to play for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Pacific League. He quickly became a star there. In his first year, he hit 23 home runs and had an impressive .331 batting average. This was the second-highest batting average in the league that year, right after Ichiro Suzuki. For his excellent performance, he won the Best Nine Award as a first baseman.

He continued his success in 1998, hitting 48 doubles. This set a new Japanese single-season record for doubles at the time. He finished that year with a .320 batting average, 31 home runs, and 114 RBIs. He won his second Best Nine Award in a row.

In 1999, his performance was not as strong, but he still earned his third Best Nine Award, this time as a designated hitter. In 2000, he missed more than half of the season after being hit by a pitch. He left the team at the end of that year.

Coaching Baseball: Phil Clark's Journey

After his playing career, Phil Clark became a baseball coach. He helped many young players improve their hitting skills.

Early Coaching Roles

On December 9, 2014, Clark was named the hitting coach for the West Michigan Whitecaps. This team is part of Class-A baseball, which is a lower level of professional baseball.

A year later, on December 2, 2015, he became the hitting coach for the Erie SeaWolves. This team plays in Double-A, a higher level of minor league baseball.

Coaching in Major League Baseball

On November 2, 2017, Phil Clark was promoted to be the assistant hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers. He worked with the team during the 2018 season and beyond.

Later, on December 20, 2020, Clark was hired by the Wei Chuan Dragons. This team plays in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. He served as their hitting coach for the following season.

Phil Clark's Family Life

Phil Clark has a brother named Jerald Clark. Jerald also played professional baseball in both the major leagues in the U.S. and in Japan.