{{short description|American baseball player (born 1983)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2014}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Zach Clark |image=Zach Clark pitching for Baltimore Orioles extended spring training in 2014 (Cropped).jpg |width=250 |caption=Clark pitching for Baltimore Orioles extended spring training in 2014 |position=Pitcher |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date and age|1983|4|10}} |birth_place=Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |debutleague = MLB | debutdate = May 1 | debutyear = 2013 | debutteam = Baltimore Orioles | finaldate = May 1 | finalyear = 2013 | finalteam = Baltimore Orioles |statleague = MLB | stat1label = Win–loss record | stat1value = 0–0 | stat2label = Earned run average | stat2value = 16.20 | stat3label = Strikeouts | stat3value = 1 |teams= * Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2013}}) }} '''Zachary Higgins Clark''' (born April 10, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.
==Playing career== Clark graduated from Newark High School in Newark, Delaware, in 2001.<ref name=repertoire/> He then attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where he played college baseball for the UMBC Retrievers.
===Baltimore Orioles=== Clark went undrafted after graduating in 2006, and signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent, receiving a $1,000 signing bonus.<ref name="designated">{{Cite web |last=Encina |first=Eduardo A. |date=May 4, 2013 |title=UMBC product Zach Clark realizes it's not easy sticking in the major leagues |url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-05-04/sports/bal-umbc-product-zach-clark-if-i-thought-it-was-going-to-be-easy-once-i-got-to-orioles-id-be-nave-20130504_1_triple-a-norfolk-right-hander-zach-clark-double-a-bowie |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628181347/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-05-04/sports/bal-umbc-product-zach-clark-if-i-thought-it-was-going-to-be-easy-once-i-got-to-orioles-id-be-nave-20130504_1_triple-a-norfolk-right-hander-zach-clark-double-a-bowie |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |website=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref> By 2010, Clark was promoted to the Norfolk Tides of the Triple-A International League, the highest level of minor league baseball.<ref name="repertoire">{{Cite news |last=Hurlock |first=Buddy |date=June 19, 2008 |title=Clark's repertoire growing in minors |page=C.6 |work=The News Journal |location=Wilmington, Delaware |url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742810091.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+19%2C+2008&author=BUDDY+HURLOCK&pub=The+News+Journal&desc=Clark%27s+repertoire+growing+in+minors&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131180600/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/delawareonline/access/1742810091.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+19,+2008&author=BUDDY+HURLOCK&pub=The+News+Journal&desc=Clark's+repertoire+growing+in+minors&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=December 5, 2012}} {{subscription required|date=December 2012}}</ref>
Clark posted a strong breakout season in 2012 for the Bowie Baysox of the Double-A Eastern League and Norfolk, posting a 15-7 win–loss record with a 2.79 earned run average between the two teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kubatko |first=Roch |date=October 22, 2012 |title=School of Roch: Looking back on Zach Clark's season |url=http://www.masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2012/10/looking-back-on-zach-clarks-season.html |access-date=October 31, 2012 |publisher=Masnsports.com}}</ref> The Orioles added Clark to their 40-man roster after the 2012 season, in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Encina |first=Eduardo A. |date=October 31, 2011 |title=Orioles select contract of UMBC product Zach Clark |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-select-contract-of-umbc-product-zach-clark-20121031,0,/4847528.story |access-date=October 31, 2012 |publisher=baltimoresun.com }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Clark began the 2013 season with Norfolk.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waldman |first=Tyler |date=May 7, 2013 |title=UMBC Grad Zach Clark Recalled by Orioles - Sports - Catonsville, MD Patch |url=http://catonsville.patch.com/articles/umbc-grad-zach-clark-recalled-by-orioles |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=Catonsville.patch.com}}</ref> On May 1, 2013, Clark was called up to the Orioles, where he was expected to be a part of the bullpen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Connolly |first=Dan |date=April 30, 2013 |title=Ex-UMBC player Zach Clark to be activated for Orioles tonight in Seattle |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2013/04/30/ex-umbc-player-zach-clark-to-be-activated-for-orioles-tonight-in-seattle/ |access-date=January 7, 2014 |website=The Baltimore Sun}}</ref> Clark made his major league debut that same night against the Seattle Mariners, coming on in relief of Wei-Yin Chen in the bottom of the 5th inning.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Twitter / FrederickKeys: Former Keys P Zack Clark takes |url=https://twitter.com/FrederickKeys/status/329803296929878016 |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=Twitter.com}}</ref> He went {{frac|1|2|3}} innings in his debut, allowing three hits and three earned runs. Clark was designated for assignment on May 4, 2013.<ref name=designated/> He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Bowie on May 6, where he began developing a knuckleball.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Connolly |first=Dan |date=May 6, 2013 |title=Zach Clark sent to AA Bowie |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-zach-clark-sent-to-aa-bowie-20130506,0,6041874.story |access-date=January 7, 2014 |publisher=baltimoresun.com |archive-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107230355/http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-zach-clark-sent-to-aa-bowie-20130506,0,6041874.story |url-status=dead }}</ref> Clark experienced a hamstring injury, and struggled for the remainder of the season. Clark became a free agent at the end of the season, and re-signed with the Orioles on a new minor league contract.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baltimore Sun |date=January 7, 2014 |title=Orioles re-sign right-handers Eddie Gamboa and Zach Clark to minor league deals |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-resign-righthanders-eddie-gamboa-and-zach-clark-to-minor-league-deals-20140107-story.html |access-date=April 24, 2015 |website=baltimoresun.com}}</ref>
The Orioles did not assign Clark to a minor league affiliate at the start of the 2014 season, as he worked on his knuckleball in extended spring training. In June, the Orioles opted not to assign Clark to the Aberdeen Ironbirds of the Low-A New York–Penn League, and instead released him.
===Camden Riversharks=== On June 25, 2014, Clark signed with the Camden Riversharks of the unaffiliated Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and scrapped the knuckleball.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 25, 2014 |title=Steve Melewski: No hard feelings: Zach Clark on the end of his nine-year run with the Orioles organization |url=http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2014/06/no-hard-feelings-zach-clark-on-the-end-of-his-nine-year-run-with-the-orioles.html |access-date=April 24, 2015 |website=MASNsports}}</ref> In 7 starts for Camden, he posted a 2-3 record and 3.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts across 36 innings pitched.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zach Clark - Baseball Statistics|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/26975/|access-date=January 31, 2025|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}}</ref>
Clark made 13 appearances (11 starts) for Camden in 2015, accumulating a 2-5 record and 6.56 ERA with 29 strikeouts across {{fraction|60|1|3}} innings pitched.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Zach Clark minor league baseball statistics on StatsCrew.com|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-2841f379|access-date=January 31, 2025|website=statscrew.com|language=en}}</ref>
===Somerset Patriots=== On August 1, 2016, Clark signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Patriots Add Former Major Leaguer Clark|url=https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/sports/baseball/patriots/somersetpatriotspulse/2015/08/01/patriots-add-former-major-league-clark/30999959/|access-date=January 31, 2025|website=mycentraljersey.com|language=en}}</ref> In 8 games (6 starts) for the Patriots, he posted a 2-1 record and 4.28 ERA with 12 strikeouts across {{fraction|33|2|3}} innings pitched. Clark became a free agent following the season.
==Post-playing career== After retiring from professional baseball, Clark was hired as a scout for the Houston Astros. He was let go in 2017 as part of restructuring by the organization.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wap.mlb.com/hou/news/article/20170818249269512/?locale=en_US |title=missing }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Clark was soon after hired by the Tampa Bay Rays' scouting department, and currently serves as an Area Supervisor scout.
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|br=c/clarkza01|brm=clark-001zac}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Zach}} Category:Living people Category:Baseball players from Wilmington, Delaware Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Baltimore Orioles players Category:UMBC Retrievers baseball players Category:Bluefield Orioles players Category:Aberdeen IronBirds players Category:Frederick Keys players Category:Delmarva Shorebirds players Category:Norfolk Tides players Category:Bowie Baysox players Category:Gulf Coast Orioles players Category:1983 births Category:Camden Riversharks players Category:Newark High School (Delaware) alumni Category:Somerset Patriots players