Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

A mainstay on U.S. national teams since he was 12, Clifford won gold medals at international competitions with the 12-and-under squad in 2015 and the 15-and-under club in 2018. He has the tools to be one of the better all-around hitters in the 2022 high school class, though his stock took a slight hit when he didn't light up the showcase circuit last summer. If he doesn't go early enough in the Draft to sign, he'll head to Vanderbilt and be eligible again as a sophomore in 2024. 

With a picturesque left-handed swing and a good bat path, Clifford is equipped to hit for average and power. He has an advanced approach at the plate, focusing on driving balls from gap to gap while rarely chasing pitches out of the strike zone. With his bat speed and the strength in his 6-foot-3 frame, he could provide 20 or more homers per year once he starts driving the ball in the air more regularly.  

Scouts compare Clifford to Seth Beer with more athleticism, but unlike Beer he has a realistic chance to play the outfield. Though he has fringy speed and his reads and routes must improve, he's committed to working on his quickness and defense. He could stay in right field with solid arm strength and could at least be an average defender at first base, where he has played with Team USA.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 55

Clifford was a well-decorated U.S. national team player and had one of the best all-around bats among 2022 high-schoolers, but a lack of showcase-circuit success and a commitment to Vanderbilt caused him to drop to the 11th round, where he would no longer be tied to a specific slot bonus. The Astros took him there and talked him away from the Commodores with a $1,131,530 bonus, roughly second-round money. Clifford quickly climbed from Single-A to High-A after 25 games in his first full season. The left-handed slugger dominated at hitter-friendly Asheville, slashing .271/.356/.547 with 16 homers in 58 games, and moved to the Mets in a Deadline deal that sent Justin Verlander the other way. His move to High-A Brooklyn was an uneasy one (.188/.307/.376 in 32 games), though rough hitting conditions in Coney Island likely played a factor.

Regardless of where he played, Clifford ended 2023 with 24 homers, tied for second-most among Minor League teenagers. His uphill bat path helps him get the most of his significant raw pop, and it plays well to all fields. In fact, he may have gone oppo a little too much in ’23 and could increase the power by aiming for more pulled balls. It certainly helped him to get away from Coney Island with a first-half promotion to Double-A Binghamton this summer. He has high three-true-outcome potential with good walk rates but also his share of swing-and-miss issues. 

Clifford has just fringy speed, and while his arm strength could certainly play in a corner outfield spot, both the Astros and Mets gave him ample looks at first base where his lack of quickness is less of a concern. He still has some room to grow defensively there too, but his bat is so good that some evaluators preferred him over Drew Gilbert in the Verlander trade.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50 

Clifford first played for U.S. national teams at age 12 and won gold medals at international events with the 12-and-under squad in 2015 and the 15-and-under club in 2018. Though he was regarded as one of the better all-around hitters in the 2022 prep class, he didn't dominate the showcase circuit and he was committed to Vanderbilt, so he wound up sliding to the 11th round. Signed for $1,131,530, the equivalent of late-second-round money, he hit .247/.426/.390 with two homers in a 25-game pro debut split between Rookie ball and Single-A. He climbed quickly from Single-A to High-A in his first full season and had a .903 OPS at the higher level before being traded to the Mets for Justin Verlander at the Deadline.

Clifford's approach is more mature than that of most players his age, as he works counts and focuses on making hard contact. He has the bat speed and projectable strength to develop 20-25 home run power, and he does a good job of letting his power come naturally. He has a pretty left-handed swing and an efficient bat path, though his 30 percent strikeout rate in his introduction to pro ball showed he'll need to do a better job of recognizing offspeed pitches. 

While Clifford possesses just fringy speed and could slow down as he gets stronger, he works hard to improve his quickness and defense. His reads and routes need to improve, but he has solid arm strength and could get the job done at an outfield corner. He has also gotten ample looks at first base as a pro, though his need to hit jumps if he lands there long-term with New York.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Arm: 55 | Field: 45 | Overall: 45

Clifford began playing for U.S. national teams at age 12 and won gold medals at international tournaments with the 12-and-under club in 2015 and the 15-and-under squad in 2018. Though his stock took a slight hit when he didn't dominate the showcase circuit last summer, he still was regarded as one of the best all-around hitters in the 2022 prep class. His commitment to Vanderbilt clouded his signability, but the Astros were able to land him with an $1,131,530 bonus in the 11th round.

Clifford has the ingredients to hit for power and average, starting with a sweet left-handed swing and efficient bat path. He employs a mature approach, concentrating on driving balls from gap to gap and rarely chasing pitches out of the strike zone. With his bat speed and the strength in his 6-foot-3 frame, he could deliver 20 or more homers per season once he starts launching balls in the air more consistently.

Though he has fringy speed and his reads and routes need work, Clifford should be able to stay in the outfield. He's committed to working on his quickness and defense, and he has the solid arm strength needed for right field. He should be at least an average defender if he does end up at first base, where he has seen action with Team USA.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/13/2024	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Brooklyn Cyclones.
	05/13/2024	Binghamton Rumble Ponies activated OF Ryan Clifford.
	03/07/2024	New York Mets Prospects activated OF Ryan Clifford.
	03/01/2024	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to New York Mets.
	08/01/2023	New York Mets traded RHP Justin Verlander to Houston Astros for OF Drew Gilbert and OF Ryan Clifford.
	08/01/2023	OF Ryan Clifford roster status changed by New York Mets.
	08/01/2023	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones.
	05/09/2023	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to Asheville Tourists from Fayetteville Woodpeckers.
	05/09/2023	Asheville Tourists activated OF Ryan Clifford.
	03/22/2023	OF Ryan Clifford and assigned to Houston Astros.
	08/24/2022	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to Fayetteville Woodpeckers from FCL Astros Orange.
	08/08/2022	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to FCL Astros Orange.
	07/28/2022	Houston Astros signed OF Ryan Clifford.
	06/05/2022	College Workout activated OF Ryan Clifford.
	06/05/2022	OF Ryan Clifford assigned to College Workout.
	05/25/2022	OF Ryan Clifford and assigned to High School Workout.
	09/23/2021	OF Ryan Clifford and assigned to National.
	08/18/2021	OF Ryan Clifford and assigned to PG East.
	07/13/2021	PG National 6 - Navy activated OF Ryan Clifford.
	07/23/2019	RF Ryan Clifford assigned to 17U National Team Development Program.