Prospect Showdown: Under-the-Radar First Baseman: Wes Clarke vs. Ernesto Martinez

When we discussed the battle for Third Baseman of the Future, it was noted that both Tyler Black and Brock Wilken could be options at first base and designated hitter. Neither of them would be atrocious options at the position, but let’s look a little more below the radar of top prospects lists–or even the fringes. The Brewers have two prospects who could make the situation at first interesting.

Andruw Monasterio is, perhaps, the best reason why it never hurts to look past the top prospects list. He won the title of Brewer Fanatic Top Rookie in 2023, having never appeared on MLB Pipeline or the BF list. He was a minor-league signee a year and a half before making his impact in the majors. The Crew has two candidates to replicate Monasterio’s surprising contributions and cult hero status in the upper minors, Wes Clarke and Ernesto Martinez. Let’s look them over.

The Case For Wes Clarke
Here’s a bit of trivia for you: Between Wes Clarke and Jackson Chourio, who had the higher totals for OPS, home runs, doubles, and walks in 2023? It wasn’t the guy who signed a record contract this offseason.

That’s right. Clarke, a 10th-round pick in the 2021 draft, topped Chourio in those four categories, and finished a respectable second in RBI. Clarke primarily manned first base for the Shuckers, but also saw a lot of time behind the plate when Jeferson Quero was on the injured list. As if his monster season in Biloxi wasn’t enough, Clarke then went to the Arizona Fall League and posted a 1.002 OPS, with another three doubles, five homers, and 17 walks.

Clarke is a fairly extreme three-true-outcomes bat, with 45 homers and 172 walks in 806 professional at-bats. That also means he strikes out a lot–272 times in that sample. Still, he did hit for a ,297 average in the AFL. Even if his bat doesn't ultimately reach its ceiling, his ability to fill in behind the plate gives him a chance to be a solid bench asset, with the departure of Victor Caratini.

The Crew’s need for a right-handed power bat, though, could get Clarke some at-bats in Milwaukee, especially since William Contreras spends a lot of time at designated hitter, and Eric Haase has been very inconsistent at the plate. Clarke should start the season in Triple-A Nashville, but his relatively rapid rise through the system could point to him being in Milwaukee soon.

The Case For Ernesto Martinez
Martinez hasn't matched Clarke's smooth, fast progress, partially due to the pandemic in 2020 and a lost 2022 season (he totaled 78 at-bats). But when he has been on the field, the hulking Martinez (6’5”, 250 pounds) flashed a very solid left-handed power bat that looks like it would work well at American Family Field.

An international free-agent signing, Martinez first showed promising power and OBP in the Dominican Summer League in 2017, before muddling through in the Arizona Complex the following year, where his OBP skills stayed solid despite a downturn from his DSL stats. In 2019, he posted strong numbers with the Rocky Mountain Vibe before the pandemic. In those years, Martinez looked like a version of Eric Thames, who provided the Crew with solid production at the major-league level between his power and OBP skills.

In 2021, he had a huge breakout, posting a .862 OPS with Low-A Carolina after earning a call-up from extended spring training, and proved he was more than just a slugger by stealing 30 bases in 32 attempts and seeing action in center field as well as holding down first base, despite a frame that suggests the former would be difficult. However, Martinez also began missing time with injury–something that turned up big-time in 2022.

Martinez, however, rebounded from the lost season in 2023, posting a .754 OPS and solid power numbers with High-A Wisconsin before earning a promotion to Double-A Biloxi and holding his own (.704 OPS). More importantly, he cut down on strikeouts. From 2017-2022, he struck out in 33.5 percent of his at-bats. Given his power and OBP skills, that was understandable, but it made him essentially non-viable as a big-league prospect. But in 2023, he cut that down to 79 strikeouts in 349 at-bats, while still generating good power numbers in pitcher-friendly leagues.

Martinez has had a long road, but he’s beaten some long odds and persevered through injuries, and could be a contender for a 40-man spot in the 2024-2025 offseason, a path similar to that of Tyrone Taylor, albeit with far less pedigree.

Breakdown
While both players have been at the fringe of prospect consideration, the numbers indicate that they could be a decent platoon for the Crew in the 2025 timeframe at a very cheap price (you can thank the Bally Sports bankruptcy for the financial uncertainty). It would not be a horrible option at first base; both have been solid defensively, but they also backfill other positions (Clarke is a decent backstop, and Martinez showed he can handle the outfield in a pinch) and they hit well enough to be plugged in at designated hitter.

In essence, like the case of Ace of the Future and somewhat similarly to Third Baseman of the Future, the Brewers may not be faced with a strict either/or choice here. The platoon option could work well for the team, and these somewhat versatile players, like Cooper Hummel, could even be flipped for help at the trade deadline.

Do you view Clarke and/or Martinez as future big-league options? Can they help fill gaps left by the team's reluctance to spend more money for more talented alternatives? Let's discuss it in the comment section.

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!