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Former Blue Jays prospect Phil Clarke retires
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Photo credit: © Dave Nelson-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jun 20, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 24, 2026, 20:54 EDT
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A former Toronto Blue Jays prospect retired at the start of June.
On June 3rd, Phil Clarke announced via his Instagram that he has retired, after spending parts of seven seasons in the Blue Jays’ organization.
The Blue Jays selected the catcher in the ninth round of the 2019 draft out of Vanderbilt, with the Atlanta native joining the Vancouver Canadians (then the team’s Short-Season A affiliate). There, he slashed .257/.359/.333 with two homers in 167 plate appearances.
Like all minor leaguers, Clarke didn’t play in 2020 due to the global pandemic, but he spent the entire 2021 season with the Canadians, now their High-A team. Over 87 games, the catcher slashed .247/.345/.364 with six home runs in 378 plate appearances for a 103 wRC+.
Clarke’s 2022 was spent solely with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, slashing .234/.343/.319 with four home runs in 297 plate appearances for a 90 wRC+. The 2023 season was Clarke’s breakout year, spending all but one game in Double-A.
Over 69 Double-A games, Clarke slashed .260/.381/.391 with six home runs in just 259 plate appearances, good for a 121 wRC+. Throughout his professional career, Clarke consistently had a low strikeout rate and high walk rate, and it didn’t change in 2023, posting a 12.7 BB% and 14.2 K%.
Heading into the 2024 season, Clarke positioned himself as a potential call up if the Blue Jays needed some innings due to injury. He began the season Double-A yet again, slashing.307/.421/.366 with no home runs in 121 plate appearances, good for a 137 wRC+. Striking out just five times, Clarke earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he slashed .230/.352/.323 with three home runs in 193 plate appearances.
Clarke had another productive season with the bat in 2025, slashing .281/.385/.363 with two home runs in 175 plate appearances, with an additional home run in a six-game rehab stint in Single-A. The call-up never came, and Clarke elected free agency shortly after the end of the season.
In mid-April, Clarke signed with Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League, playing 11 games with the team where he slashed .179/.238/.256 with no home runs in 42 plate appearances before announcing his retirement.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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