A Love for the Game From the Very Beginning
Deerfield-Windsor baseball standout Collins Clark started playing baseball about as early as anyone can, joining the Albany-based Dixie Youth baseball league at age four in the Futures League, the level before T-ball.
Although Clark also plays football, he said there is one sport that has captured his complete attention.
“Playing baseball just came naturally for me, and I fell in love with the game right away, even as a four-year-old,” Clark said.
Clark stayed with Dixie Youth through the T-ball level until he was ready to take the next step in his development. Coaches began to notice that he was maturing faster than some players his age, which is common with younger players. So at age seven, he left recreational baseball and began playing with an 8-under coach-pitch travel ball team, continuing through travel ball until he reached middle school baseball at Deerfield-Windsor.
Breaking Through as an Eighth-Grader
That is when Clark’s baseball career really began to take off.
As a seventh-grader at Deerfield-Windsor, Clark played with the eighth-grade team. As an eighth-grader, he earned an opportunity with the Knights varsity baseball team that would prove to be a breakthrough.
That is when he caught the attention of first-year head baseball coach Kyle Keen.
“I first met Collins four years ago,” Keen said. “It was my first year at Deerfield and he was an eighth-grader. I knew right away that he had the makings to become a great pitcher. He was a foot taller than the rest of his grade, and he just had a great frame. He threw harder and hit the ball harder than his teammates.”
In the first half of his eighth-grade year, Clark played middle school baseball before being elevated to the junior varsity squad midseason. When the varsity Knights made the state playoffs, Clark got an opportunity few eighth-graders ever see.
“Clark actually made a varsity appearance in the state playoffs as a pitcher as an eighth-grader, and he held his own,” Keen said.
Clark made enough of an impression to become a full-time starter for Deerfield-Windsor’s varsity squad the following season as a ninth-grader, earning all-region honors in his first year. He was an all-region and all-state selection as a sophomore.
Talent Meets Work Ethic
Clark began to prove he had the talent, but other factors have also played a big part in his success.
According to Keen, it is not just talent that makes Clark stand out.
“He’s had the work ethic to go along with his talent as well,” Keen said. “He plays travel ball in the summer, does weight training, arm conditioning. All that attention to baseball has helped Clark achieve a higher baseball IQ than a lot of athletes his age.”
Clark also has a natural physical advantage. He bats and throws left-handed, which are both significant edges when it comes to separating yourself from other talented players.
Clark plays first base and serves as the team’s designated hitter, but he has become a standout left-handed pitcher as well. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 205 pounds, Clark can be an imposing presence on the mound.
Clark said he has learned that there is more to pitching than just throwing hard.
“Early in my career I could overpower most batters, but once you start playing higher-level teams, you have to learn to adjust by changing speeds and locating your pitches,” Clark said. “It becomes a cat-and-mouse game between the pitcher and the batter, and mentally the biggest asset a pitcher can have is composure, and I’ve had to learn to master that part of the game over the years as I have grown with the sport.”
Keen agreed that improvement has been part of Clark’s development.
“Last year, he tried to overpower everyone, but he kept falling behind a lot and ran his pitch count up by the third or fourth inning,” Keen said. “This year, he has improved quite a bit with his command of all of his pitches and is still pitching into the late innings of the game.”
By the Numbers: A Dominant 2026 Season
Clark’s fastball sits around 85-87 mph, according to Keen.
As the team’s No. 1 starter this year, Clark is 3-0 in 18 innings pitched. He has struck out 36 of 73 batters faced and allowed just nine hits, posting a 0.39 ERA.
Keen said he has used and will use Clark in a relief role, but that opportunity has not presented itself so far this season.
At the plate, Clark is batting .429, going 18-for-42 with an on-base percentage of .579, six doubles, and 10 RBIs.
Deerfield-Windsor is 12-3 overall and 6-1 in region play.
The Ohio Connection: Playing on a National Stage
In addition to playing for Deerfield-Windsor, Clark has spent considerable time playing travel baseball across Georgia in showcase tournaments, including multiple Prep Baseball Report and Perfect Game tournaments at Emerson Lake Point Complex and at East Cobb.
Clark is a rated Rawlings Southeastern United States underclassman and earned honorable mention All-American recognition as a sophomore.
Competing in high-profile showcase tournaments gave Clark maximum exposure, and he made the most of it. He was recruited to join a travel team from Columbus, Ohio, en route to a tournament in Charleston, South Carolina. The team, known as the Warhawks, needed a solid left-handed pitcher, and the call went out to the Clark family. They accepted and met the Ohio team in Charleston.
Just as Clark had done with his high school team as an eighth-grader, he stepped up and made an impression, helping the squad defeat some highly competitive teams. The Warhawks invited Clark to join them full time. He joined their 14-under team that first year, then transitioned to their 15/16-under team, gaining exposure at the national level and facing top competition from across the country.
Clark spent two summers playing for the Warhawks, competing against top travel teams in Ohio, Virginia, and several other states.
Staying Home: A New Focus for the Summer
Clark and his family have decided to pull back from national travel and focus on competing within Georgia this spring and summer.
Following this season with Deerfield-Windsor, Clark will play for the Game-On National Team’s Stealth, based in Warner Robins, continuing to sharpen his skills as both a hitter and a pitcher.
As for which he prefers, Clark said the answer is clear.
“I love doing both, but I feel like I was born to pitch,” Clark said.
Eyes on a State Championship and Beyond
Clark said the short-term goal is straightforward.
“I have friends that I have played baseball with since the T-ball days, and we are still playing together now in high school,” Clark said. “We have our eye on a state championship this year, and we have all the right tools to get there.”
While helping Deerfield-Windsor win a state championship is the immediate priority, Clark is also thinking long term.
“Ultimately I would like to play at the next level, so I have to continue to work hard and stay healthy while refining my pitching skills and my hitting approach,” Clark said. “My goals are still in front of me, and it’s going to take hard work and dedication in all areas, such as diet and exercise, the mental aspect, and the academics.”
Keen said he has no doubt about what lies ahead for his pitcher.
“Collins has a bright future ahead of him,” Keen said. “I’m not sure where he will end up in college, but he will excel wherever that may be. Collins does things the correct way.”
Clark said his focus remains on the team.
“I want to continue to be the best player I can be in order to help my team win,” Clark said.
