While the Atlanta Braves are making moves to improve their current season, the team is taking the time to mourn the passing of long-time scout Roy Clark. Looking at the key moves made by the Braves in recent history, one could likely put the credit to Clark for a ton of decisions, as he passed at the age of 68 years old.
Clark started his scouting career with Atlanta in 1989, where he was eventually the director of scouting in 2000, and was in that role until 2009. Working in other personnel roles with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals, he returned to the team in 2014 as Senior Advisor to Amateur Scouting until 2019, where he would then be with the Kansas City Royals.
The team released a statement Saturday afternoon, saying how Clark was “universally regarded as one of the best talent evaluators in the game.”
“The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the death of longtime scout and baseball executive Roy Clark,” the statement read. “Universally regarded as one of the best talent evaluators in the game, Clark's impact on the organization is indelible. His players delivered wins, pennants, and championships to our club, and countless memories and moments to our fans who watched them play. The Braves send their deepest condolences to his family, friends, and numerous peers in the scouting community.”
The Atlanta Braves are deeply saddened by the death of longtime scout and baseball executive Roy Clark. pic.twitter.com/Rj0XOfINc7
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 23, 2025
Roy Clark's impact on the Braves was gigantic
As the Braves continue to make moves amidst the season, there's no denying that the impact left by Clark will be huge, as when looking at the players he's been credited with bringing in, the results are enormous. Consequently, Atlanta beat writer Mark Bowman would cite such players as Freddie Freeman, Craig Kimbrel, Adam Wainwright, and others as being “responsible” for drafting or signing.
“Roy Clark, one of the most successful and respected scouts baseball has ever known, passed away at his Atlanta home last night,” Bowman wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “He was responsible for drafting and signing Wainwright, McCann, Francoeur, Morton, Heyward, Freeman, Kimbrel, and many others. He was a great man.”
Fellow MLB.com reporter Jonathan Mayo would go as far as to call Clark an all-time scout.
“One of THE greatest scouts and always fantastic to talk to about the game,” Mayo wrote. “You will be missed, Roy.”
At any rate, Clark will sorely be missed not just in the Braves' clubhouse, but on any team he was with.
