Jackson Cluff Stats & Scouting Report

AB	17
AVG	.294
OBP	.429
SLG	.588
HR	1

Full name Jackson Paul Cluff
Born 12/03/1996 in Littleton, CO
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 181 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Brigham Young
Drafted in the 6th round (183rd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2019 (signed for $200,000).

View Draft Report

Cluff’s father, Paul, also played at Brigham Young and was a 1989 fourth round draft choice of the Boise Hawks during a period in which independent teams could participate in the draft. The younger Cluff returned to the BYU program for his sophomore season after two years away serving a church mission. Moving between second base, third base and shortstop for the Cougars, Cluff was among the team’s leading hitters with a .327/.458/.518 slash line along with a team-leading 12 stolen bases in as many attempts. A gap-to-gap hitter with primarily doubles power, Cluff is athletic and a tick above-average runner. His value goes up if he can play shortstop at the next level, although scouts question whether his slightly below-average arm will allow him to handle the position in a regular role. While still a sophomore eligibility-wise Cluff is already well past his 22nd birthday and his age will likely affect where he goes in the draft.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Cluff had just one year, 2019, as a starter at Brigham Young, as he spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on his Mormon mission, but it was strong enough for him to be selected in the sixth round that year. The Nationals have been aggressive with Cluff. He began at Low-A in 2019, spent time at the alternate training site in 2020 and skipped High-A to spend much of the 2021 season at Double-A Harrisburg.

Scouting Report: Cluff is a player whose intangibles stand out. The organization raves about his makeup. From a skill standpoint, Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who can handle second base or shortstop. Offensively, he has an aggressive approach at the plate, looking for his pitch early in counts. He uses all fields, he has some pop but isn’t a masher, and while he’s not a burner, he’s a willing base stealer. His performance at the plate in the Arizona Fall League this year turned heads as well.

The Future: After some growing pains in Harrisburg, Cluff started to get comfortable, only to have injuries slow him. A repeat of that level is likely. His maturity and defense give him a high floor as a utility infielder.
TRACK RECORD: The Nationals' player development staff was pleased to add Cluff to the system as a 2019 sixth-round pick for just $200,000. The quick, twitchy athlete served a two-year Mormon mission but didn't miss a beat upon his return to Brigham Young, where he hit .327/.458/.518 in his draft year. Cluff made his pro debut at low Class A Hagerstown and chased too many pitches en route to batting .229/.320/.367 in 62 games. The Nationals made him a late addition to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff primarily worked on hitting to all fields at the alternate site, where he was challenged by more experienced pitchers. He has sneaky power in his bat and is improving at getting the barrel to the ball. He tends to get pull happy, which takes away his ability to line the ball to the gaps and rack up doubles and triples. Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who is capable of sticking at shortstop. The Nationals rave about his makeup.

THE FUTURE: Cluff should start at high Class A once the 2021 minor league season begins. The Nationals see him as at least a potential super-utility option.
TRACK RECORD: Nationals player development officials believe the scouting department found a gem in Cluff, who served a two-year mission in Atlanta before returning to BYU in 2019. He hit in cages and off a tee once a week for those two years. In his first season with the Cougars since 2016, he hit .327/.458/.518 with 20 doubles in 199 at-bats while walking almost as many times (37) as he struck out (39).

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff has above-average running ability, an above-average arm and a short, line-drive stroke. He does have a tendency to chase fastballs, so he'll have to be more selective. He has sneaky pop but still needs to learn more about repeating his swing. Cluff held his own defensively and has a good internal clock. The Idaho native is a quick-twitch athlete who plays the game as hard as anyone in the organization. Over the course of the summer, he improved at driving balls to center field and left-center field for doubles and triples.

THE FUTURE: Cluff will likely head to high Class A Fredericksburg. If he continues to adapt quickly, as he has since returning from his mission, he could be a fast riser through the system.

Scouting Reports

BA Grade: 40/High

Track Record: Cluff had just one year, 2019, as a starter at Brigham Young, as he spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on his Mormon mission, but it was strong enough for him to be selected in the sixth round that year. The Nationals have been aggressive with Cluff. He began at Low-A in 2019, spent time at the alternate training site in 2020 and skipped High-A to spend much of the 2021 season at Double-A Harrisburg.

Scouting Report: Cluff is a player whose intangibles stand out. The organization raves about his makeup. From a skill standpoint, Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who can handle second base or shortstop. Offensively, he has an aggressive approach at the plate, looking for his pitch early in counts. He uses all fields, he has some pop but isn&#39t a masher, and while he&#39s not a burner, he&#39s a willing base stealer. His performance at the plate in the Arizona Fall League this year turned heads as well.

The Future: After some growing pains in Harrisburg, Cluff started to get comfortable, only to have injuries slow him. A repeat of that level is likely. His maturity and defense give him a high floor as a utility infielder.
Track Record: Cluff had just one year, 2019, as a starter at Brigham Young, as he spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on his Mormon mission, but it was strong enough for him to be selected in the sixth round that year. The Nationals have been aggressive with Cluff. He began at Low-A in 2019, spent time at the alternate training site in 2020 and skipped High-A to spend much of the 2021 season at Double-A Harrisburg.

Scouting Report: Cluff is a player whose intangibles stand out. The organization raves about his makeup. From a skill standpoint, Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who can handle second base or shortstop. Offensively, he has an aggressive approach at the plate, looking for his pitch early in counts. He uses all fields, he has some pop but isn’t a masher, and while he’s not a burner, he’s a willing base stealer. His performance at the plate in the Arizona Fall League this year turned heads as well.

The Future: After some growing pains in Harrisburg, Cluff started to get comfortable, only to have injuries slow him. A repeat of that level is likely. His maturity and defense give him a high floor as a utility infielder.
TRACK RECORD: The Nationals' player development staff was pleased to add Cluff to the system as a 2019 sixth-round pick for just $200,000. The quick, twitchy athlete served a two-year Mormon mission but didn't miss a beat upon his return to Brigham Young, where he hit .327/.458/.518 in his draft year. Cluff made his pro debut at low Class A Hagerstown and chased too many pitches en route to batting .229/.320/.367 in 62 games. The Nationals made him a late addition to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff primarily worked on hitting to all fields at the alternate site, where he was challenged by more experienced pitchers. He has sneaky power in his bat and is improving at getting the barrel to the ball. He tends to get pull happy, which takes away his ability to line the ball to the gaps and rack up doubles and triples. Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who is capable of sticking at shortstop. The Nationals rave about his makeup.

THE FUTURE: Cluff should start at high Class A once the 2021 minor league season begins. The Nationals see him as at least a potential super-utility option.
TRACK RECORD: The Nationals' player development staff was pleased to add Cluff to the system as a 2019 sixth-round pick for just $200,000. The quick, twitchy athlete served a two-year Mormon mission but didn't miss a beat upon his return to Brigham Young, where he hit .327/.458/.518 in his draft year. Cluff made his pro debut at low Class A Hagerstown and chased too many pitches en route to batting .229/.320/.367 in 62 games. The Nationals made him a late addition to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff primarily worked on hitting to all fields at the alternate site, where he was challenged by more experienced pitchers. He has sneaky power in his bat and is improving at getting the barrel to the ball. He tends to get pull happy, which takes away his ability to line the ball to the gaps and rack up doubles and triples. Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who is capable of sticking at shortstop. The Nationals rave about his makeup.

THE FUTURE: Cluff should start at high Class A once the 2021 minor league season begins. The Nationals see him as at least a potential super-utility option.
TRACK RECORD: The Nationals' player development staff was pleased to add Cluff to the system as a 2019 sixth-round pick for just $200,000. The quick, twitchy athlete served a two-year Mormon mission but didn't miss a beat upon his return to Brigham Young, where he hit .327/.458/.518 in his draft year. Cluff made his pro debut at low Class A Hagerstown and chased too many pitches en route to batting .229/.320/.367 in 62 games. The Nationals made him a late addition to their alternate training site in 2020.

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff primarily worked on hitting to all fields at the alternate site, where he was challenged by more experienced pitchers. He has sneaky power in his bat and is improving at getting the barrel to the ball. He tends to get pull happy, which takes away his ability to line the ball to the gaps and rack up doubles and triples. Cluff is an advanced defender with a strong arm who is capable of sticking at shortstop. The Nationals rave about his makeup.

THE FUTURE: Cluff should start at high Class A once the 2021 minor league season begins. The Nationals see him as at least a potential super-utility option.
TRACK RECORD: Nationals player development officials believe the scouting department found a gem in Cluff, who served a two-year mission in Atlanta before returning to BYU in 2019. He hit in cages and off a tee once a week for those two years. In his first season with the Cougars since 2016, he hit .327/.458/.518 with 20 doubles in 199 at-bats while walking almost as many times (37) as he struck out (39).

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff has above-average running ability, an above-average arm and a short, line-drive stroke. He does have a tendency to chase fastballs, so he’ll have to be more selective. He has sneaky pop but still needs to learn more about repeating his swing. Cluff held his own defensively and has a good internal clock. The Idaho native is a quick-twitch athlete who plays the game as hard as anyone in the organization. Over the course of the summer, he improved at driving balls to center field and left-center field for doubles and triples.

THE FUTURE: Cluff will likely head to high Class A Fredericksburg. If he continues to adapt quickly, as he has since returning from his mission, he could be a fast riser through the system.
TRACK RECORD: Nationals player development officials believe the scouting department found a gem in Cluff, who served a two-year mission in Atlanta before returning to BYU in 2019. He hit in cages and off a tee once a week for those two years. In his first season with the Cougars since 2016, he hit .327/.458/.518 with 20 doubles in 199 at-bats while walking almost as many times (37) as he struck out (39).

SCOUTING REPORT: Cluff has above-average running ability, an above-average arm and a short, line-drive stroke. He does have a tendency to chase fastballs, so he'll have to be more selective. He has sneaky pop but still needs to learn more about repeating his swing. Cluff held his own defensively and has a good internal clock. The Idaho native is a quick-twitch athlete who plays the game as hard as anyone in the organization. Over the course of the summer, he improved at driving balls to center field and left-center field for doubles and triples.

THE FUTURE: Cluff will likely head to high Class A Fredericksburg. If he continues to adapt quickly, as he has since returning from his mission, he could be a fast riser through the system.