The Mets didn’t just add depth — they took it directly from a division opponent, sparking fresh tension across the NL East. DD
The New York Mets added some infield depth by signing a utility man who last played for a division rival.
MLB free agency has officially started, and the New York Mets are busy adding depth pieces ahead of spring training. With expectations high for next year, the Mets have already started to build around their team’s core group.
On Friday, the Mets added Jackson Cluff, a utility infielder who has spent his entire career in the Washington Nationals system. Cluff, 28, was signed to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training in February at Port St. Lucie, Florida.
The native of Littleton, Colorado, was originally drafted in the sixth round of the MLB Amateur Draft in 2019 by the Nationals. He has played six seasons in the Nationals’ system, posting a combined OPS of .688 with 42 home runs, 167 RBI, and 86 stolen bases in 498 games.
During his time with the Nationals’ organization, Cluff played nearly every position in the infield and outfield. By trade, Cluff is a middle infielder who can slot seamlessly between shortstop and second base; of his 498 games, 434 of them were played at either of the two middle infield positions.
While the Mets do not have a pressing need at shortstop, the other infield positions have been a revolving door of players. This year alone, the Mets played a combination of Brett Baty, Jeff McNeil, Mark Vientos, Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio. Aside from McNeil and Baty, none of the others have managed to secure a regular role with the team.
With McNeil being linked to trade rumors this offseason, the second base job could be up for grabs at spring training. The Mets would love if one of their young infielders, like Acuña or Mauricio, could step up and take the role next season, but Cluff is a nice insurance piece for added competition. In 100 games at second base in the minors, Cluff posted a .993 fielding percentage with just three errors.
Cluff brings six years of experience within a division rival’s system and a stellar resume on defense to the Mets. It is fully expected that Cluff will play in New York’s minor league system next year, but the entire infield aside from Francisco Lindor is currently a giant question mark. That question mark will be even larger if first baseman Pete Alonso walks from the team this offseason as a free agent. For now, Cluff looks like a signing for organizational depth, but a solid spring training would put him on the radar for a call-up later in the season.
