When news broke that Francisco Lindor would need hamate surgery, the immediate concern wasn’t just about losing a star-it was about who could possibly step in, even temporarily, without derailing the Mets’ infield stability. Let’s be clear: there’s no one-for-one replacement for Lindor on this roster, 40-man or otherwise. But the games don’t stop, and the Mets still need someone to take over at shortstop until their franchise cornerstone is back.
Now, the easy move might seem like sliding Bo Bichette back over to short. He’s got the experience, and he could handle it.
But if the Mets are serious about transitioning him to a new position for the long haul, it might not make sense to disrupt that process for a short-term fix. Jorge Polanco has logged plenty of innings at short earlier in his career, but recent seasons haven’t been kind to him at that spot.
Ronny Mauricio? He could fill in for a few games, sure-but he’s not a natural shortstop either.
The issue is deeper than just a lack of ideal options. After trading away Jett Williams and Luisangel Acuña this winter, the Mets’ pipeline of upper-minors shortstop depth has thinned out significantly.
That’s why the front office made a point to bring in a handful of versatile, fringe-roster guys who could step in if needed. During his press conference yesterday, David Stearns name-dropped several candidates: Mauricio, Vidal Bruján, Grae Kessinger, Christian Arroyo, and Jackson Cluff.
Today, let’s zero in on Cluff.
Jackson Cluff isn’t a household name, but he’s the kind of player who can quietly become valuable in moments like this. Drafted in the sixth round back in 2019 out of BYU, Cluff missed the 2020 season due to the pandemic and battled injuries in 2021.
But that fall, he made noise in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .342 with six doubles, a homer, and eight steals over 22 games. It was enough to get people talking heading into the 2022 season.
Since then, the bat hasn’t quite kept up. Cluff hasn’t hit above .250 in any league since that AFL stint, though to his credit, he’s made incremental improvements.
In 2025, he posted a .242/.349/.771 line at Triple-A Rochester, adding 12 homers, 14 doubles, and 23 steals across 103 games. Not eye-popping, but not nothing, either.
What makes Cluff intriguing isn’t just his bat-it’s his versatility. Over the past two seasons, he’s played every infield position, plus center and left field.
He’s even taken the mound five times. He’s not quite a “Super Joe” McEwing type, but he brings enough utility to be a legitimate asset in the high minors.
That’s why his release from the Nationals was a bit surprising. At 29, Cluff isn’t a prospect anymore, and no one’s projecting him as a future starter.
But he’s a capable defender up the middle with a serviceable bat and zero big league service time. Usually, organizations hang on to guys like that until something gives-whether it’s age, production, or roster crunch.
The Mets scooped him up on a minor league deal, and while he’s likely ticketed for Triple-A Syracuse, his profile fits the exact kind of insurance policy teams need when a key player like Lindor goes down before spring training even starts. Cluff isn’t going to wow anyone at shortstop, but he’s not going to be a liability either. And with the depth the Mets have in their lineup, they can afford to carry a glove-first fill-in for a few days if needed.
Let’s be real-Cluff isn’t the long-term answer, and probably not even the medium-term one. But he’s the type of player who can quietly hold the fort, and that matters. With spring training around the corner, he’ll get plenty of reps and a chance to show whether he can be a reliable stopgap if the Mets need to patch a hole in the middle infield.