Coach Eddie Smith will need a new starting shortstop for his first season at the helm with the Washington Huskies after Cam Clayton officially inked his contract with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday after the team selected him in round No. 14 of the MLB draft.
The final Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year will forgo his final year of eligibility after three strong years as the Huskies’ starting shortstop, where he put together a .294 career batting average with 63 extra-base hits (22 home runs), 99 runs batted in, and 130 runs scored in his career.
He also owns a career .964 fielding percentage after recording just 24 errors on 649 chances and has the ability to become a serviceable player at the next level. Before the 2024 season, MLB.com evaluated Clayton as a prospect, giving him a draft grade for each of his five tools on the scouting scale of 20-80 (50 is average).
Officially official ✍️@CamClayton12 is a member of #MarlinsBeisbol! pic.twitter.com/QQR2W9Ezgm
— Washington Baseball (@UW_Baseball) July 24, 2024
Clayton received a 50 for his hit, run, field, and arm strength tools, and a 45 for his power, making his overall grade a 45. However, following his impressive season in the field, his fielding tool could get an upgrade and appears to be one of the driving forces behind the Marlins selecting him where they did.
He will have a chance to help bring an influx of talent to a farm system that desperately needs it, as it was ranked No. 29 by Bleacher Report in its most recent update following the MLB draft.
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