By Haden Raymer
One of the better hitters to start the young season is Utah product TJ Clarkson. While he does not have one particularly elite statistic, he does everything well. He hits for a solid average of .298, walks a good amount, and has solid power too. Not only that, but he has stolen four bases. While Clarkson is tied for 15th in on-base percentage with .417, eight of those batters ahead of him possess a batting average far north of .300. His .476 slugging percentage is also top 15 of the league. Clarkson’s ability to do succeed at every aspect of the game is a big part of why he is in the conversation as one of the best in the league, and a big part of Waynesboro’s early success.
A part of Clarkson’s success has been his ability to hit the ball to all fields. Sure, he can pull the ball like everyone else, but he can also slap it the other way for a single. And while his overall numbers have diminished a bit, this comes after a rough two games against the Braves and TomSox. When was the only time he dipped below a .900 OPS? That would be on June 14th. If he can right the ship at the plate and continue his excellence in the outfield, Clarkson should have a fun summer.
Clarkson put up similar numbers in his redshirt sophomore season, with a .286 batting average and a .433 on-base percentage, which was somewhat ballooned by 16 hit-by pitches. This was much improved from his redshirt freshman year. The future is bright for the young lefty, and I cannot wait to see what is next for him.