Clutch hitting can be a controversial topic. Clutch hitting, defined generally as a hitter increasing performance during big moments, definitely exists for some hitters in some years. After the fact, some hitters have hit better in big game moments. But the more disputable question is whether clutch hitting is a skill or is repeatable from year to year. Some studies say the clutch skill doesn’t exist, while others say “maybe” or conclude that the repeatable effect is relatively small.
I’m not going to dive into the controversy over clutch hitting as a skill, because it’s a complicated topic.