Clouse was drafted out of Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, by the Atlanta Braves in the 27th round of the 2016 draft. He was a starter in college, using a four-pitch mix of a four-seam fastball, a two-seam sinker, a wipeout slider, and a curve. As a pro, he focused on just two pitches out of the bullpen – the sinker and the slider.
The Braves initially assigned Clouse to advanced rookie Danville in the Appalachian League. He only needed 4 appearances to convince the team he was too advanced to be in Danville, as he threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs, a 0.