Clement Continues to Shine in Postseason

By: Brian Frank

If one player epitomizes the 2025 American League Champion Toronto Blue Jays, it’s infielder Ernie Clement. The versatile infielder has overcome numerous career setbacks to become an indispensable piece of the Blue Jays’ lineup. The 29-year-old personifies the team’s style of play — unselfish, scrappy, and resilient.

Clement grew up in Rochester, New York, where he played baseball at Brighton High School and starred on a hockey team that included players from Brighton, Honeoye Falls, and East Rochester. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Virginia, where he won a College World Series during his freshman season. UVA defeated Vanderbilt in the finals to capture its first NCAA championship.

Clement speaks with the media at the World Series. Photo Credit: Brian frank, The Herd Chronicles

“That was amazing,” Clement recounted to The Herd Chronicles in 2023. “We had such a blast. Our coaches just told us to enjoy it because it’s so hard to get there. There are so many good college baseball programs. So when we got there they just said enjoy it, have fun. There was no pressure. We played really, really well.”

“To win a national championship your freshman year,” he added with a chuckle, “it’s kind of tough because it’s all downhill from there. That’s as good as it gets.”

Clement was drafted by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. He worked his way through the organization’s farm system and made his major-league debut against Seattle in June 2021. He collected his first big-league hit in his first start, off former Bison hurler Matt Harvey.

After playing 103 games for the Guardians over two seasons, Clement was designated for assignment in September 2022 and claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. He appeared in just six games for Oakland before being released during spring training in 2023.

“I wish I would have played a little bit better for those two previous teams,” Clement said during his recent press conference at Dodger Stadium. “Cleveland, I got drafted by them. I love that organization, I love the people there. I wish I had done better with that opportunity.”

“Oakland, it just didn’t really work out,” he continued. “It wasn’t the right fit. I can’t blame them. I didn’t exactly play great. It was a chance for me to get some perspective and kind of look myself in the mirror and say, all right, what do I need to do better, how can I not let an opportunity pass if I get another one.”

Although his time in Cleveland and Oakland didn’t unfold as he hoped, Clement’s career began to take off after he signed with Toronto.

“I looked in the mirror and made some changes, and I’m just so grateful for the opportunity I’ve gotten here in Toronto,” he said. “It’s everything I could have really ever asked for. I owe it to them to give it my all and, you know, prove them right for giving me an opportunity.”

Clement at the plate with the Herd. Photo Credit: Brian Frank, The Herd Chronicles

Almost immediately, he began seeing results working with Buffalo Bisons hitting coach Matt Hague, now the major-league hitting coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 72 games with Buffalo, Clement slashed .348/.401/.544 with 11 home runs, 21 doubles, and a .944 OPS.

“Matt Hague, one of best hitting coaches I’ve ever had,” Clement said. “I love the guy. He kind of got me back on my feet in Buffalo in 2023 after I got DFA’d and released. He was one of the guys that wanted me to lean into my strengths, which is contact. He never was like, Hey, we want you to hit more home runs. That was never something that he told me. He was like, just be you. Something that he always told us is just go be athletic in the box, and what that tells me is, don’t have a whole lot of thoughts going on. Just go in there and try to get your best swing off. So the less I’m thinking about when I’m hitting, the better — and that’s something I’ve definitely benefited from.”

Clement has now played in 325 games for the Blue Jays. This season, he slashed .277/.313/.398 with nine home runs, 50 RBIs, and 83 runs scored in 157 games. But his value isn’t limited to the batter’s box; he also shines in the field, earning Gold Glove Award nominations at both third base and as a utility player.

Taking infield this summer as Bo Bichette looks on. Photo Credit: Brian Frank, The Herd Chronicles

Blue Jays manager John Schneider appreciates what Clement brings to the team.

“Ernie kind of personifies us,” Schneider said. “I think he understands what he’s good at, competes every single day, and just loves the game. He just loves playing. He loves competing. I have joked, he loves competing when he golfs, he loves competing when he’s playing ping-pong. It’s just kind of who he is.”

Clement has remained hot throughout the postseason. Entering Game 4 of the World Series, he was slashing .386/.400/.526 with a .926 OPS in 14 postseason games, ranking second in MLB in hits (22) and fourth in batting average.

“Ernie Clement—he looks like Paul Molitor,” Blue Jays legend Joe Carter smiled when discussing Clement's postseason performance last weekend.

Schneider echoed the praise. “What he’s done this postseason has been pretty fun to watch,” he said, “because he’s obviously been given nothing over the course of his career, and he’s turned himself into a really good Major League player, and rightfully so, with some of the accolades that he’s received. So it’s fun to watch guys kind of slow things down. And I think you guys all saw kind of how emotional he was after Game 7, but to kind of just take that out and play his game is just really cool to watch.”

Clement has come a long way since his days growing up in the Flower City, and all his experiences have helped shape the player he has become.

“I’ve been overlooked a lot over the course of my career, so that’s nothing new there,” Clement said of not being well known nationally until this playoff run. “So I don’t mind that one bit. When you fly under the radar and you play really, really well people start to pick up on it. But yeah, I would rather be under the radar. I think it’s great, and I’m used to it.”

“It’s nice to see a lot of hard work and sacrifice pay off,” he said. “I’ve always kept the same approach, just play for my teammates and do whatever it takes to win the baseball game that day. So just keeping that rolling.”