Blue Jays' Ernie Clement ready to take next step.
Photo credit: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays enter the 2025 season with a main goal: getting back to the post-season. Ernie Clement is ready to take next step to achieve that goal.
The team dealt with many injuries and some statistical regression from key contributors last year.
Despite the disappointing results as a team, infielder Ernie Clement enjoyed a breakout campaign that has him in a prime position to handle the hot corner come Opening Day.
The 28-year-old is set to begin his fifth MLB season, but he knows that nothing is guaranteed in the majors.
Clement is ready to prove that he's an everyday player and is just scratching the surface of his abilities.
"I've put the work in, I've prepared and I'm extremely confident in what I can do," Clement said Wednesday on The JD Bunkis Podcast. "There's a lot more than what everyone saw last year and I can get to a whole 'nother level and I'm just super excited to get going."
Clement batted .263 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs last season with Toronto and finished as a Gold Glove Award finalist.
While not eye-popping offensive numbers, the infielder was a mainstay in the lineup, playing 139 games.
For the first time, Clement wasn't travelling between the minors and the big club, and despite a slow start to the season, his confidence never wavered.
"In May, I was really struggling and I was just able to take a step back, calm myself and not panic,"Clement said. "I told Schneid (manager John Schneider), if you put me in the lineup I'm gonna make it happen and get after it. I just kind of made that decision that I was going to help the team win."
Clement's mindset worked. He followed up his lowly May .208 batting average by slashing .318/.333/.500 in June.
His struggles early on were simply a bump in the road - something he knew he would overcome.
"I just think I failed so much at the minor league level, at the major league level, I've just made sure to learn from all of that," Clement told Bunkis. "I got a taste of the major leagues in 2021, and then 2022 and I just did not take advantage of the opportunity that they gave me. I absolutely learned from it and then came back in 2023 and Toronto gave me an awesome opportunity to just kind of prove that I belong."
And prove it he did.
Clement's bat-to-ball rate was elite. In 434 at-bats, he struck out only 41 times while taking 11 walks.
Per Baseball Savant, the Rochester, N.Y., native ranked in the first percentile in chase and walk percentage, the 96th percentile in whiff percentage and the 100th percentile in strikeout percentage.
He learned from past experiences and failures, and his success at the dish can be attributed to his approach.
"I was the aggressor," he said. "After May, I was on attack mode ... I'm going up there to do damage and it's just a mindset change that has kind of helped me have some more success."
Another area Clement has focused on to be the best version of himself comes off the field.
He deleted all social media to eliminate any negativity and simply focus on his game.
But with that, he has missed out on the news surrounding the team in free agency.
Toronto made a splash signing, bringing in All-Star outfielder Anthony Santander on a five-year contract.
While Clement is very excited to add talent to the roster, it came at the cost of him not knowing about the move.
"I found out about the Santander singing a few days after it happened just because I'm so removed from that realm," he said.
The Blue Jays' first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 18.
While he is expected to play third base, he's willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win.
"I'm doing it for them. I'm doing it for the team," Clement said. "I'm willing to stick my nose in there and not let anything get by. Whether it's third (base), short (stop), second (base), it doesn't really matter to me, I'll play wherever.
"Whatever the team needs."
For all your current Toronto Blue Jays and MLB baseball news check out BlueJaysCentral.com on Facebook, X and Blue Sky.
SOURCE: SPORTSNET STAFF
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