Article: Ernie Clement: Infield Wizard

[Leo Morgenstern]

Last Wednesday afternoon, I received an email from the Blue Jays’ marketing department asking me to vote for nine Blue Jays players to represent the team at this summer’s All-Star Game in Atlanta. You probably got the same one. What struck me about the email (besides the airplane theme; why is All-Star voting airplane themed?) was the most obvious omission from the graphic: Ernie Clement. 

I understand why Clement isn’t on the All-Star ballot. All-Star voting is broken down by position, and Clement doesn’t really have one. He started the year as Toronto's third baseman, but Addison Barger has taken over the hot corner. He also played a lot of second base while Andrés Giménez was injured, but now that the three-time Gold Glover is back, the keystone is covered. Clement can play shortstop and first base too, but needless to say, he isn’t usurping Bo Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. anytime soon. Thus, he is stuck in utilityman purgatory. As multi-positional players have become more prominent around the league, they’ve earned their own Gold Glove and Silver Slugger categories. The AL All-Star team, however, is an actual team that has to play an actual game. So, there’s no room for a utility category when it comes to All-Star voting. 

That’s too bad, because Clement is arguably the most deserving All-Star Toronto has. He has played in more games this year than every Blue Jay save for Vladdy and Bo. And he's been good! When that email hit my phone on Wednesday, Clement led the team in both the FanGraphs and Baseball Reference versions of WAR. Alejandro Kirk has since overtaken him on the FanGraphs leaderboard, but the point stands that Clement has been one of Toronto’s most valuable players so far in 2025.

Clement is batting .275 on the season, thanks in large part to his 12.1% strikeout rate, the sixth-lowest among qualified AL hitters. He doesn’t offer much power, but his 12 doubles and three home runs have helped him keep his wRC+ right around league average. 

That said, his adequate offense really only matters insofar as it allows John Schneider to keep his glove on the field. You see, if there’s any case to be made that Clement is an All-Star, it’s because he’s been one of this year’s best defenders – not just on the Jays, but across Major League Baseball. 

Clement was a Gold Glove finalist at third base last season, alongside veteran stars Alex Bregman and José Ramírez. It was all the more impressive considering he played less than half a season’s worth of innings (661) at the position. 

So far in 2025, Clement’s defense has looked even better. Splitting his time between second and third base, with a handful of games at shortstop and first base for good measure, he has compiled 10 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and a +9 Fielding Run Value (FRV). The crux of his All-Star case, if he has one, is that he ranks third among all players in Statcast’s Outs Above Average, in between Bobby Witt Jr. and Pete Crow-Amstrong.

It’s important to take defensive metrics with a grain of salt, especially this early in the season. A metric like OAA can be heavily influenced by a small sample of plays, and the chances of Clement maintaining his current pace and finishing the season with 27 OAA are slim to none.

Regardless, no one can rack up 11 OAA in 62 games without playing some damn fine defense. Whether his performance is sustainable or not, I’m confident in saying Clement has been one of the best defenders in the league this year. His tremendous performance might not be rewarded with an All-Star selection (or even a spot on the ballot), but nonetheless, he deserves recognition for everything he’s done for the Blue Jays thus far. 

So, inspired by Mike LeSage’s recent piece about Daulton Varsho’s defensive wizardry, I decided to compile some of Clement’s best plays from 2025. Good defense isn’t always flashy; more often than not, the best defenders are the ones who make tough plays look easy. Still, Clement has made his fair share of highlight-reel stops, catches, and throws, and you can watch several of my favorites down below. 

First Base
Versatility is one of Clement’s primary assets, and indeed, he has earned at least one OAA at all four infield positions. To reflect that, I decided to group his highlights by position. First base, as you might expect, offers the least exciting clips, but just remember that this compilation of solid glovework is merely an amuse-bouche for the true web gems to follow:

Second Base
Clement has played half as many games and about 100 fewer innings at second base than third base this year, but he’s racked up more defensive value at the keystone (5 DRS, 5 OAA) than any other spot. 

This first play might not look particularly difficult – Clement snaps it out of the air like he’s playing catch with a kid – but the ball came off the bat at 108.6 mph. With an .800 expected batting average (based on launch angle and exit velocity), this batted ball was the most unlikely out Clement has recorded all year:

This next one is more classic highlight reel material. On a low liner up the middle with a .570 xBA off the bat, Clement lays out and makes a nice diving catch. Even more exciting than the play itself was the context. If this one had gotten past Clement, the tying run might have come around to score. Instead, the Blue Jays closed out a hard-fought win, their fourth in a row, to secure a series victory:

Here’s a great example of the kind of play that looks easy for Clement, when a second baseman with worse instincts easily could have let it slip through into right field for a base hit. The ball shot off the bat at 105.3 mph, giving Clement limited time to run over and grab it before resetting himself and turning to make the throw:

Meanwhile, this one might have been a routine play if it weren’t for the high stakes of the situation. The Blue Jays’ infield was playing in with a quick runner on third in a close game. Clement fields a weak tapper to second base with precision and gets the ball home just in time for Kirk to apply the tag:

Here’s Clement getting the tag down to catch Cal Raleigh stealing second base after an uncharacteristically poor throw from Kirk. Clement has to jump way out in front of the bag to get to the ball, but he still manages to record the out – and finishes with a fun little 360 spin on his bum. Is this baseball or breakdancing?

Last but certainly not least is a pair of terrific barehanded plays. The first requires Clement to run from the edge of the grass in right-center field to the opposite side of second base, where he scoops the ball up and makes an accurate side-armed throw to record the out:

The other is perhaps an easier play but arguably more exciting, considering the runner in question. Chandler Simpson is one of the fastest players in professional baseball, and no one is better suited to convert a slow bouncer into an infield hit. Yet, Clement reads this one perfectly. He knows he has to barehand the ball if he wants any chance of catching Simpson. He doesn’t hesitate at all, and he gets the ball into Vladdy’s glove just in time to win the race:

Shortstop
It feels a little anticlimactic going from second base, where Clement has made so many strong plays, to shortstop, where Clement has only made two starts and played a total of 27 innings. Thankfully, the one highlight I have to show you from shortstop is a doozy. 

With yet another move that could be right out of Olympic breakdancing, Clement slides down on his knees, picks the ball out of the air, and continuing in one fluid motion, he stands up, spins around, and fires an underhand throw to second base to start a double play. I won’t tell you what Braydon Fisher appears to be saying after the play (this is a family-friendly website), but it’s the perfect reaction to glovework like this:

Third Base
Finally, let’s end off at third base, the position Clement has played more than any other in his big league tenure. 

In the first highlight I’ve chosen, which MLB Film Room describes as “nifty,” Clement steps back to field a groundball down the line. His arm is his weakest defensive tool, but you wouldn’t know it from this clip. Clement gets the ball to first base in plenty of time:

On this one, Clement reaches the ball quickly, preventing it from slipping through the hole into left field. Bichette’s limited range at shortstop isn’t as much of a problem when you have a defender like Clement to pick up the slack:

This diving stop from over the weekend speaks for itself. Once again, Clement ranges over to his right to steal a base hit:

As for this next play, it probably shouldn’t have been Clement’s responsibility at all – he catches it in between second base and the pitcher’s mound – but everyone else lost the ball in the sun. Clement saw it coming down just in time to bolt for it and make a rare infield diving catch:

As terrific as it is, the penultimate play I have for you doesn’t actually make for a great highlight. Jhonkensy Noel hit this ball so hard (115 mph) that Clement has already caught it by the time he appears on screen. Still, it’s clear from how he’s positioned when we first catch a glimpse of him (with the ball already in his glove) that he had to do some Gold Glove-caliber work to get there. This kind of play is a picture-perfect example of why they call it the hot corner:

Finally, before I call it a day, I’ll leave you with my all-time favorite Ernie Clement highlight. This was from last September, but it’s simply too stunning not to include in a piece about Clement’s best defensive work. This could very well be the play that made him a Gold Glove finalist at third base in 2024:

Holy smoke. I'm not sure what to say, other than: Ernie, if you’re reading this, I challenge you to top that. I don't know how you'd do it, but I want to see you try.

The Blue Jays haven't been the most consistent team in 2025, but if there's one thing you can count on when it comes to this club, it's Ernie Clement's glove. Day in and day out, no matter where he's stationed, he's been one of the best defenders in the game.

Stats and rankings updated prior to games on Sunday, June 8.

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[John_Havok]

I love Clement, but an All-Star, he is not. 

[Brownie19]

If he maintains a wRC+ near 100, he's going to be fun to watch for the next 4 years.  Quite a find.  I also love the speed he brings to the lineup.

[BB17]

12 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

If he maintains a wRC+ near 100, he's going to be fun to watch for the next 4 years.  Quite a find.  I also love the speed he brings to the lineup.

He still can't hit RHP really and probably is more of a Santiago Espinal than anything. A couple 2 win seasons followed by being mostly replacement level is still a pretty good career.

He's fine as a utility player who can cover every position in the infield and play against LHP.

[Laika]

2 minutes ago, BB17 said:

He still can't hit RHP really and probably is more of a Santiago Espinal than anything. A couple 2 win seasons followed by being mostly replacement level is still a pretty good career.

He's fine as a utility player who can cover every position in the infield and play against LHP.

time is also not on Ernie's side as he is already 29 

and his overall offensive profile is pretty fringe, so some minor skill loss could turn him into a bench player at best. this is anecdotal but it feels like the players with very high swing rates don't age as well. 

there is this funny archetype of MLB player we see now, where they live in AAA until their late 20s then debut at their physical peak for a few years of surprisingly good production before they turn into a pumpkin 

[Brownie19]

39 minutes ago, BB17 said:

He still can't hit RHP really and probably is more of a Santiago Espinal than anything. A couple 2 win seasons followed by being mostly replacement level is still a pretty good career.

He's fine as a utility player who can cover every position in the infield and play against LHP.

Yeah - that's all I'd ever expect out of him.  He can be a quality utility player on a winning team though IMO.  He's a good piece to have under control, making next to nothing.

[Leo Morgenstern]

1 hour ago, John_Havok said:

I love Clement, but an All-Star, he is not. 

 

43 minutes ago, BB17 said:

He still can't hit RHP really and probably is more of a Santiago Espinal than anything. A couple 2 win seasons followed by being mostly replacement level is still a pretty good career.

He's fine as a utility player who can cover every position in the infield and play against LHP.

I agree, but the Blue Jays need someone to represent them at the ASG... and to BB17's point, Santiago Espinal's All-Star first half in 2022 is actually a pretty close comp for what Clement is doing right now. 

If I had to guess right now, I'd say Toronto's All-Star is either George Springer or Brendon Little. But I don't think it's crazy to make a case for Clement, considering he's been one of the best defenders in the league by multiple metrics.

[BB17]

37 minutes ago, Laika said:

time is also not on Ernie's side as he is already 29 

and his overall offensive profile is pretty fringe, so some minor skill loss could turn him into a bench player at best. this is anecdotal but it feels like the players with very high swing rates don't age as well. 

there is this funny archetype of MLB player we see now, where they live in AAA until their late 20s then debut at their physical peak for a few years of surprisingly good production before they turn into a pumpkin 

I'd say skill wise he basically is a bench player. As good as his May was, his April was pretty bad. He'll have a hot streak and could defense his way to a 3 Win season but hes like a 1-1.5 Win player. His numbers against RHP overall are still awful.

Yeah theres been a lot of middle infield types who have had similar careers it feels like. Even just the Jays have had Espinal, Barney, Pennington, Goins over the years.

3 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

Yeah - that's all I'd ever expect out of him.  He can be a quality utility player on a winning team though IMO.  He's a good piece to have under control, making next to nothing.

Yeah I agree he's a good player to have. Can play against LHP and a plus defender at 3 positions on the diamond while making league min. 

That said I'd say theres a better than 50% chance he doesn't make it to the end of Arb with the Jays. Its easy to get caught up when a player is playing well but I've seen the same story to many times over the years.

[BB17]

4 minutes ago, Leo Morgenstern said:

 

I agree, but the Blue Jays need someone to represent them at the ASG... and to BB17's point, Santiago Espinal's All-Star first half in 2022 is actually a pretty close comp for what Clement is doing right now. 

If I had to guess right now, I'd say Toronto's All-Star is either George Springer or Brendon Little. But I don't think it's crazy to make a case for Clement, considering he's been one of the best defenders in the league by multiple metrics.

I don't think you'd see Little, its just super tough to have a middle reliever make it no matter how good of a season he's having. 

Clement has a high WAR but the bat still is no where close to an All Star level, and I feel like All Stars really don't get picked because of defense. Kirk is having a pretty good year but there's 3 Catchers having better years in the AL so he probably doesn't get picked. Vladdy while not having a great year still probably would be the fav for the Jays if I had to guess. 

The Jays really don't have anyone deserving of being an All Star quite honestly. They are good because of a sum of all parts more than anyone having an amazing year so far.

[John_Havok]

3 hours ago, Leo Morgenstern said:

 

I agree, but the Blue Jays need someone to represent them at the ASG... and to BB17's point, Santiago Espinal's All-Star first half in 2022 is actually a pretty close comp for what Clement is doing right now. 

If I had to guess right now, I'd say Toronto's All-Star is either George Springer or Brendon Little. But I don't think it's crazy to make a case for Clement, considering he's been one of the best defenders in the league by multiple metrics.

Using Espinal as a "deserving all star" comparable is kinda ludicrous. He didnt deserve it either but fans get to vote and make dumb decisions at least once every year. 

Springer probably is the most deserving aat this point in time and I agree that Little could make it as a reliever. 

While Vlad isnt deserving, he will probably still garner a ton of support because of his name power.

[Leo Morgenstern]

That’s totally fair, although Espinal wasn’t voted in by fans. And my point wasn’t that either of them is “deserving” per se, but rather that if Espinal could be selected, why not Clement?

I think a point that’s missing in this discussion is that Toronto needs an All-Star. Every team gets one. Clement might not be “deserving” in comparison to the rest of the league — and I never said he was — but there is at least a case that he’s deserving in comparison to his teammates. If Springer can be Toronto’s All-Star rep with great offensive stats and, in my opinion, terrible defense, why can’t Clement be an All-Star with mediocre stats and elite defense?

[glory]

I'd be pretty shocked if Vlad isn't voted in as the starting 1B. 

As far as Clement, super utility IF that can hit LHP (hopefully that part of his offensive game is sustainable) is fine. The Jays are going to twist themselves into a pretzel to get him everyday AB's this season, so he will get a lot of PA's, but ultimately he's someone you'd want on the bench to cover all the IF positions. 

[John_Havok]

1 hour ago, Leo Morgenstern said:

I think a point that’s missing in this discussion is that Toronto needs an All-Star. Every team gets one. Clement might not be “deserving” in comparison to the rest of the league — and I never said he was — but there is at least a case that he’s deserving in comparison to his teammates.

"That’s too bad, because Clement is arguably the most deserving All-Star Toronto has."

I mean... ya kinda did. 

[Leo Morgenstern]

53 minutes ago, John_Havok said:

"That’s too bad, because Clement is arguably the most deserving All-Star Toronto has."

I mean... ya kinda did. 

Seems like you're picking and choosing my words. I want to make sure my point is clear, because I think this is an interesting discussion!

Clement might not be “deserving” compared to all AL players. I don't think he is, and I never said he was. But he doesn't need to be. Toronto gets an All-Star rep whether anyone "deserves" it or not. So Clement can be undeserving of an All-Star nod and still deserving compared to his teammates at the same time. 

[Brownie19]

19 hours ago, BB17 said:

Clement has a high WAR but the bat still is no where close to an All Star level, and I feel like All Stars really don't get picked because of defense. Kirk is having a pretty good year but there's 3 Catchers having better years in the AL so he probably doesn't get picked.

There are?

[Laika]

Not anymore. A week ago I think Dingler was ahead of Kirk in fWAR. 

Carlos Narvaez is somehow at 2.5 fWAR and still ahead of Kirk but xwOBA says it's partly luck. 

[BatFlip]

2 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

There are?

It's kinda crazy we are talking about deserving Jays for the All-Star Game and not focusing on El Capitán.

Back in the old days a .316 hitting chubby catcher would be a shoo-in.

[BatFlip]

BTW, thanks Leo for all the work putting together those defensive plays - enjoyed the read and agree that Clement has been sublime in the field this year.

[BB17]

16 hours ago, Brownie19 said:

There are?

At the time of that writing Dingler was ahead by War and Kirk only had 3 HR on the season so I don’t think he would have gotten much All star love tbh. Goes to show you how good of a week Kirk is having lol. He keeps this up and it would be tough to pass on him.