Ernie Clement's solid showing in 2024 earned him a roster spot on next year's team

The Toronto Blue Jays may have found themselves a diamond in the rough after the season Ernie Clement cobbled together in 2024.

After disappointing results at the plate in limited opportunities with Cleveland and the Athletics in 2021 and 2022, Clement surprised us all with his small sample in 2023. He hit .380 with an .885 OPS in his limited 52-plate appearance cameo at the end of that season.

Ernie Clement's solid showing in 2024 earned him a roster spot on next year's team

Those numbers weren't going to carry over, obviously, but the 28-year-old still proved that he has what it takes to stick in the majors with his 2024 campaign.

The slick-fielding infielder played second, third and shortstop for the Blue Jays this past season, racking up an impressive 15 defensive runs saved. With that solid play in the field, he earned himself not only a Gold Glove finalist nod but 452 plate appearances over 139 games, hitting .263. Not known for his power, he still swatted 12 home runs, drove in 51 runs, scored 48 times and swiped 12 bases.

One of his virtues is the at-bats he puts together, striking out at a minuscule 9.1 percent while the league average sits at 22.6 percent. It's not even like he walks a lot either, in just 2.4 percent of his at-bats.

What Clement does well is make contact. He makes contact in the zone 92.7 percent of the time (league average is 85.2 percent). While he swings out of the zone more often than the league average, he also makes more contact at balls off the plate (78.3 percent) than the league average (56.2 percent).

Remember this wild home run?

The Blue Jays should tender him a contract at MLB's non-tender deadline on Friday. The question for Clement becomes where does he fit in next season? That will likely depend on what general manager Ross Atkins is able to accomplish in free agency and trade this winter.

With third and second base up for grabs, Toronto already has a logjam on the infield with internal options. Even with some of those bodies presumably being moved before Opening Day next season, Clement's role is up in the air. Wherever he stands after the offseason dust settles, he should be back on the roster in 2025.

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