7 Blue Jays players taking advantage of their spring training opportunities the most 

INF Ernie Clement

At the start of training camp, it was expected that the likes of Davis Schneider, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had the upper hand in securing roles in the infield. However, an unexpected run from Ernie Clement thus far has suddenly put him into the picture as well. Last season, Clement performed admirably in his brief stint up with the Jays when he compiled a strong .380 batting average, .885 OPS, along with 7 runs scored, a home run and 10 driven in over 50 at-bats and 29 games.

Clement has picked up where he left off in 2023 by bursting out of the gate this spring with an astounding .400/.423/.720/1.143 slash line, with 3 runs scored, a triple, a pair of home runs, 7 RBI and has yet to strikeout in 9 games played. He doesn’t look like he'll be stopped any time soon and he is currently outplaying all of his competitors. Don’t look now, but if Clement continues to convince management he can get the job done, it might just be enough to land him a spot on the 26-man roster for Opening Day.

OF Nathan Lukes

It may seem like déjà vu for the incumbent Nathan Lukes, as just last year he won a role out of spring training as the fourth outfielder on the team. However, due to limited usage and playing time during the regular season, Lukes never really had the chance to showcase his talents and was sent back down to the minors for the majority of 2023. 

Apparently Lukes is at it again this year, as he had been hitting at a torrid pace since the start of spring training. In 9 games to date, he is hitting a whopping .500 with a 1.208 OPS, along with 4 runs scored, 3 doubles, a triple, 5 RBI and a stolen base. He is also sporting a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 49 innings in the field as well. Barring any sudden regression in the next two weeks, Lukes looks to be on track to win the fourth outfielder spot once again, and hopefully this time around, he will finally get a fair opportunity to show what he can bring to the team.