Ernie Clement #28

Full name ERNIE JAMES CLEMENT...Clement hit .315 with 31 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 53 games while making the move from second base to shortstop during his junior season for the University of Virginia…Struck out just seven times in 254 at bats…Was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2016 and 2017…Named 2016 Cape Cod League MVP for Harwich.... Finished second in the league in batting average (.353)…Part of the UVA Cavaliers run to the 2015 College World Series title, going 3-for-4 with an RBI in Game 2 of the final series against Vanderbilt... Fanned just 31 times in 745 career at-bats for the Cavs…2017 Preseason All-American (first team by D1Baseball, second team by Baseball America)…Hailing from upstate New York, Clement was an outstanding hockey player for four years of high school while also playing baseball.

2021

Enjoyed three stints with the Major League club in 2021, his first taste of the Major Leagues in his fifth professional season...Was with the club on May 30th (27th player, DH), June 13-Aug. 25 and again from Sept. 15-23...Was placed on the COVID IL, Aug. 26-Sept. 6, with a non-COVID illness and rehabbed at AA Akron, Sept. 4-5...Made his ML debut on June 13 vs. Seattle, collecting his first hit on June 15 vs. Baltimore (4th inning 1B off Matt Harvey)…Hit his first two home runs, August 13 at Detroit, the first of which came off Tyler Alexander (first career multi-HR game as a professional)…Over his last 14 games with Cleveland, he batted .277 (13-for-47) with 7 RS, 5 XBH and 5 RBI...Positionally with Cleveland he appeared in 22 games at 2B (22 GS), 16 games at 3B (13GS), two games in LF and one start at SS...Hit .421 (8-for-19) when swinging at the first pitch...Around his three stints in Cleveland he appeared in 33 games in AAA Columbus, batting .250 (31-for- 124) with 12 2B, a 3B, a HR, 10 RBI and 11 runs in 33 games w/AAA Columbus in 2021…Missed two weeks in mid-May (hamstring)…Triple-A positional starts (7 GS 2B, 12 GS 3B, 5 GS LF; 6 GS SS).

2020

Spent 2020 season at the club's Alternate Training Site in Lake County...Was a member of the 12-player Taxi Squad in September...Added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 20... Batted .280 (7-for-25) in ML spring training camp as an invitee (15 games, 4 RBI, 0SO).

2019

Spent most of the season at AA Akron, appearing in 98 games...Finished the season in Columbus, appearing in three regular season games and all eight postseason games for the Int'l League champs (.281, 9-for-32, 3 runs, 2 RBI)...Was on the 7-day IL at Akron with a right adductor strain, April 18-May 8...Appeared in 90 games at SS and 3 at second base for Akron...Combined on the year he hit .315 (35-for-111) against left-handed   pitching...After the season, played all around the diamond in the Arizona Fall League, batting .261 (12-for-46) with 2B, 3 RBI and 4 runs in 13 games for Mesa. 

2018

Spent first full professional season between Single-A Lake County, Lynchburg and AA Akron, hitting a combined .289 (121-for-419) with 26 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 33 RBI in 102 games (.358 on-base pct)... Struck out only 35 times in 471 plate appearances and drew 41 walks...Voted as having the Best Strike-Zone Discipline in Indians Farm System by Baseball America entering 2019... Appeared at short stop in all 97 games in the field...Was on the 7-day DL in May (left knee strain) and July (left groin strain).

2017

Appeared in 21 games at short and 17 games at second base after signing his first pro contract on 6/22.