Ernie Clement

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #24 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Clement’s reputation as a pure hitter dates back to his amateur days. That success translated to the professional ranks, as he continued to produce throughout the minor leagues. He made his major league debut in June, serving in a utility role for Cleveland. He spent most of September on the injured list but returned to action by the end of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Clement has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has below-average power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement is a versatile defender and appeared at second base, third base, shortstop and left field in 2021. He has above-average instincts on the infield and good hands. His fringy arm strength means as an everyday player his best position is probably second base, but as a utility option he can handle the left side of the infield. His speed plays well in the outfield.
  
  The Future: Clement’s first taste of the big leagues was likely always going to come as a utility player. His challenge now is breaking into a crowded infield in Cleveland for a regular role. He’ll likely ultimately settle in as a utility player, but his feel for hitting gives him a chance for more.
  
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Clement's success at Virginia translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site and then instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement embodies the saying, "Good things happen when you put the ball in play." He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at shortstop is his arm strength, which is fringy for the position. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Indians have toolsier shortstops than Clement, but he's proven to be capable of playing the position. He's fast approaching the major leagues and could debut in 2021 in a variety of roles.
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: During his three years at Virginia, Clement hit .306 and struck out just 31 times, earning him a reputation as a pure hitter. His college success translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A Columbus and turned in a solid performance in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement was a versatile defender in college but has almost exclusively played shortstop in pro ball. He has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at the position is his arm strength, which is fringy for a shortstop. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder, giving him the ability to move around the diamond as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clement has proven to be capable of playing shortstop and—depending on how soon Francisco Lindor's tenure in Cleveland ends—he may get a chance to do so in Cleveland. He's fast approaching the major leagues and could put himself in position to debut as soon as 2020.
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #18 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Clement developed a reputation as a pure hitter during college. He was a career .306 hitter at Virginia, whiffed just 31 times in three seasons with the Cavaliers and in 2016 earned MVP honors in the Cape Cod League after leading the circuit in hits and stolen bases. His college success has translated to the professional ranks and Clement zipped through the lower levels of the minor leagues to reach Double-A Akron in his first full professional season.
  
  Scouting Report: Clement embodies the notion that good things happen when you put the ball in play. He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He doesn't walk much, but such is his bat control that this season he still walked more than he struck out (41 walks to 35 strikeouts). He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement was a versatile defender in college but in 2018 exclusively played shortstop. He has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at the position is his arm strength, which is fringy for a shortstop.
  
  The Future: The Indians have toolsier shortstops than Clement and his future in Cleveland is still likely as a super-utility player, where his speed, instincts and bat-to-ball skills would play well. The early returns indicate Clement may still be able to be an everyday player. He'll start 2019 back in Akron as the regular shortstop.
• 
  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #24 prospect in 2018
  Largely overlooked coming out of the New York prep ranks in 2014, Clement developed a reputation as a pure hitter during college. He was a career .306 hitter at Virginia and whiffed just 31 times in three seasons with the Cavaliers. He also found success with a wood bat, earning MVP honors in the Cape Cod League in 2016 after leading the circuit in hits and stolen bases. Clement embodies the saying, “Good things happen when you put the ball in play.” He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement also offers versatility defensively. He moved to shortstop in 2017 after mostly playing second base his first two years of college, with action in center field also mixed in. He has average arm strength and likely won't ever be an everyday shortstop, but his overall skill set gives him a chance at the position. Clement is most likely to end up a super-utility player, and his speed, instincts and bat-to-ball skills help that profile. He could move quickly in the minor leagues and he could open his first full professional season with high Class A Lynchburg.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #92 prospect in 2017 draft
  In a strikeout era, Clement's calling card is contact. The slender infielder had just 31 strikeouts in his first 710 college at-bats and ranked first in the nation in 2017 by striking out once every 31.3 at-bats through mid-May. He's a singles hitter though, even in the Cape Cod League, where the Rochester, N.Y., native thrived last summer, hitting .353 with a league-high 59 hits and 19 stolen bases to win the league's MVP award. He has excellent hand-eye coordination and barrel control that allows him to spoil pitcher's pitches, but he also doesn't walk much (31 in three seasons). Clement played his way into the startling lineup as a freshman and was an all-College World Series pick when Virginia won the 2015 title, but he hasn't hit quite as well for Virginia this spring while becoming the full-time shortstop, after playing second base and center field in his first two seasons. His average arm is shy for shortstop on an everyday basis. He's an above-average runner and solid if unspectacular basestealer whose lack of power and defensive versatility profiles him well as a utility option as a big leaguer.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Clement’s reputation as a pure hitter dates back to his amateur days. That success translated to the professional ranks, as he continued to produce throughout the minor leagues. He made his major league debut in June, serving in a utility role for Cleveland. He spent most of September on the injured list but returned to action by the end of the season.
  
  Scouting Report: Clement has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has below-average power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement is a versatile defender and appeared at second base, third base, shortstop and left field in 2021. He has above-average instincts on the infield and good hands. His fringy arm strength means as an everyday player his best position is probably second base, but as a utility option he can handle the left side of the infield. His speed plays well in the outfield.
  
  The Future: Clement’s first taste of the big leagues was likely always going to come as a utility player. His challenge now is breaking into a crowded infield in Cleveland for a regular role. He’ll likely ultimately settle in as a utility player, but his feel for hitting gives him a chance for more.
  
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Clement's success at Virginia translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site and then instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement embodies the saying, "Good things happen when you put the ball in play." He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at shortstop is his arm strength, which is fringy for the position. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Indians have toolsier shortstops than Clement, but he's proven to be capable of playing the position. He's fast approaching the major leagues and could debut in 2021 in a variety of roles.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Clement's success at Virginia translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A. He spent 2020 at the alternate training site and then instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement embodies the saying, "Good things happen when you put the ball in play." He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at shortstop is his arm strength, which is fringy for the position. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Indians have toolsier shortstops than Clement, but he's proven to be capable of playing the position. He's fast approaching the major leagues and could debut in 2021 in a variety of roles.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: During his three years at Virginia, Clement hit .306 and struck out just 31 times, earning him a reputation as a pure hitter. His college success translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A Columbus and turned in a solid performance in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement was a versatile defender in college but has almost exclusively played shortstop in pro ball. He has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at the position is his arm strength, which is fringy for a shortstop. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder, giving him the ability to move around the diamond as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clement has proven to be capable of playing shortstop and—depending on how soon Francisco Lindor’s tenure in Cleveland ends—he may get a chance to do so in Cleveland. He’s fast approaching the major leagues and could put himself in position to debut as soon as 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: During his three years at Virginia, Clement hit .306 and struck out just 31 times, earning him a reputation as a pure hitter. His college success translated well to the professional ranks and he raced to Double-A Akron in 2018, his first full professional season. A right abductor strain slowed him in 2019, but he still played well enough to finish the season with Triple-A Columbus and turned in a solid performance in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Clement has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement was a versatile defender in college but has almost exclusively played shortstop in pro ball. He has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at the position is his arm strength, which is fringy for a shortstop. His versatility allows him to play anywhere on the infield and he also has experience as a center fielder, giving him the ability to move around the diamond as needed.
  
  THE FUTURE: Clement has proven to be capable of playing shortstop and—depending on how soon Francisco Lindor's tenure in Cleveland ends—he may get a chance to do so in Cleveland. He's fast approaching the major leagues and could put himself in position to debut as soon as 2020.