Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement was presented with the key to his home county in New York on Saturday.
Ernie Clement’s breakout 2025, and record breaking postseason, turned heads on both sides of the border.
Clement was given the Key to Monroe County during an appearance at the Rochester Red Wings’ store, where he met local fans, signing autographs where Nov. 29 was proclaimed as “Ernie Clement Day.”
Monroe County is located along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, and Rochester, its largest city, is where Clement is from.
Clement served as one of Toronto’s most productive players last season, as he hit .277 with nine home runs in 157 regular-season games.
The key was in honor of Clement’s 30 postseason hits, which is a new MLB record.
Clement rattled off 22 singles, six doubles, one triple and one home run across three playoff rounds for the Blue Jays.
Clement served as one of Toronto’s most productive players last season, as he hit .277 with nine home runs in 157 regular-season games.
He also led off all of baseball with 22 defensive runs saved, spending time at all four infield positions.
Clement presented with the key to his hometown after historic season
«Ernie, we are incredibly proud of you, and you represented your hometown so well on the world stage,» Monroe County executive Adam Bello said Saturday, per News10NBC.
«I’m really grateful, honestly,» said Clement. «The Rochester community has been so supportive, even when I was coming up in the minor leagues, even when I was in college, everyone was just so awesome.»
Toronto signed Clement in 2023 after the Oakland Athletics waived him.
After spending most of 2023 with the Blue Jays’ Triple-A team in Buffalo, he played 139 games with Toronto the following year and 157 games this year.
This year, he was also nominated for a Gold Glove at third base and as a utility player.
Clement was drafted in the fourth round in 2017 by the Cleveland Indians.
Clement is set to return to the Blue Jays in 2026 after Toronto tendered the arbitration-eligible infielder’s contract on Nov. 21.
The two sides now have until Jan. 9 to come to terms on a deal for 2026, before a hearing is scheduled to determine Clement’s contract.
