Blue Jays Postseason Star Commits to Team USA for World Baseball Classic
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The World Baseball Classic returns in March with Pool C throwing the first pitch in Tokyo, Japan. With that, Mark DeRosa is hoping to lead Team USA to the country's second World Baseball Classic gold medal.
Players from many different MLB organizations will represent Team USA at the tournament this spring. One major team missing from representation was the American League Champion Toronto Blue Jays. That is no longer the case.
Per the World Baseball Classic X account, utilityman Ernie Clement will play for Team USA at this year's WBC.
This Blue Jay continues to fly high!
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) January 13, 2026
Ernie Clement will join Team USA in the #WorldBaseballClassic 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/lOjvHEy8TO
Clement was already a fantastic fit for the team, and the news has now become official.
Ernie Clement's Postseason
Clement had a postseason to remember as the Blue Jays made a run to the World Series. Playing the infield, the 29-year-old slashed .411/.416/.562 with one home run, nine RBI and 30 total hits. Clement broke the MLB record for hits, multi-hit games and singles in a postseason.
Toronto fell short in game seven of the World Series, but Clement was 3-for-5 in that game with a double and a stolen base. The right-handed hitter was as consistent as they come in the postseason, and his breakout is well-documented.
This is the type of production DeRosa is hoping to get out of Clement in the World Baseball Classic. Seeing that he was able to shine on the brightest stage, there should be minimal nerves for the former fourth-round pick.
Team USA Roster
Clement joins an already stacked Team USA roster. The host country is hoping to capture its second gold medal, and they now have the star power to do so.
On the mound, DeRosa is bringing both Cy Young award winners from 2025 with him (Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes). Although a pitch count will likely be in place, this gives Team USA two pitchers who will shut down opposing countries for five or six innings. They will be joined by Joe Ryan, Nolan McLean, Logan Webb, Matthew Boyd and Clay Holmes. McLean is the youngest starter of the group, but his potential is very high.
Mason Miller headlines the bullpen. He is accompanied by Griffin Jax, David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock and Garrett Cleavinger. There is room for one more pitcher on the Team USA roster, and it will most likely be another reliever to join this group.
At the plate, Clement is the most recent addition to a lineup that should be able to produce some runs. Aaron Judge will captain the team, and rightfully so. Other position players include Cal Raleigh, Will Smith, Bryce Harper, Brice Turang, Gunnar Henderson, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Schwarber and more.
Needless to say, DeRosa is putting together a dominant roster. Adding a postseason star in Ernie Clement only solidifies that thought. It should be a fun World Baseball Classic for Team USA fans.
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Cameron Zunkel is a sports writer from the western suburbs of Chicago. He played Division-II baseball at the University of Illinois at Springfield where he earned a masters degree in Communication. Cameron also played independent league baseball for the Joliet Slammers and Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League. He has been in journalism since 2022 and has a passion for baseball specifically, but he enjoys all sports. His other work includes writing sports betting articles for ClutchPoints. In his free time, you can catch Cam at the gym, on the golf course, or coaching the youth in the beautiful sport of baseball.