This Rising Blue Jays Star Makes Excellent Fit for WBC Team USA Roster

The roster for Team USA has not quite been solidified just yet and this Toronto Blue Jays player would be a good fit.

Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (22) speaks in a press conference before game three of the 2025 MLB World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is set to take place in March before next season's opening day, and the roster is starting to shape up quite nicely, with both position players and the pitching staff.

There are stars like Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge in the outfield to complement Kyle Schwarber as a designated hitter, but the No. 2 team in baseball from 2025 doesn't have a member listed yet.

Since both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are not from the U.S. they would play for other countries. But they aren't the only Blue Jays that could bolster this Team USA.

While the starting rotation seems nearly solidified with a pair of Cy Young Award winners (Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes) and the outfield now locked down it seems there are fewer holes to fill. However there are some gaps in the infield at both first and third base.

The player who comes immediately to mind that would be a very nice complement to the rest of the squad is utility man Ernie Clement who is primarily a third baseman.

Clement's Breakout 2025

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The 29-year-old appears to have finally found a home in Toronto after being passed around the Majors early in his career. Clement showed on multiple occasions this past season that his ceiling is perhaps nonexistent.

His defense throughout the year not only put him in the running for a Gold Glove Award, but two as he was named a finalist both at third and as a utility man as he played time all over the infield thoroughly demonstrating his versatility.

But it isn't just his ability to make plays with his gloves that makes him a good fit for the current vacant third base spot on the roster as he stepped up in a big way at the plate during the Jays' playoff run. By the end of their 18 games he slashed .411/.416/.562 as he broke a trio of MLB playoff records.

Clement should be on the radar of Mark DeRosa as the manager of Team USA even if he didn't win a Silver Slugger this year like much of the current team. He would be an excellent addition and could be a difference maker down the hitting line up.

HISTORY: Ernie Clement now has the most hits in a single #Postseason in baseball history 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Iq749bGEu2

— MLB (@MLB) November 2, 2025

Team USA WBC Schedule

• 2026 World Baseball Classic: The main tournament runs March 5-17, 2026, with Team USA in Pool B. The MLB season will open about a week after the tournament concludes, with one game on Wednesday, March 25 (Giants vs. Yankees), and the official season for everyone else starting the following day.

Upcoming WBC Pool B Games:

• March 7, 2026: vs. Great Britain (8:00 p.m. ET).
• March 9, 2026: vs. Mexico (8:00 p.m. ET).
• March 10, 2026: vs. Italy (9:00 p.m. ET). 

Fans will want to tune in to watch the possible 'Dream Team' likely dominate and maybe one of the Blue Jays' best will be seen on the roster as Clement would make an excellent addition.