Before he was a Gold Glove finalist or the scrappy infielder Toronto Blue Jays fans adore, Ernie Clement was just a kid from Rochester making everyone else on the field look like they were moving in slow motion. If you followed Section V sports in the early 2010s, you knew the name. Honestly, if you lived in Brighton, you probably heard it every other day.
Clement didn't just play for Brighton High School; he basically owned the record books there.
Most people see a utility man in the Big Leagues and assume he was always a "baseball-first" specialist. That’s actually not true with Ernie. He was a multi-sport monster. He was leading leagues in scoring on the ice while simultaneously terrorizing pitchers on the diamond. It’s that specific background—the hockey-player toughness mixed with elite hand-eye coordination—that explains how he became one of the hardest batters to strike out in the history of the game.
📖 Related: Lions Kick Off: Why Detroit is Watching the 2026 Playoffs From the Couch
What Ernie Clement High School Years Looked Like
Ernie graduated from Brighton High School in 2014. During those four years, he put up numbers that feel like they were pulled straight out of a video game. We’re talking about a career batting average of .472. In his senior year alone, he hit .528.
But here is the kicker: he didn't strike out. Not once.
In his entire senior season, he put the ball in play every single time he stepped to the plate. That isn't just "good" for a high schooler; it’s statistically absurd. It’s the kind of thing that makes scouts from schools like the University of Virginia take notice. He holds Brighton's career records for plate appearances (329), singles (87), doubles (34), and stolen bases (38). Basically, if there was a way to get on base or move a runner, Ernie did it.
💡 You might also like: Why the football schedule nfl 2017 still haunts your favorite team
More Than Just Baseball
A lot of folks forget that Ernie was a legitimate hockey star, too. He played for a combined team featuring Brighton, East Rochester, and Honeoye Falls-Lima. As a senior, he led all of Monroe County in scoring. He put up 27 goals and 25 assists in a single season.
He even played soccer his senior year. Why? Just to try something new.
That’s the thing about Ernie's time at Brighton—he was the quintessential high school athlete. He wasn't some specialized prospect hidden away at a baseball academy. He was a kid playing everything, winning the Hopps Senior Male Athletic Achievement Award for his character as much as his stats.
The Brighton Legacy and the Road to UVA
Despite the monster numbers at Ernie Clement high school years, he wasn't drafted right out of the gate in 2014. Professional scouts sometimes overlook guys who aren't 6'4" and 220 pounds. Ernie was—and still is—built more like a middleweight boxer.
He didn't let it bother him. He headed to the University of Virginia, where he immediately helped them win a College World Series title as a freshman.
Looking back, his high school coach, Jason Wasserman, probably isn't surprised by the MLB success. The "Ern Dog" mentality was forged in Rochester winters. Whether he was taking a slap shot or spraying a line drive to right field, the approach was the same: be more athletic than the other guy and never, ever give up an easy out.
Why It Matters for Brighton Today
If you walk through the halls of Brighton High today, Ernie is the blueprint. He proved that a kid from a cold-weather state like New York could develop elite contact skills without playing baseball year-round in the sun.
He remains deeply connected to his roots. You'll still see him mentioned in the local "Pickin’ Splinters" sports coverage, and his journey from Section V to the MLB is a constant point of pride for the Barons.
💡 You might also like: Alabama Football Score From Today: What Really Happened to the Tide
What You Can Learn From Ernie’s Path
If you're a high school athlete or a parent looking at Ernie's trajectory, there are a few real-world takeaways.
First, don't over-specialize too early. Ernie's hockey background gave him the "scrappy" edge that now defines his defensive play at third base. Second, focus on your unique strength. Ernie knew he wasn't going to be a 40-home-run hitter, so he became the most difficult out in the country.
To follow in his footsteps, you should:
- Focus on contact over power: In an era of high strikeout rates, being the player who puts the ball in play is a massive competitive advantage.
- Play multiple sports: Use hockey, soccer, or even volleyball (which Ernie played in middle school) to build different muscle groups and mental toughness.
- Stay local until you can't: You don't always need a private academy. A public school like Brighton provided the platform Ernie needed to earn a scholarship to a top-tier ACC program.
For those tracking his current career, keep an eye on his defensive versatility—a trait he started developing way back on the fields in Rochester.