Oakland Athletics Release Utility Player

The Oakland Athletics have released infielder and utility player Ernie Clement.

Clement had been designated for assignment by the team in December 2021, and was later sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas after clearing waivers. He was re-assigned to minor league camp earlier this month and was hoping to fill a role as organizational depth.

Athletics Release Ernie Clement #OaklandAthletics #Athletics #AthleticsBaseball #OaklandAs https://t.co/hlv9oihvL5

— Oakland A's Fans (@AthleticsViews) March 13, 2023

Clement played in a total of 70 games in 2022, split between the Cleveland Guardians and Athletics, and posted a disappointing .184 batting average with 19 runs and six RBIs.

However, his defensive skills are highly regarded, as he has demonstrated the ability to play multiple positions on the diamond.

It's unclear at this time whether the Athletics released Clement early in spring training to give him the opportunity to latch on with another team, or if he has another opportunity already lined up.

Despite his struggles at the plate, his defensive versatility could make him an attractive option for a team in need of depth.

For his minor-league career, the 26-year-old holds a .273/.328/.360 triple-slash line, with eight home runs, 101 RBIs, 43 stolen bases and 177 runs scored over 304 games played. Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports