For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The first pitch for the Arizona Fall League was thrown Sept. 18 and the season is underway. The AFL brings together the top 180 players in Minor League Baseball. Roughly 60 percent of players that play in the AFL make a Major League Roster, including 321 All-Stars, 19 MVPs, six Cy Young Award Winners, seven World Series MVPs, 99 Silver Sluggers, 88 Gold Gloves, and 30 Rookies of the Year. This year the Rafters are represented by 2015 shortstop, Ernie Clement.

In his time with the Rafters, Clement played in 33 games hitting .311 and notching 41 hits. He only struck out five times throughout the season and totaled 17 stolen bases. Clement helped lead the Rafters to the most wins in a season up to that point.

In 2017, Clement was drafted by the Cleveland Indians, and he has since then worked his way up the ladder. Most of the 2019 season was spent with the Akron RubberDucks, the Indians AA team. Clement totaled 103 hits and 46 runs this season with the RubberDucks. He was assigned to the Indians AAA team, the Columbus Clippers, on Aug. 31. In his three games with the Clippers, Clement had six hits, four RBIs, and held a .545 batting average.

Clement was one of 23 former Northwoods League players who are playing in Arizona over the next two months.