“His game has evolved so much in the last year,” Schneider said. “Hitting the ball with authority, defensive versatility, (running the) bases. Just everything, really. He really turned the corner last year with (assistant hitting coach) Matt Hague down in Buffalo, and he just never stopped. So he forced our hand, really. He’s played really well.”

Along with Clement, Schneider also informed second baseman Davis Schneider and designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach that they had made the Opening Day roster. Backup catcher Brian Serven was told he had made the team Saturday. Those four join the nine starters and round out the team’s 13 position players; however, the 26-man roster is not yet set as the Blue Jays continue to assess the health and readiness of a few key pitchers, including Kevin Gausman, who is scheduled to start Monday’s final Grapefruit League game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.

But back to Clement, who in February arrived at the Blue Jays’ player development complex in Dunedin, Fla., two weeks before the start of camp so he could be well prepared for a pivotal six weeks. The extra time put in, Clement said, helped him get ahead of the curve when it came to seeing live pitching and taking groundballs all over the infield.