Jeff Clement

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Jeff Clement is a catcher in currently in the Mariners farm system, and was called up to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on June 21, 2006. Clement was the Mariners' first round draft pick (third overall) in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.

[edit] Amateur Career

Clement was born in Marshalltown, Iowa. Clement led the 1996 Marshalltown team to the Little League World Series.

At Marshalltown High School in Marshalltown, Iowa, he broke the national high school homerun record formerly held by Drew Henson. He finished his high school career with 75 home runs. Out of high school, Clement was drafted in the 12th round by the Minnesota Twins (362 overall) due to a poor performance at a pre-draft showcase. Clement led his high school team as a catcher/pitcher to the Iowa 4-A State Championship game in his senior year (2002). Clement was featured in the Sept. 16, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated as part as the "For the Love of the Game" article.

Clement then went to the University of Southern California, where he starred and played on the U.S. National Team. In his freshman year, he was named Collegiate Baseball Freshman National Co-Player of the Year, Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year, earned Baseball America Freshman All-America first team, and Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American first team honors.

As a sophomore, Clement earned 2004 Baseball America Preseason All-America first team and NCBWA Preseason All-America first team honors, as well as Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America second team honors. He was also named as a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award.

In 2005, he won the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's top catcher, earned 2005 Baseball America All-America First Team, USA Today Sports Weekly All-America first team and Collegiate Baseball All-America first team honors, as well as 2005 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-America third team honors. Was a Finalist for the 2005 Golden Spikes Award and named All-Pac-10 for the third straight year