Kody Clemens was supposed to be a depth move, the kind of under-the-radar pickup teams make and mostly forget about. Instead, the Minnesota Twins may have found a player who has forced his way into the conversation about what comes next.
Minnesota acquired the utilityman from the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations in April 2025 after Luke Keaschall suffered a right forearm fracture. At the time, Clemens was a 28-year-old journeyman who had just been designated for assignment. The Twins almost certainly did not expect him to become one of their most useful players, but that is exactly what has happened.
Clemens is in the middle of the best season of his career in 2026. Through 138 games, he has put up 2.5 fWAR and a .240/.301/.465 slash line with 26 home runs and 76 RBI. He has also moved all over the field, logging innings at first base, second base and all three outfield spots.
That kind of production creates an obvious question: should the Twins cash in on a career year, especially with a wave of young position players either arriving soon or already in the majors?
The case for moving him is easy to understand. But the stronger argument is to keep him.
Clemens has shown he is too useful to let go, even if he does not have one permanent defensive home. His ability to cover multiple spots matters, especially over a long season when injuries pile up and regulars need rest.
He will also be in his first year of arbitration next season, which only adds to his value.
Then there is the power. Clemens has 26 home runs and a .465 slugging percentage this year, and that kind of pop does not just show up everywhere. For a player who can bounce around the diamond and still provide real thump, he gives Minnesota a rare combination.
The Twins’ 2026 outfield is expected to feature Byron Buxton, Walker Jenkins, Luke Keaschall and Emmanuel Rodriguez, with those four able to share time at designated hitter as well. Clemens could still see some outfield work, but the more likely path is heavier infield usage, which is where he has been spending more of his time lately.
Brooks Lee is set to handle third base, while Kaelen Culpepper is expected to be the starting shortstop. That would leave Clemens and Royce Lewis at first and second base, though Minnesota could also decide to move on from Lewis this offseason.
If that happens, keeping Clemens becomes even more important. Top shortstop prospect Marek Houston could also make his MLB debut next season.
No matter how the rest of the roster shakes out, Clemens has become the kind of player the Twins need to keep around. He can play almost anywhere, and that makes him valuable in a way that goes beyond one hot season. In that sense, he has become Minnesota’s new version of Willi Castro.
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Twins System May Have Found A Young Arm Worth Watching
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Hernandez was not the only young pitcher who made the list worth reading. Yolcar Garcia and Adrian Martinez both showed growth and flashes of potential, even if the run prevention numbers were less flattering, and that mix of promise and inconsistency is exactly what makes these reports meaningful at this stage. For a system always hunting for the next impact arm, the question now is which of these teenagers can turn summer intrigue into something more durable as the reps get tougher. [Read more 🡒]