Kody Clemens Emerging as Twins’ Underrated Bat for Potential Playoff Push

Kody Clemens has given Minnesota real left-handed impact, but improving his on-base skills could make him even more important during the Twins’ playoff push.

Kody Clemens hits an RBI sacrifice fly against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Target Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kody Clemens is has taken a leap this season, going from a useful depth player to a legitimate starter and one of the Twins' best bats.

That fact was hard to ignore Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. In a game where Minnesota struggled to build much offense, Clemens supplied all all of it. He hit two solo home runs in the Twins’ 6-2 loss at Wrigley Field, accounting for both of their runs and giving the lineup its only offensive spark.

He does not carry the same name recognition as Byron Buxton, but his production has been difficult to overlook.

Clemens Is Winning With Contact Quality

Kody Clemens hits a double against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning at Target Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clemens’ value starts with his ability to do damage when he makes quality contact. FanGraphs listed him with 18 home runs, a .252 isolated power mark, a .495 slugging percentage and a 117 wRC+, giving Minnesota legitimate impact from a player who entered the season viewed more as a complementary piece than a core bat.

That power growth has changed his role, making him an important presence in the middle of the Twins’ lineup.

Statcast backs up that impact most clearly through average exit velocity. Clemens entered Sunday with a 92.8 mph average exit velocity, putting him in the 93rd percentile leaguewide. His average exit velocity sits above established stars such as Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper and Freddie Freeman, giving a clearer picture of how hard Clemens is hitting the ball when he gets the barrel to it. He is not the same all around hitter as those players, but his ability to hit the ball hard is among the best in the league.

The next step is not about asking Clemens to become a different hitter. At 30 years old, major offensive transformations are rare. But there is still room for an incremental improvement that could make his power even more valuable.

Clemens sports a 6.5% walk rate, a number that limits how often he turns his power threat into free baserunners. Hitters with his kind of impact should be able to use that danger to their advantage. Pitchers already have to respect the damage he can do in the zone, and if Clemens can force them to work more carefully, he can turn that respect into extra traffic and more runs.

That improvement could be crucial for the Twins over the final stretch. His power has already made him one of the team’s most underrated contributors, and with a little more discipline, he could become even more important to their playoff push.