Some might say that Kody Clemens had an upper hand when it came to getting noticed by MLB scouts. Whether or not that's true, the 26-year-old infielder has had to work hard to stay competitive.
Born in 1996 to Cy Young-winning pitching icon Roger Clemens, Kody was around baseball from a young age. After being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Kody got one step closer to following in his father's footsteps.
Kody Clemens is Roger's youngest son with his wife Debra. The couple's four other sons, Koby, Kory, and Kacy, are named to represent "K" as the abbreviation for strikeouts. With 4,167 career strikeouts, Roger holds the AL strikeout record to this day.
"Kody Clemens has signed with the Tigers. A Texas legend!" - Baseball Bros
Kody Clemens' older brother Kody is a decade older than he is. Although drafted by the Houston Astros in 2005, Kody was never able to crack the big leagues and currently runs a baseball clinic specializing in training.
When Kody reported to Detroit Tigers training camp, Roger was apparently invited to address the team. To troll the former 7-time Cy Young winner, the team apparently showed him a video of Miguel Cabrera hitting a home run off of Clemens as a member of the Miami Marlins during the 2003 World Series.
After spending the start of the 2022 season in the minor leagues, Clemens was promoted to the MLB last May. After registering his first career hit on June 13, he spent the rest of the season at nearly every position, but mainly at third base.
"The Philadelphia Phillies are acquiring Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for Nick Maton, Matt Vierling and Donny Sands, per @jonmorosi and @JSalisburyNBCS"
After breaking into the MLB and playing 56 games in 2022, Clemens hit .319/.385/.617 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. In early 2023, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kody Clemens' career is just getting started
Although he looks set to begin the season in Triple-A, Clemens could very well be promoted later in the season. The Phillies are dealing with a string of injuries, and Clemens' versatility in nearly every corner of the field makes him a strong asset for his team as we advance further into the season.