Kody Clemens or Chase Meidroth: Who Should Take Home the Silver Slugger?

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With the American League Silver Slugger finalists announced, Kody Clemens finds himself in a battle with the White Sox's Chase Meidroth, competing to take home one of the league’s top individual honors at second bae. Both players had seasons worthy of recognition, but their paths to becoming finalists have been different. Clemens, in his second season with the Twins, led the team with 27 home runs, while Meidroth was worth 4.5 fWAR, good for first in the American League among second basemen. Now, with the winner to be determined this week, the question is whether Clemens has done enough to bring home the Silver Slugger or if Meidroth has the stronger case.

Why Chase Meidroth Could Win

The Chicago White Sox had a lot of success this year, and Meidroth was a big part of that. He slashed .276/.350/.415 (good for a 115 OPS+) in 643 plate appearances. The 25-year-old hit 31 doubles and 16 homers while driving in 63, and he trailed only Miguel Vargas in terms of fWAR on the Wild Card-winning White Sox. As for how Meidroth stacks up against Clemens, he has the advantage in several categories. He has the higher batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, and OPS+. Meidroth smacked more doubles, too.

Additionally, If the award was defined by who plays second base more often, Meidroth would win by a landslide. He played 1275 2/3 innings at second this season, only spending 60 innings at short and third combined. Meanwhile, Clemens (as Twins fans know) operated more as a utility man, logging innings at second, first, and all three outfield positions. That certainly won’t be a knock on Clemens’s chances, but it's something to keep in mind.

Overall, Meidroth was a relentless, consistent on-base presence for the Sox, and he tapped into unexpected power. He delivered numbers that are better than Clemens's in many major categories. Let's take a look at the Twins slugger's case, too, though.

Why Kody Clemens Could Win

What Meidroth has over Clemens is the pure bat-to-ball skills and on-base ability, but Clemens makes up for that with his power. The son of superstar pitcher Roger Clemens slashed .239/.298/.460, leaving much to be desired in the OBP department, but he drove in 81 runs and added 22 doubles and an American League-leading seven triples.

Clemens also has the advanced metrics backing him up. He had the higher xwOBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit percentage, among other statistics. Clemens is a power hitter, while Meidroth puts the ball in play more often and takes significantly more walks. It's very much apples and oranges.

The Twins utility man leads the way in one area that could become a separator: hitting in the clutch. While hitting in high-leverage situations, Clemens slashed .297/.360/.516, compared to Meidroth’s .260/.342/.380. That difference is significant, especially considering Clemens’s ability to deliver extra-base hits. His .516 slugging percentage in those situations highlights the impact he can have in important moments, but fans don't need numbers to tell them about that. The ultimate grand slam Clemens hit at the end of July against the Royals, winning a game in one enormous swing, will stick in the memories of many for years. While Meidroth may have the edge in most of the basic statistics, Clemens certainly has a good case of his own.

So, Who Should Win The Award?

The Silver Slugger is an award given for what you did in the batter’s box, and both players accomplished good results over the course of the 2026 season. In fact, Meidroth and Clemens ranked 2^nd and 3^rd in OPS among qualified second basemen in the American League, behind… Luke Keaschall? Yup, Keaschall leads the way, and even played more innings at second than Clemens did. If he were one of the announced finalists, Keaschall would be the favorite, but since he isn’t, the choice remains between Clemens and Meidroth. While the two players have different roles for their teams, I think Clemens takes home the award, given the power he showcased in his first full season with Minnesota. I may be biased, but Clemens was a more impactful hitter when it mattered and had the advantage in the advanced metrics.

This decision is no easy one; both players are certainly deserving. Ultimately, Meidroth or Clemens taking home a Silver Slugger would be a fitting way to end breakout campaigns for both players. While Meidroth made his mark as one of Chicago’s most consistent offensive contributors, Clemens demonstrated just how important his power and clutch hitting can be. Both took significant steps forward in 2026, and regardless of who gets the nod, their performances should leave both the White Sox and Twins excited about what they can bring to the table moving forward.

Who would you give the Silver Slugger to? Does one player deserve it more than the other?