DaShawn Keirsey: Twins Most Underrated Prospect

[Seth Stohs]

I’m sure some lengthy research project could be done to determine which Minnesota Twins minor leaguer is the most underrated. That sounds like a lot of work. So I’m just going to say it and let you debate it. DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., is the most underrated prospect in the Twins system. I chatted with him this week and discussed his season, his toolbox and more.

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge

Toward the end of his sophomore season at the University of Utah, DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., was standing in center field in a game against Arizona State. The batter crushed a ball to dead center. Keirsey turned and sprinted, eye on the ball trying to outrun it. He was so intent on catching the ball that he ran full speed into the wall.

He went down, writhing in pain. An ambulance came onto the field. Keirsey was places on the stretcher and gave the crowd the thumbs up.

He had dislocated his hip and needed surgery and a lot of rehab. Almost inexplicably, he was able to return in time for his junior season, and he hadn’t missed a beat. In 50 games, he hit .386/.440/.609 (1.049) with 23 doubles, five triples, and four home runs.

There were likely still question marks, but in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, the Twins selected Keirsey (rhymes with jersey) and gave him an opportunity. That summer, he hit .301 at Elizabethton. In 2019, he got hurt a couple of times in Cedar Rapids and was limited to just 36 games. It was impossible to get any sort of routine going.

After the lost 2020 season, Keirsey returned to the Kernels, though they were now the High-A affiliate. Again, injuries limited him to just 45 games.

The Twins kept pushing the toolsy, athletic outfielder anyway. In 2022, he moved up another level, to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge. He was able to stay healthy for most of the season, and he performed much better. In 121 games, he hit .271/.329/395 (.724) with 26 doubles, three triples, and seven home runs. Just as impressive, he stole 42 bases in 49 attempts.

With so many outfielders, and specifically left-handed hitting outfielders between the Twins and the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, Keirsey returned to the Wind Surge in 2023. He could have been disappointed, or even moped. Instead, he continued the process and has really shown a lot of progress.

Through 63 games this season, he is hitting .312/.367/.494 (.861) with 12 doubles, three triples, and he’s already got nine home runs. He has been successful in 24 of 28 stolen base attempts.

All the while, he has played great centerfield defense. He has made some spectacular diving plays but often catching balls that others might have to dive for look easy.

In our conversation (see the video above), we spent time discussing each of his five tools In a way, I kind of ranked them to get his thoughts.

Speed: Keirsey can fly, and that can be seen on the base paths and in the outfield. It can also be seen on the base paths where he’s obviously been given the green light.

Defense: I lumped #2 and #3 together in my rankings, but here I’ll put his defense as the next strong tool. Again, not everyone can play defense well in centerfield, and Keirsey is very good. And, as you can hear from the interview, he’s working on a few things that can help him improve his first step.

Hit: Fully healthy and finally getting consistent at-bats has really helped him improve upon his offensive statistics. While he may not hit .327 or .386 like he did in his final two seasons at Utah, he could hit for a batting average in the upper .200s.

Hit for Power: Listed at 6-0 and 195 pounds, Keirsey doesn’t necessarily look the part of power hitter. However, he has nine homers in a half of a season this year and is just figuring some things out with the bat. He likely won’t be a 30-homer hitter, but with his other skills, if he can provide double-digit homers, he can be quite valuable.

Arm: In honesty, it’s the most difficult tool to evaluate from a fans’ perspective. I’ve seen him show off a strong and accurate throw at times, but he also acknowledges that it may be his fifth tool at this stage, but it’s something he continues to work on.

Sixth Tool? Plate Discipline: Keirsey tends to be an aggressive hitter, and he will strike out. This is also an area he’s working on. Recently, Wind Surge manager Ramon Borrego has been hitting Keirsey leadoff with Brooks Lee behind him. Keirsey says that as a leadoff man, at least in the first plate appearance, he usually is pretty patient knowing he can help his teammates that way.

The Mental Game: Keirsey has been through a lot in life and with all of the injuries, but he has become quite strong mentally and isn’t afraid to discuss and acknowledge how he’s doing. This is such an important thing for, well, everyone, but certainly for athletes as well.

While I have ranked Keirsey in my personal Top 30 Twins prospects, he is yet to appear among Twins Daily’s top prospects. Already 26, that may continue to be the case, but with his tools and ability to play centerfield, he just might get an opportunity at some point. And I would say that’s all he’s asking for.

For much more Twins Daily content on DaShawn Keirsey, Jr., click here.
To watch DaShawn’s Twins Spotlight episode from March 2021, click here.

 

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[jkcarew]

Yeah…it just seems like he’s going to get his shot…maybe as soon as next year?…and maybe with a different club? He’s got to be rule 5 eligible, right?

[FlyingFinn]

Keirsey vs. Celestino - both play CF, throw LH and are about the same size (Celestino is lighter). Keirsey bats LH and Celestino RH. Minor league # comparison (Celestino at higher levels) with roughly 1,500 ab's for Celestino and 1,100 for Keirsey - (Celestino's #'s will be listed first) batting avg .273 vs. .258, obp .349 vs .329, HR's 29 vs. 23, SB's 68 vs. 84. Celestino is better in all but SB's. I like Keirsey though and it will be interesting if he keeps getting better like he has this year.

[tony&rodney]

Keirsey just needs to keep putting up good numbers on a consistent basis and hopefully get a boost to St. Paul in July. I'm certainly not holding his age (26) against him and have enjoyed watching him play (via milb.com) this season. I agree he is underrated.

[Lonestar]

Like you said, 26 years old.. Also a .364 BABIP  which means he is unlikely to sustain his current numbers. Replaces Mark Contreras next year as non-roster depth.

[terrydactyls]

He may replace Michael A Taylor as the Buxton doppelganger.  If he can hit .230 with a little power, and steal bases, the Twins would have $3.5M extra to put towards a relief pitcher.

[Doctor Wu]

12 hours ago, jkcarew said:

Yeah…it just seems like he’s going to get his shot…maybe as soon as next year?…and maybe with a different club? He’s got to be rule 5 eligible, right?

Hmm ... at the rate that injuries are happening this season, along with Keirsey's recent impressive performance, we might see him in the show THIS year. 

[Doctor Wu]

Very good article and interview Seth, I always appreciate these insights into the players in the organization. I also like knowing how to properly pronounce his name. Thanks!

[Major League Ready]

11 hours ago, FlyingFinn said:

Keirsey vs. Celestino - both play CF, throw LH and are about the same size (Celestino is lighter). Keirsey bats LH and Celestino RH. Minor league # comparison (Celestino at higher levels) with roughly 1,500 ab's for Celestino and 1,100 for Keirsey - (Celestino's #'s will be listed first) batting avg .273 vs. .258, obp .349 vs .329, HR's 29 vs. 23, SB's 68 vs. 84. Celestino is better in all but SB's. I like Keirsey though and it will be interesting if he keeps getting better like he has this year.

Their career numbers are quite different than this year.  Keirsey has stepped up.  Will he keep it up?  IDK but he has a higher ceiling IMO.  Keirsey is the faster / more athletic OFer.  He also has more power.  He would be the better defensive replacement and late inning base running replacement.  Let's hope this "break-out" is sustained.  

[TwinsDr2021]

Seriously talking about a 26 year old repeating AA as prospect? Really? he seems like a great guy and has suffered some bad injuries and I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully some day gets a taste of MLB money.

Is some sort of bizarro prospect baseball story?  (he is the same age or older than 17 guys on the 40 man) I do like the recap of his baseball career and learning about him and like I said wish him nothing but good health and good luck.

[Doctor Wu]

57 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

Their career numbers are quite different than this year.  Keirsey has stepped up.  Will he keep it up?  IDK but he has a higher ceiling IMO.  Keirsey is the faster / more athletic OFer.  He also has more power.  He would be the better defensive replacement and late inning base running replacement.  Let's hope this "break-out" is sustained.  

I've become a big Keirsey this year. His "older" age doesn't really concern me at all. Keep moving him up the ladder!

[wabene]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

Their career numbers are quite different than this year.  Keirsey has stepped up.  Will he keep it up?  IDK but he has a higher ceiling IMO.  Keirsey is the faster / more athletic OFer.  He also has more power.  He would be the better defensive replacement and late inning base running replacement.  Let's hope this "break-out" is sustained.  

This is a good point. If you look at Keirsey's recent performance, he is really flashing.

58 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Seriously talking about a 26 year old repeating AA as prospect? Really? he seems like a great guy and has suffered some bad injuries and I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully some day gets a taste of MLB money.

Is some sort of bizarro prospect baseball story?  (he is the same age or older than 17 guys on the 40 man) I do like the recap of his baseball career and learning about him and like I said wish him nothing but good health and good luck.

Age isn't everything. There are many examples of late bloomers, the Twins have familiarity with the ultimate example, Nelson Cruz. They may be outliers, but they do exist.

I get excited about guys like Dashawn. This squad could use more athleticism. 

[TwinsDr2021]

2 hours ago, wabene said:

This is a good point. If you look at Keirsey's recent performance, he is really flashing.

Age isn't everything. There are many examples of late bloomers, the Twins have familiarity with the ultimate example, Nelson Cruz. They may be outliers, but they do exist.

I get excited about guys like Dashawn. This squad could use more athleticism. 

Didn't Cruz spend time in the majors at ages 24, 25, 26, and 27 before his career took off and was later suspended for Steroids? and then really took off.

You are correct age isn't everything but it combined with production and the level they are at is probably the biggest factor in determining a players career. People might not like it and came back with with multiple names that say otherwise, but they are rare and the outliers. I find it almost laughable in a sport driven by data and analytics that people want to ignore this one.

To me that this FO still has him in AA at his age and they way he has been playing speaks loudly to where they think he falls in the pecking order.

Would I be for the Twins getting rid of Kepler bringing this kid up to be the 4th/5th outfielder pinch runner and giving him a shot at being something more, and cheer loudly for him, yes absolutely I would, do it today. Do I think he will turn into anymore more than Mark Contreras, sadly I don't.

[wabene]

51 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Would I be for the Twins getting rid of Kepler bringing this kid up to be the 4th/5th outfielder pinch runner and giving him a shot at being something more, and cheer loudly for him, yes absolutely I would, do it today. Do I think he will turn into anymore more than Mark Contreras, sadly I don't.

I agree with your whole post and you are correct. That being said when a guy like him is flashing and you know the work he is putting in, I don't want to just dismiss him out of hand. That is why I copied your last paragraph. I would love to watch that play out, especially with the way this lineup is going. 

[Mike Sixel]

3 hours ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Seriously talking about a 26 year old repeating AA as prospect? Really? he seems like a great guy and has suffered some bad injuries and I wish him nothing but the best and hopefully some day gets a taste of MLB money.

Is some sort of bizarro prospect baseball story?  (he is the same age or older than 17 guys on the 40 man) I do like the recap of his baseball career and learning about him and like I said wish him nothing but good health and good luck.

Whe even come in the thread, then, if you aren't interested?

Dude was hurt for two years, and the pandemic years didn't help.....he's healthy and playing very well. Good for him. I guess one can choose not to be happy for him.....

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Didn't Cruz spend time in the majors at ages 24, 25, 26, and 27 before his career took off and was later suspended for Steroids? and then really took off.

You are correct age isn't everything but it combined with production and the level they are at is probably the biggest factor in determining a players career. People might not like it and came back with with multiple names that say otherwise, but they are rare and the outliers. I find it almost laughable in a sport driven by data and analytics that people want to ignore this one.

To me that this FO still has him in AA at his age and they way he has been playing speaks loudly to where they think he falls in the pecking order.

Would I be for the Twins getting rid of Kepler bringing this kid up to be the 4th/5th outfielder pinch runner and giving him a shot at being something more, and cheer loudly for him, yes absolutely I would, do it today. Do I think he will turn into anymore more than Mark Contreras, sadly I don't.

Where would you put him in AAA, given larnach, Wallner, Celestino, Stevenson, and Contreras are there? I mean, at the beginning of the year, when that's how the pecking order was, would you have put him in AAA? 

[TwinsDr2021]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Whe even come in the thread, then, if you aren't interested?

Dude was hurt for two years, and the pandemic years didn't help.....he's healthy and playing very well. Good for him. I guess one can choose not to be happy for him.....

yes Mike that is what I said "I am not happy for him"

 

[wabene]

Man it sure is nice to dream on the future Twins when the present is like this

[TwinsDr2021]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Where would you put him in AAA, given larnach, Wallner, Celestino, Stevenson, and Contreras are there? I mean, at the beginning of the year, when that's how the pecking order was, would you have put him in AAA? 

Starting him in AA was fine, when he started taking off I move him ahead of the non-prospects in AAA Stevenson and Contreras.  If the FO has no real plans for bringing Wallner up as an outfielder, then I give Keirsey shot there. I mean it doesn't seem all that difficult. But IMO making excuses why a 26 year old can't unseat non prospects in AAA kind of proves my point he isn't much of a prospect. On top of he is the center fielder right above the Twins 20 year old Number 3 prospect.  But as I said before, I wish him the best of luck and have said I would love to see him here now.

[Mike Sixel]

31 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

yes Mike that is what I said "I am not happy for him"

 

I must have misunderstood your post. 

[jmlease1]

He's doing well right now and there's definitely things to like about him as a player. As a prospect, the age thing does work against him...there's no getting around it. It's one of the things that can be tough with college bats: if they get hurt or something disrupts their development path, suddenly you're looking at a player who is older than their competition in the minors and you have to wonder if their success is a little too much about beating up on the younger kids.

If the power production is real while maintaining his speed, though, he could be interesting. Michael A. Taylor might not be back next year, Celestino has questions, Martin has been hurt, and Lewis might stay on the dirt...maybe there's a window for him to prove he belongs.

[nicksaviking]

The Twins non-elite prospects that do well in the upper levels seem to pan out just as often if not more than the elite prospects. I really hope the team starts making tough decisions with the vets and starts giving guys like Keirsey, Williams, Camargo and Severino a chance.

And obviously that's in addition to the better known prospects.

[gman]

Nine homers in a half season for a guy hitting over 300 on his way to 45-50 stolen bases.

With the way this team has been hitting this year, are we really complaining about a guy who doesn't swing from his heals on every pitch. I applaud him.

[roger]

Great article, Seth, thanks.

When I finished reading this I was thinking this kid should be ahead of Celestino in the next centerfielder pecking order.  Why?  I'll admit I am no longer a big fan of Celestino.  I guess his doing so many fundamental parts of the game poorly has lowered my expectations of him.  You know, baserunning mistakes, throwing to the wrong base, along with not having elite center field speed.  

So that puts this young man next up to be the Twins centerfielder in 2024 should Taylor not resign, Castro continue as a utility man and Buxton remain as a hitter only.  Let's hope he gets the move up to AAA soon so we have a better idea if that makes sense.

[TwinsDr2021]

1 hour ago, roger said:

Great article, Seth, thanks.

When I finished reading this I was thinking this kid should be ahead of Celestino in the next centerfielder pecking order.  Why?  I'll admit I am no longer a big fan of Celestino.  I guess his doing so many fundamental parts of the game poorly has lowered my expectations of him.  You know, baserunning mistakes, throwing to the wrong base, along with not having elite center field speed.  

So that puts this young man next up to be the Twins centerfielder in 2024 should Taylor not resign, Castro continue as a utility man and Buxton remain as a hitter only.  Let's hope he gets the move up to AAA soon so we have a better idea if that makes sense.

Any chance you have looked at what the other center fielders are doing in the Texas League?

https://www.milb.com/stats/texas/slugging-percentage?position=CF

[roger]

25 minutes ago, TwinsDr2021 said:

Any chance you have looked at what the other center fielders are doing in the Texas League?

https://www.milb.com/stats/texas/slugging-percentage?position=CF

No, didn't have a clue you could even find this info.  Although in today's technology rules everything, probably should have known.  

As for Keirsey, looks like he is among the best of a pretty good group of players.

[TwinsDr2021]

12 minutes ago, roger said:

No, didn't have a clue you could even find this info.  Although in today's technology rules everything, probably should have known.  

As for Keirsey, looks like he is among the best of a pretty good group of players.

He is playing well, and if you see my other post he should be up for tomorrows game (in the game recap) but he is much older than the other guys in some cases 5,6,7 years older. It also seems like a hitters league (no idea) but some of those guys are putting up some crazy stats and are not in the top 100 prospects. Good Day.