Twins Fantasy Fix (8/27): The Youth Movement is Here and Things are Looking Up

[Mike Rose]

The Twins have been getting big contributions from young players, and fantasy managers should take notice.

Image courtesy of Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Let the kids have some fun!

That’s been the Twins’ motto lately, as the team has been getting big contributions from young players as they head into the home stretch. Here are a few highlights from guys who are 25 years old or younger:

Edouard Julien (80 games): .286 batting average, .378 on-base percentage, 11 home runs

Royce Lewis (37 games): .312 batting average, .500 slugging percentage, .858 OPS

Matt Wallner (47 games): .496 slugging percentage, .832 OPS, nine home runs

Jhoan Duran (49 games): 2.58 ERA, 12.3 K/9, 23 saves

This list doesn’t include Alex Kirilloff, who has been out with injury but figures to return next month. Duran is clearly locked in as the team’s top reliever, and the offensive players should maintain key roles as well, with the likes of Joey Gallo and Kyle Farmer more at risk of losing playing time once Kirilloff and Byron Buxton rejoin the mix. The Twins seem set to go as far as their youngsters will carry them. 

For fantasy purposes, trusting youngsters can be a frustrating endeavor, but I’m willing to trust the upside. Duran should already be owned in most competitive formats, though the other three are all owned in less than 10% of ESPN leagues. If you’re willing to roll the dice, consider taking a flier on one or more of them, as the payoff could be well worth it.

Let’s now take a look at some key injury updates, plus which Twins have their stock rising and falling from a fantasy perspective due to results from the past week as well as a prospect to keep an eye on. I’ll also take a look at the week ahead and highlight some matchups to target and avoid.

Twins Injury Updates
Byron Buxton
Expected return: September
Buxton should begin a rehab assignment soon, and a return figures to come not long after that. The big question will be whether he’ll play center field, and if so, how frequently. Allowing Buxton to play center and not DH would open the DH role for Julien in what’s becoming a crowded Minnesota lineup.

Alex Kirilloff
Expected return: September
Kirilloff also hopes to begin a rehab assignment soon. He’s been hitting off a machine and doing some of his normal pregame work, so he seems to be close to fully recovered from his right shoulder strain. His return might push Gallo off the roster, and Donovan Solano would likely see his role reduced.

Willi Castro
Expected return: Late August or early September
Castro is dealing with a mild oblique strain. He started a rehab assignment Friday and may be back with the Twins at the end of this month or early next month. Castro gives the Twins a versatile bench option, but with other guys getting healthy, he may not start that often down the stretch, except for when others need a day off.

Brock Stewart
Expected return: September
Stewart threw a 15-pitch bullpen session Friday, which is a positive sign after he experienced a setback last month in his recovery from right elbow soreness. The righty could provide a boost to the middle of Minnesota’s bullpen, though he may not have a fantasy-friendly role outside of deeper formats.

Stock Rising: Royce Lewis
ESPN ownership: 9%
There’s a reason Lewis was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft a few years ago, and now that he’s healthy (knocks on wood) he’s been showing it. Since returning on Aug. 15, Lewis has batted .279 with a .925 OPS, three home runs and nine RBI across 11 games. He’s a dynamic player who should stick in a key spot within Minnesota’s lineup. I’m kind of surprised his ownership is this low, but I imagine it will rise, and Lewis is also an attractive option in daily formats considering that his salary is still pretty low.

Stock Falling: Michael A. Taylor
ESPN ownership: 1%
Taylor has actually been pretty good this month (.246 batting average, .888 OPS and seven home runs across 19 games), but he could get squeezed out of some playing time if Buxton does in fact return to center field. As good as Taylor has been, the Twins still have too much invested into Buxton to not give him a regular role when healthy. Taylor will still play often, because the Twins will surely be cautious with Buxton, but a smaller role seems likely. Taylor is not widely owned, though he’s been useful in deeper formats and daily games due to his ability to hit for power and swipe a base. He should still be able to do that, just maybe not as often.

Prospect Spotlight
Kody Funderburk (Triple-A St. Paul)
Funderburk could be a September call-up option based on his strong play this year. The former 15th-round pick has posted a 2.36 ERA and struck out a whopping 89 batters across 61 innings this year. If he gets the call, Funderburk may not have much fantasy appeal in 2023, though if he keeps missing bats, he could be an intriguing relief option next year and beyond if he settles into a high-leverage role.

Upcoming Week Matchup Notes
3 Games vs Cleveland (Xzavion Curry, Gavin Williams, Cal Quantrill)
3 Games at Texas Max Scherzer, Jordan Montgomery, Nathan Eovaldi)

The Twins’ big stretch continues with series against the Guardians and Rangers (again). Cleveland is the third-lowest scoring team in the league, though Texas is much better, sitting at second best. The Rangers are also rolling out their three best starters during the series, so Minnesota hitters will be challenged.

Two-Start Starting Pitchers
Even with the Twins playing six games, they don’t have any one set to start twice at the moment, as it looks like they’ll roll with six starters for the time being. That will allow Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober to get a bit more rest down the stretch.

Twins Fantasy Hitters to Watch
The Texas series looks like a buzzsaw when it comes to pitching matchups, so targeting Cleveland starters may be the best play in daily formats. Curry and Williams have both pitched well but are fairly inexperienced. Quantrill is returning from injury and has a rough 6.45 ERA this season, though he’s stymied Minnesota hitters in his career, as the Twins are batting just .195 against him all time.

If you do go against the grain and roll out some Twins against the Texas starters, Carlos Correa is 8-for-24 all time against Eovaldi, 4-for-10 against Montgomery and 3-for-10 against Scherzer. As noted above, Lewis has also been locked in since returning from injury, and it makes sense to trust his talent even in tricky matchups.  

Which Minnesota youngster has you most excited in fantasy? Let me know in the COMMENTS, plus post your thoughts on the matchups this week.

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[TopGunn#22]

It's fun to see the young Twins prospects coming up and not disappointing when given the opportunity.  This off season will be VERY interesting indeed.  

[farmerguychris]

Have Buxton on my fantasy team, and I hate this idea but considering cutting him for the rest of the year.  Just not getting the production I want out of him, but don't want someone else to beat me with him if he gets hot.

[Jeff K]

26 minutes ago, farmerguychris said:

Have Buxton on my fantasy team, and I hate this idea but considering cutting him for the rest of the year.  Just not getting the production I want out of him, but don't want someone else to beat me with him if he gets hot.

I rode his success in April.  Endured his oncoming slump in May and dumped him mid June.  So bummed about the guy.

[joefish]

Buxton makes the same amount of ridiculous money whether he plays or sits on the bench. Why play him? Just because he makes so much? Not if he sucks, even if it is due to injury. 

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

So do many on this website have to start giving the organization credit for developing and finding these kids,  or is the same old that this front office is over their ski's and that they are done with the front office. I think this was never the year to go all in (or last year for that matter) however they are beginning to stack a pretty good team together.  Correa and Buxton are the big question marks not only for this play off season,  but also moving forward.  The only thing this organization has lacked up to this point is that elite pitching prospect that can be the Ace for several years.  We have Pablo locked up til 2027.  We have some interesting prospects and we will see how the 2023 drafted pitchers perform next year.  

[Mike Rose]

On 8/28/2023 at 10:40 AM, Jeff K said:

I rode his success in April.  Endured his oncoming slump in May and dumped him mid June.  So bummed about the guy.

Did the same thing…which means he’s going to go off as soon as he gets back. Guaranteed! 🤣

[farmerguychris]

12 hours ago, Mike Rose said:

Did the same thing…which means he’s going to go off as soon as he gets back. Guaranteed! 🤣

Which is why I'm struggling with cutting him!!