Does Michael Helman fit into the CF/UTIL conversation?

[High heat]

Where does Michael Helman fit in?  

 

age 27 but was injured almost all or ‘23 plays SS, 2B and CF showed good power in 22 and in the few games he played in 23 from the right side.steal bases consistently and efficiently.
 

People keep talking about CF depth for 24 but I see Martin, Helman, and Kersey all at AAA who play a good CF have multiple option years so they can be sent up and down and have shown skills with the bat at AAA.  
 

If the twins want to or need to save $ and want upside along with depth in CF giving a job to one of Kersey Martin or Helman. If someone struggles or gets injured bring up another one.  
 

saves you 6 to 12 million on bring in a free agent CF and might let you then spend the $ on a better SP or bring in a late inning reliever.

 

i have just been a big Helman and Martin fan and give Rocco another Willie Castro type that can mix and match and steal a base and make things happen in game is exciting and useful.

[jorgenswest]

Hellman’s wRC+ was 122 in AAA and 115 in AA in 2022. That is good but significantly lower than Stevenson. Ben Rortvedt was at 128. Helman ranked 108th by wRC+ of AAA players with 100 or more PAs. Several will be available as minor league free agents or rule 5 pick ups. He is playing winter ball and hopefully he will tear it up there.

Helman will be valuable in a Stevenson off the 40 type role. At this point, I don’t think they should count on him to hit at the major league level.

 

[tony&rodney]

While Helman does not project as a starter at the major league level, he can be a decent utility player. He plays good defense all over the field, has some speed, and his swing mostly puts his bat to the ball. Helman is more versatile than Stevenson. Helman is in no man's land - he needs an opportunity.

[chpettit19]

I think he fits in the conversation in the sense that he's a nice enough option to have at AAA in case you need him, but I don't think he's someone the Twins will add to the 40-man until that spot opens up in the regular season. Wouldn't be the craziest Rule 5 pick ever, but I also wouldn't bet he'd be picked.

[Schmoeman5]

A lot of talk about Martin and saw an article regarding Kiermaier. Personally I think Michael Helman would be a great option. But I doubt the Twins go in that direction. He's got some speed and some pop in his bat. I think Castro can play out there but he's not a CFer. Stevenson showed good defense but no offense in his time up. 

[DocBauer]

11th round pick in 2018. Missed 2020, like most prospects. Had a couple small dings, but no major injuries that I can recall. While he didn't set the world on fire, I recall an article or interview about him a year or so ago...maybe by Seth?...where the hitting coach at Cedar Rapids, and I can't recall who that was...worked with him and he started to bloom in 2021. After a couple poor years, things started to click. His AVG wasn't great, but the OB was OK, and SLG started, with 21 Dbls and 19 HR, and the speed was there with 21/5 in attempts. 

2022 was when he really began to blossom.  He was better at AA, as you would expect, but spent about 2/3 of that season at AAA St Paul. His combined quad slash line for 2022 was .258/ .337/ .432/ .769. He had 46 XBH and he stole 40 bases out of 45 attempts. 

That caught the attention of the FO, which is why he wasn't added to the 40 man, but was invited to ST.

Yes, I'm a fan and follower of this kid, lol. But I am for obvious reasons. You never know when the next good player in your system comes from. 

Unfortunately, Helman had a bad hamstring from day 1 in ST. So he had no shot to make the roster.  THEN, when healthy and ready to go, he had a concussion that sat him out. THEN, he dislocated a shoulder.

Even still, his AAA numbers, barely marginalized by a few lower level rehab games,  has him at .302/ .358/ .544/ .911 combined between all levels, mostly at AAA. 20 XBH and 8 and 1 in SB in a total of 149 AB.

To some degree or another, he can and has played ALL 7 positions besides catcher. (Believe he was a SS in college). He shows hit and OB and pop/power ability and SB and XB ability. Had he been healthy in 2023, I maintain my opinion he would have debuted with the Twins at some point and Luplow would have never been claimed because Helman would have been there already.

DON'T mistake some fandom and belief in a kid for any kind of greatness.

Helman only fits in to the CF equation due to depth since he can be solid anywhere. Basically, he's a RH version of Castro, which is pretty outstanding. And if Helman can be as good as Castro as super utility player, the Twins 12th and 13th spots are pretty well set going forward.

Next, we should talk about Keirsey and Prato about some great and versatile depth going forward, right?

 

[High heat]

I wasn’t getting at that Helman is going to be a long term solution in CF but by all indications our revenue is going down with the end of the TV deal and many think Austin Martin is the CF of the near future.  He may need more time in AAA to start the year but could take over CF sometime in ‘24.  
 

If you’re going to sign a CFer like Taylor or Kiermeiar or even Bader for 8 to 12 million a year. Or trade for one and likely spend similar.   How much different in production would be letting a platoon of Helman and Castro play CF to start the year be.  
 

Or same with comparing him with Farmer as the utility guy and RH bat who can back up the infield and give rest against LH or PH against a LH late in games for Wallner or Julien and be a solid defensive replacement as well.  
 

Not saying a star but a useful tool in Rocco’s belt to use late in game to mix and match that is cheap and can do a lot of other things that guys in the currently lineup can’t due.

[DJL44]

Is Helman still under team control? I thought he was a minor league free agent.

Edit: I looked it up. He was a 2018 draft pick so one more year of control. The 2017 signings are eligible for minor league free agency which is why they just added Severino and Camargo to the 40 man roster.