Looking over MLB Trade Rumors top 25 trade candidates for a fit

[DJL44]

The article is an interesting read. Polanco and Kepler are on there as expected. There are some names that would be a fit on the Twins roster

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8. Trent Grisham, CF, Padres

Grisham would fit the role that Taylor played last year and would come cheaper than Kiermaier as a glove first CF to (hopefully) split time with Buxton. He's not a good hitter but moving away from San Diego might help that. San Diego is cutting more payroll this offseason than the Twins after their push to buy a championship before their owner passed away fell short. They would be mainly interested in young prospects not on the 40 man roster.

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12. Eloy Jiménez, DH, White Sox

Looking for a power RH bat? Here's your guy. He's young enough to bounce back from a poor 2023 season playing for a White Sox team that phoned it in all summer. He's under contract for $13.8M for 2024 with $16.5M and $18.5M options for 2025 and 2026. That will reduce his trade value and might be hard to fit into the Twins constrained payroll.

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16. Mariners SP

We initially had Bryan Woo in this spot. It could just as easily have been Bryce Miller or Emerson Hancock, so we’ll cheat and just mention the Seattle rotation in general.

The Mariners have some pitching to trade and the Twins are always looking for cheap starting pitchers. The Mariners are looking for infielders and could be a good destination for Jorge Polanco but I have a feeling it would take Edouard Julien to pry loose one of these three young starters. Could the Twins make another Arraez for Lopez type of trade this offseason? I have no idea which of the three starters has the most upside.

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17. Dylan Carlson, CF, Cardinals

This is similar to the reason they would want Trent Grisham. Carlson is a switch hitter who is basically average in CF. He's cheap and controlled through 2026 but might get non-tendered before then if he turns out to be just a backup. The Cardinals have other outfielders as well but they're probably looking for pitching in return and the Twins will be loathe to trade away from their thin minor league pitching depth.

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19. Alek Manoah, SP, Blue Jays

The Twins could buy low on an established starting pitcher who had a bad 2023, including a demotion to AAA, but finished 3rd in CYA voting in 2022. I'm not sure why the Blue Jays would want to get rid of him but it sounds like they want more consistency than they got from Manoah.

 

[DJL44]

There are also some Tampa Rays on the list but I get queasy thinking about trading prospects to Tampa for established players. They seem to always win those trades.

[Hawkeye Bean Counter]

This is where the rubber meets the road,  for a Julien or a Lee they are going to have to give a better pitcher than Woo, Miller, or Hancock.  Miller and Woo have similar comps to Julien or Lee but personally I think they will want a better pitcher than that level.   My guess is they ultimately look for more of a reclamation project.  

[ashbury]

48 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

There are also some Tampa Rays on the list but I get queasy thinking about trading prospects to Tampa for established players. They seem to always win those trades.

The other direction worked well that one time.

[Linus]

I would trade Julien in a heartbeat for one of Seattles young starters. Julien is a good hitter but we may have received his max production in 2023. He’s not a good fielder and doesn’t hit lefties. Sell high. 

[tony&rodney]

32 minutes ago, Linus said:

I would trade Julien in a heartbeat for one of Seattles young starters. Julien is a good hitter but we may have received his max production in 2023. He’s not a good fielder and doesn’t hit lefties. Sell high. 

Your assessment of Julien seems to be popular (very) on Twins Daily. I have no idea what Falvey, Baldelli, coaches, and talent scouts feel about Julien. Julien has only been on my screen (via milb.com & Bally) for three years. What sticks out to me is the manner in which Julien controls the pitcher. He has struggled at times, both with the bat and (as so many jump to comment) in the field. This is true. Yet Julien has adjusted and adjusted, constantly. Those lengthy at bats were huge for the Twins this past year.  He made the plays in September. His arm still looks wobbly, his footwork cannot be confused with Roberto Alomar, but his lateral movement and concentration to gather himself and read the speed of the game dramatically improved. He has more side to side ability than any of the other options. No, Julien has not become a superior fielder but he has morphed into an average defensive second baseman. He may have peaked offensively as more than a couple dozen on Twins Daily have suggested, but he may be just getting warmed up too. I'm only suggesting that the book is not closed on Julien. I cannot predict the outcome for Julien, Lee, Martin or others. I believe the Twins need a good starting pitcher and that a trade is going to be the best avenue for that end. Selling high is just as likely for any of Lewis, Wallner, Julien, or Lee. That story will unfold in the next few years. Based on the past three years and the steady progress I'm going to choose Julien for second base. To each their own, but if Julien or one of the others in combination with a couple of other players helps to bring in Logan Gilbert,  that sure could be a useful exchange.

[Linus]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Your assessment of Julien seems to be popular (very) on Twins Daily. I have no idea what Falvey, Baldelli, coaches, and talent scouts feel about Julien. Julien has only been on my screen (via milb.com & Bally) for three years. What sticks out to me is the manner in which Julien controls the pitcher. He has struggled at times, both with the bat and (as so many jump to comment) in the field. This is true. Yet Julien has adjusted and adjusted, constantly. Those lengthy at bats were huge for the Twins this past year.  He made the plays in September. His arm still looks wobbly, his footwork cannot be confused with Roberto Alomar, but his lateral movement and concentration to gather himself and read the speed of the game dramatically improved. He has more side to side ability than any of the other options. No, Julien has not become a superior fielder but he has morphed into an average defensive second baseman. He may have peaked offensively as more than a couple dozen on Twins Daily have suggested, but he may be just getting warmed up too. I'm only suggesting that the book is not closed on Julien. I cannot predict the outcome for Julien, Lee, Martin or others. I believe the Twins need a good starting pitcher and that a trade is going to be the best avenue for that end. Selling high is just as likely for any of Lewis, Wallner, Julien, or Lee. That story will unfold in the next few years. Based on the past three years and the steady progress I'm going to choose Julien for second base. To each their own, but if Julien or one of the others in combination with a couple of other players helps to bring in Logan Gilbert,  that sure could be a useful exchange.

I don’t think my assessment of Julien is popular. I understand your viewpoint but will disagree that Lewis and Lee are in the same boat as Julien in terms of upside. Julien is not in the same class as Lewis and Lee.  Right now his max value for the Twins is a trade piece for a good pitcher. I value Julien as he is a good hitter but I just think he is the right person to trade for pitching. Especially because Polo can play second for a year or two when some combination of Lewis or Lee will take over second. 

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

I don’t think my assessment of Julien is popular. I understand your viewpoint but will disagree that Lewis and Lee are in the same boat as Julien in terms of upside. Julien is not in the same class as Lewis and Lee.  Right now his max value for the Twins is a trade piece for a good pitcher. I value Julien as he is a good hitter but I just think he is the right person to trade for pitching. Especially because Polo can play second for a year or two when some combination of Lewis or Lee will take over second. 

I was merely saying that your judgment of Julien as compared with Lee and Lewis was overwhelmingly the opinion of those who write or comment on Twins Daily. I certainly do not mean that as a criticism in any way. My thoughts are that this is totally up in the air and there are different skills presented by each of these players as well as limitations which have yet to be fully unveiled. I think I said, to each his own. My position is that the Twins could benefit from trading for a decent pitcher which MAY include one of these players. More than a few folks have already responded forcefully. One response specifically stated that the floor for Lee was the ceiling for Julien. When I judge upside I'm looking at career achievements. These are impossible to predict.

In 1981, Ozzie Smith was traded for Garry Templeton, Smith was seen as someone who would never hit enough despite his glove. Templeton, a superior bat and excellent glove, had had an ugly incident in St. Louis. Change happens. Your belief is well founded and the Twins may agree. It should be interesting to see how this offseason goes and those players develop.

[jorgenswest]

It is very possible that Julien is the best hitter of the three. There is space for all three of these cost controlled players.