What Can the Twins Get For Nick Gordon?

[Ted Schwerzler]

The Minnesota Twins came into the 2023 season with Nick Gordon penned in as their utility man. After being the fifth overall pick during the 2014 draft, he'd finally found his footing at the highest level with a nice 2022 season.

The year played out differently than planned, though, and now questions about his future are impossible to ignore.

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett - USA TODAY Sports

When the Twins took Nick Gordon out of high school with the fifth overall pick during the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, they did so hoping the bloodlines from father Tom Gordon and brother Dee Strange-Gordon would produce a high-level big leaguer. It took time for Gordon to mature physically, and he had a few setbacks along the way. Reaching the majors during the 2021 season, he never found a consistent home.

Moving off of shortstop full-time as he progressed through the minors, Gordon exhibited positional flexibility. Playing third and second, he also spent time in the outfield. Gordon isn’t nearly as fast as his brother Dee was, but his instincts on the grass played well. When he hit .272 across 136 games last year, we saw the makings of a true asset at the highest level.

Concerns for Gordon included a lack of plate discipline and only minimal ability to drive the ball. He did register 28 doubles and nine home runs in 2022, but his 105/19 K/BB needed to be improved. Still, the 111 OPS+ earned him plenty of reason to open on the 26-man roster as Rocco Baldelli’s primary utility player. Even after Minnesota claimed Willi Castro and signed Donovan Solano, there was no reason to believe Gordon’s job was in jeopardy.

Just 34 games into his season, Gordon fouled a ball off his right shin and wound up with a fracture. That injury sidelined him the rest of the season, and despite working back with a group that included Chris Paddack, Jorge Alcala, and Byron Buxton, Gordon’s body didn’t allow him to get major-league game action after appearing in six games for the Saints.

Now eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career, Gordon’s projected figure checks in at only $1 million. That’s only a nominal amount over the major league minimum, so many isn't the issue as far as bringin him back. Where he fits going forward is a question, though.

Even if Gordon was still a shortstop, and he isn’t, Carlos Correa is the Twins' answer. Jorge Polanco is back to play second base alongside Edouard Julien, and first base isn’t an option for Gordon. Royce Lewis plays third base; Max Kepler and Matt Wallner will occupy the corners. Gordon played well in center field and certainly could rotate in for a healthy Buxton, but banking on that isn’t a good plan, and Minnesota will be looking for a Michael A. Taylor-caliber starting-level replacement.

Beyond just starting roles, things got even more cloudy when Castro popped up with a 106 OPS+ and played better defensively. He’s also two years younger, and while projected to be slightly more expensive, the floor is arguably safer.

Gordon looks the part of a major-league talent, but finding a fit with the Twins seems complicated. That all but necessitates a trade, and he should have an allure to a handful of organizations. While plenty of teams have players who can fill fringe roles, Gordon has shown he can do it at the highest level, and it comes at a cost that would rival the promotion of any prospect.

With dollars always looking to be stifled at the back end of active rosters, Gordon is the perfect type of asset to round out a lineup or allow for a more significant contract elsewhere. Plenty of teams look to limit spending on a yearly basis, and Gordon, representing a straightforward opportunity to do that while still having starting chops, could be a selling point.

Expecting a sizable return for Gordon would be misguided. Regardless of his former prospect or draft status, that isn’t happening. He could net a nice flier or bullpen arm, though, and the Twins may be inclined to see if that type of return is something they have an interest in.

What do you think? Will Nick Gordon stay with the Twins during the 2024 season?

View full article

[MABB1959]

I would make plans for Austin Martin in CF with Nick as backup

[jmlease1]

Tough to find room for him on this roster. He's essentially just an OF for the Twins at this point (he's only a "break glass in case of emergency" SS, there are too many guys ahead of him at 2B, the Twins haven't shown any interest in playing him at 3B, and first base doesn't look like a good fit for him) but he's hardly a prototypical corner OF, and Wallner and Kepler are both LH options ahead of him. He was passable in CF and could still improve there in time, but it might be asking a lot to have him be the primary backup to Buxton...and I think the Twins would prefer to have a 4th OF who hits RH.

Hardly playing (and being mired in a deep slump when he did play early) really reduces his trade value. But I would still look to move him. Otherwise I think he gets cut out of training camp and someone will pick him up on waivers for free. besides, the Twins could probably use the 40-man spot. Not sure you get more than an A-ball reliever at this point, but maybe he can be part of a package.

Too bad. Seems like a good dude, and he's been really unlucky with his health and injuries.

[DJL44]

[Doctor Gast]

If Nick hadn't broken his bone, Castro would have been stuck in AAA & not able to shine & probably let go. But the rest is history. I like Gordon is liked by the team but Castro is more needed & ranks over Gordon. 

Gordon's LH bat is valuable to many teams but although there'd be interest in Gordon, I agree we won't get much for him but he might be a deal maker, throw in  in a bigger deal.

[Nashvilletwin]

Gordon’s injury last season was incredibly disappointing after his spark plug season in 2022. Let’s remember his great play through August and into September that season was instrumental in keeping us in the race.

Assuming the Twins carry 13 position players on Opening Day and Buxton is the titular DH and Vasquez is the backup catcher, that leaves four spots available for Gordon: starting CF or one of three utility spots.

Could he be the starting CF? Probably not.  But what if he platooned in that role with the right handed hitting Martin?  Castro and Farmer are then your other two bench players.  Theoretically, all four of those players - plus Jeffers on days he’s not catching - could be used in the DH role when Buxton needs a break. Hmmm.  Cheap solution too.  But he (or Martin) would still have to beat out Larnach (assuming Wallner and Kepler are our starting corner outfielders).  So, yeah, at the moment before any trades, it seems like Larnach, Martin and Gordon are battling for two bench spots.

I’ve written way sillier things on the TD……..

[ashbury]

What price would you pay, to get some other team's second-ranked utility player, coming off an injury and a bad two months at the plate, with a questionable arm for the left side of the infield and no remaining minor-league options?

Call that price "X".

Yeah, if the FO can trade Gordon for more than X, call them miracle workers.

[palmspringstwinsfan]

I’d suggest next year’s outfield starts with Buxton, Martin, Wallner, Gordon and Castro (of/inf) after Kepler is traded for pitching. Then we’ll see. 

[Fatbat]

Welp, he can play CF but he needs to learn plate discipline. It might be too late for that tho. Seems like  2022 was just a flash of what he could have been. I've read some interesting stuff about him. In one interview he lamented about his focus being on hitting 440 ft hr’s. I’m thinking 🤔, dude, you are not mike trout or jose altuve, work on improving your whole game. ‘24 is his chance for a nice comeback story or a crash and burn flameout.  His trade value right now is a head scratcher. Somewhere between a bucket of baseballs ⚾️ and fringe rule 5 prospect. 

[Greglw3]

39 minutes ago, ashbury said:

What price would you pay, to get some other team's second-ranked utility player, coming off an injury and a bad two months at the plate, with a questionable arm for the left side of the infield and no remaining minor-league options?

Call that price "X".

Yeah, if the FO can trade Gordon for more than X, call them miracle workers.

Let's get Gordon healthy again and see if he can build on his .270 + season with some power. I think he’s a tremendous athlete and remember him making 2 Bob Allison like sliding catches in LF in 2022. I think he could steal 30 bases. If LF is open, I could see him being a really fine LF. Not everybody has to have power.

I’d try to sign Brantley for LF but if not. Gordon has as much talent as anybody. I’ve liked him for a long time and think that if he pulls it all together, He could be like another Gordon, Alex. LF is far and away his best position, IMO.

[Linus]

In my view trading him now would yield little or nothing. I would rather hang on to him and see if 2022 reappears. The way our FO hates to give up assets I wouldn’t be shocked if they optioned Castro and let it play out. Something would happen early on in the season to make the decision easy whether it is injury poor play etc. 

[ashbury]

22 minutes ago, Greglw3 said:

Let's get Gordon healthy again and see if he can build on his .270 + season

Build on?  His 2022 was itself built on a BA on balls in play of .340.  Unless you think he is Roberto Clemente, Derek Jeter, or Rod Carew, who did sustain high BABIP, it's unlikely Gordon can sustain even what performance he showed then.

His 2023 was way in the other (wrong) direction and isn't representative either.  But he hasn't got the bat for left field, unless a cellar-dwellar team wants to gamble that a 28-year old has an extra gear he can somehow kick into.

[Greglw3]

22 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Build on?  His 2022 was itself built on a BA on balls in play of .340.  Unless you think he is Roberto Clemente or Rod Carew, who did sustain high BABIP, it's unlikely Gordon can sustain even what performance he showed then.

His 2023 was way in the other (wrong) direction and isn't representative either.  But he hasn't got the bat for left field, unless a cellar-dwellar team wants to gamble that a 28-year old has an extra gear he can somehow kick into.

This is what I look at with Gordon in his first full MLB season vs. RHP. That’s what I think he could build on andd compared to the production in LF the last 3 years, he would be potentially much better. Don’t forget Jake Cave and Joey Gallo and their sub .200 batting averages. Even Larnach has not been good although I think he still may be but wouldn’t count on him as with Buxton.

 

[olerud]

A bag of balls and a rasen bag maybe if they're 

Lucky they'll get a bat doughnut too!

[Althebum82]

People forget that prior to 2022 the last time Gordon played center field was in ninth grade.  He learned the position "on the fly" as they say at the MLB level and as far as I know there were not many complaints about he well he did.

But the point is, it is not his instinct to play there.  To me it would seem to not be too smart to plan on him making an impact at a position learned on an emergency basis.

Bring him to spring training and move him around the infield.  If somebody gets hurt, he's available.  If not, he is Saint Paul depth or released.  As others have noted, there is little value for him on the trade market.

[DocBauer]

Always pulled foe the guy and championed him when he was close, and when some questioned him after a mediocre 2021. Felt I was right when an OK 2022 turned in to a great 2nd half.

And then an absolutely miserable begining to last season lead to an even worse ending. I just don't see where he fits on the team unless he's kept as insurance due to injury or trade before the season starts. As I stated elsewhere, he's amongst the top of the "mostly likely" to be DFA if the Twins need a roster spot.

Sometimes bad things happen to good guys in sports and they just get passed by.

He might draw some interest as a 3rd in a package deal for a team hurting for LH bats that could use him in a utility role. By himself, I think he could get you a AA/A pen arm with some promise, or, another team's injury recovering pen arm in a swap of "returning to health" players.

[miller761]

Does Gordon have any options left?

[FlyingFinn]

28 minutes ago, miller761 said:

Does Gordon have any options left?

No.

[Blyleven2011]

 I would think our FO is working on trading him before the deadline   , if they can't swing one ,  they nontender  him , whÿ would they tender him and then dfa him in spring training and then have tò eat the small contract , the fo said they need to cut payroll  ...

I'd like to give him another year but sometimes a better player is after your job ...

We'll find out tomorrow if he's worth anything ... 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Unfortunately, the time to trade Gordon was many offseasons ago, when he was still a prospect. Probably prior to the 2018 season when he was coming off a solid season at AA. Good kid, though.

[gil4]

39 minutes ago, Hosken Bombo Disco said:

Unfortunately, the time to trade Gordon was many offseasons ago, when he was still a prospect. Probably prior to the 2018 season when he was coming off a solid season at AA. Good kid, though.

Last off-season might have been good, too.  But he was actually in the plans, unfortunately.  

[Doctor Evil]

I like Gordon as a versatile bench piece.

[ashbury]

3 hours ago, Greglw3 said:

This is what I look at with Gordon in his first full MLB season vs. RHP. That’s what I think he could build on andd compared to the production in LF the last 3 years, he would be potentially much better. Don’t forget Jake Cave and Joey Gallo and their sub .200 batting averages. Even Larnach has not been good although I think he still may be but wouldn’t count on him as with Buxton.

 

This is a good counterpoint, and by no means do I claim Nick can't play the game.  But the manager can't spare a batter completely from facing same-handed pitching - 13 guys on the typical roster means you can't sub for him at will.  And the plate appearances versus lefties do count in the stat line (and the team's success), even if the favorable-handed splits are intriguing.  Rocco probably did the best he could to spare Gordon from lefties, as his percentage of PA in those situations was smaller than fellow lefty Max Kepler, for example; said another way, a player with a profile like Gordon's ties the manager's hands at times, unless and until he improves somehow.

The righties-only BABIP corresponding to the above numbers is .364, even farther above the norm as overall.  So I still don't see that .793 OPS as sustainable.

All in all, I can't see him as trade bait, nor a reasonable candidate for lots of LF duty.

[Parfigliano]

8 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Is that scrambled egg on that?

[Parfigliano]

7 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Gordon’s injury last season was incredibly disappointing after his spark plug season in 2022. Let’s remember his great play through August and into September that season was instrumental in keeping us in the race.

Assuming the Twins carry 13 position players on Opening Day and Buxton is the titular DH and Vasquez is the backup catcher, that leaves four spots available for Gordon: starting CF or one of three utility spots.

Could he be the starting CF? Probably not.  But what if he platooned in that role with the right handed hitting Martin?  Castro and Farmer are then your other two bench players.  Theoretically, all four of those players - plus Jeffers on days he’s not catching - could be used in the DH role when Buxton needs a break. Hmmm.  Cheap solution too.  But he (or Martin) would still have to beat out Larnach (assuming Wallner and Kepler are our starting corner outfielders).  So, yeah, at the moment before any trades, it seems like Larnach, Martin and Gordon are battling for two bench spots.

I’ve written way sillier things on the TD……..

God help us if Buxton is DH.

[Fezig]

One MN Twins to win two world series was Al Newman. A light hitting utility player who played multiple positions and filled in more than adequately. He was a great clubhouse presence and the Twins relied on him filling him many times during his time here. I don't see a reason why Nick Gordon couldn't be that guy if he comes in at a $1 mil a season. Seems like a steal. 

[Major League Ready]

Can Falvey / Lavine convince another team that Gordon’s 2023 was purely a product of injury and the real Nick Gordon is the 2022 version.  He finally got over his medical issues in 2022 so it’s a plausible point of view.  Gordon still has four years of control in his prime and we have seen him be a solid contributor.  He could appeal to other cash strapped teams or a contender needing bench help.  He is not going to bring back a starting pitcher but a decent prospect seems possible.  

[mikelink45]

On the trade market he has zero value - he is either on the team of DFA  

[Jeff K]

15 hours ago, Linus said:

In my view trading him now would yield little or nothing. I would rather hang on to him and see if 2022 reappears. The way our FO hates to give up assets I wouldn’t be shocked if they optioned Castro and let it play out. Something would happen early on in the season to make the decision easy whether it is injury poor play etc. 

I can't see Castro getting optioned.  he is younger, has greater positional flexibility and is coming off of a strong year.  And he appears to be a better fielder.

[SteveLV]

Minimal trade value.

More value--IMO--to go into Spring Training and let the chips fall as they will.  Injuries, slumps, other trades could all impact his value to the Twins' roster in 2024.  He may continue to blossom and make the roster at a very economical price.