Would You Double Down on Donny Barrels?

[Cody Pirkl]

Donovan Solano has made it known that he’d love a reunion with the Minnesota Twins. Is there a fit for the surprise 2023 contributor on the 2024 squad?

Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

After being added to the roster just over a month before the season began, Donovan Solano played a surprisingly significant role for the Twins in 2023. He publicly announced that he would like to join the Twins roster again in 2024. Is there a realistic fit?

Solano performed exceptionally well in 2023. He appeared in 134 games, slashing .282/.369/.391. He was 16 percent above a league-average hitter in his age-35 season, while mixing in at first, second, and third base. He was also a great counterbalance in the record-settingly strikeout-prone lineup, only whiffing 22.2 percent of the time. For such a versatile complementary player, the Twins could look to bring him back, though it’s far from a straightforward decision.

Solano would undoubtedly be returning in the same role he had in 2023. He can be the right-handed platoon option for a (hopefully healthy) Alex Kirilloff at first base, cycling into the DH spot against southpaws and sprinkling in some time across the rest of the infield as needed. The problem is that the Twins may be less in need of such a role than ever. 

In addition to players such as Edouard Julien and Royce Lewis cementing themselves in the Twins' everyday lineup, we should expect to see more prospects (such as Austin Martin and Brooks Lee) debut in 2024. Despite Jose Miranda’s disastrous 2023, he remains an obvious candidate to fill in as a right-handed platoon partner for Kirilloff or the DH spot. He’ll be cheaper in 2024, and the upside is likely higher for Miranda, if he returns to good health. Making matters even more complicated, the Twins tendered a contract to Kyle Farmer, who can fill in at all the same positions as Solano and then some.

If the Twins want to insulate themselves against injuries to the same extent that they did last year when they brought Solano in, they might do it differently. At this point, the most significant injury concern has to be Kirilloff. The former top prospect has suffered from several season-ending injuries, to the point where the Twins may want to consider a backup or platoon mate with him at first base, capable of providing a lot more should Kirilloff continue to miss time.

Given the Twins reportedly reducing payroll, it may seem unlikely that they will bring in a big bat at this point. Still, they may be shedding some salary in trade and could view a legitimate option for first base as a priority, behind a starting pitcher. Solano had a great 2023 season, but acquiring a higher-caliber bat may be a wiser investment if someone like Polanco or Kepler is shipped out.

Even with all of these considerations, it’s possible to envision a reunion. The roster is far from a finished product. The Twins appear to be waiting for the uncertainty around their expired TV deal and future broadcast rights to be resolved, and for more of the market to develop. When things get rolling, we may see multiple players of all calibers and positions shipped out in trade, opening a door for Donny Barrels.

He may have increased risk due to age, but even after his outstanding 2023 season, Solano probably won’t break the bank. It will come down to his fit on the roster, and whether the Twins will look to continue to accumulate as much depth as possible.

Are we better off letting Donovan Solano sign elsewhere in 2024? Should the Twins give him a call if a spot opens, or even prioritize a Donny Barrels reunion? Let us know below!

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[Karbo]

Depending on salary I'd say sign him! He sure did the job last year.

[JD-TWINS]

Reasonable thought! Not sure why there isn’t a specific number shown here - speculation, understood, but at least some point of reference. My guess is $3.25M maximum.

For that amount of money, it’s a worthwhile depth move. Twins don’t know for sure what Kirilloff’s timetable will be to perform at 100%. Everyone anticipates he’ll be fine - hope so. Twins don’t know for sure if/when Miranda will be able to hit at MLB level again. Everyone anticipates he’ll be OK with good health - hope so.

With these two guys BOTH targeted for 1B & with mild question marks with each, the Twins could use a mix of performance - continuity - experience that Donny B. would provide.

At that number, if Miranda is crushing it in Spring Training, it’s probable Twins can move Solano with somebody else to provide depth to another club that had experienced an injury in Spring Training.

Worth a shot to ensure that the season isn’t kicked off short-handed.

[roger]

Understand he is a solid bat and sure helped their depth last year.  But there appears to be zero place for him to play except DH and pinch hitting.  I want to see AK and Miranda getting 162 games at first base and Julien/Lee/Farmer, etc. getting all the innings at second.  Note, I am assuming Polo is dealt prior to spring training as part of a package for a young #2 or #3 starter.

Considering the 40-man isn't full, signing him as a DH or pinch hitter may make sense.  But it is gonna have to be for small dollars.

[Ricky Vaughn]

They should stay in touch with him. If Miranda or one of the other young Twins is included in a trade for pitching he could fill a role for the team at an affordable price.

[DJL44]

Solano is a nice veteran bench option who will get playing time if they trade Polanco as expected. With all the LH bats it would be helpful to have a RH pinch hitter option.

Miranda is going to have to hit his way back to the majors. He shouldn't be in any plans for the season except as AAA depth.

[Fatbat]

What do we do if there isn’t room for Donny B on the 26man?

[stringer bell]

Not a very high ceiling for Donnie Barrels at this point and while he was versatile, he really wasn't good as a defender. He's a decent fallback option at a very reasonable price, but I'd rather roll the dice with Miranda and/or Martin than count on 36-year-old Donovan Solano to contribute in '24 (hey, that's this year!).

[arby58]

13 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Solano is a nice veteran bench option who will get playing time if they trade Polanco as expected. With all the LH bats it would be helpful to have a RH pinch hitter option.

Miranda is going to have to hit his way back to the majors. He shouldn't be in any plans for the season except as AAA depth.

Miranda had a bad 2023, but if it is largely because of injury, then he most certainly should fit into their plans. He played close to a full 2022, with 483 plate appearances and a 114 OPS+. Besides that, he had a monster year in AA/AAA in 2021, with a combined OPS of .973. If Brooks Lee and Austin Martin (with no big league experience and no performance at AA/AAA even close to Miranda's 2021) are in their plans, Miranda certainly should be.

[Major League Ready]

Solano won't cost enough for money to be an issue.  Upside, age, existing options, and defensive deficiency are all reasons why they should not invest a roster spot in Solano.

[jmlease1]

30 minutes ago, stringer bell said:

Not a very high ceiling for Donnie Barrels at this point and while he was versatile, he really wasn't good as a defender. He's a decent fallback option at a very reasonable price, but I'd rather roll the dice with Miranda and/or Martin than count on 36-year-old Donovan Solano to contribute in '24 (hey, that's this year!).

I think this is the biggest issue with Solano: expecting him to actually be any better in '24 is a little unlikely. For a guy nicknamed "Donnie Barrels", he doesn't actually hit the ball all that hard, so seeing increased production from him is going to be a little hard to find. The other issue is the roster spot: unless there's a move with Polanco/Farmer, I don't have a roster spot for him, so any decision to bring him on board would have to wait until that's resolved.

I don't think price is actually going to be the issue; he's going to be in that $2-3M range and even with our self-imposed payroll limitations, that shouldn't be the barrier. It's the roster spot. Have to remember that Royce Lewis and Ed Julien have roster spots from Day One this year when figuring out who is on this squad. If Polanco/Farmer get moved, then it's a question of whether you like Miranda's upside better than Solano's floor.

Not an easy decision because we don't know how Miranda is going to respond to his surgery and if he can get that shoulder healthy. I'd probably go for Miranda and bet on upside, but it's not unreasonable to go the other way.

[TopGunn#22]

I would say "NO."  The Twins got about all they needed from "Donny Barrels" in 2023 but his versatility is an illusion.  He's well below average defensively anywhere they would play him.  As a DH, he's far too "punch-less" to be a positive.

With Miranda, Martin and Lee the Twins have everywhere covered that Solano could be.  And at $3-$3.25 million that's far too rich for a team looking to cut payroll rather than add.  Check out what each of our bullpen candidates would cost and compare it to the cost of Solano.  Theilbar is our most expensive bullpen arm.  He will probably have at minimum two stints on the injured list this season. 

So it's probably time to include Theilbar in a deal with a team like Seattle or Miami for a starting pitcher.  Just like with Solano, the Twins have younger options and the time has come to promote them.  Let the youth movement continue.  

[Nashvilletwin]

4 minutes ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I would say "NO."  The Twins got about all they needed from "Donny Barrels" in 2023 but his versatility is an illusion.  He's well below average defensively anywhere they would play him.  As a DH, he's far too "punch-less" to be a positive.

With Miranda, Martin and Lee the Twins have everywhere covered that Solano could be.  And at $3-$3.25 million that's far too rich for a team looking to cut payroll rather than add.  Check out what each of our bullpen candidates would cost and compare it to the cost of Solano.  Theilbar is our most expensive bullpen arm.  He will probably have at minimum two stints on the injured list this season. 

So it's probably time to include Theilbar in a deal with a team like Seattle or Miami for a starting pitcher.  Just like with Solano, the Twins have younger options and the time has come to promote them.  Let the youth movement continue.  

100% correct on all fronts: every $ counts this year, Theilbar is not sacrosanct, and lots of kids need lots of innings.
 

Happy New Year fellow TDers.

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, Karbo said:

Depending on salary I'd say sign him! He sure did the job last year.

Sign him cheap  and add incentives to the contract if he performs  as he did last season maybe he'll make alittle more ...

Can he repeat what he did last year 

[Jeff K]

4 hours ago, Karbo said:

Depending on salary I'd say sign him! He sure did the job last year.

I would sign him.  He was an extremely valuable player.  I like Solano paired with Kirilloff at first base.  It was a good combination.

[Greglw3]

I would vote No as well. He was all or nothing. His .282 batting average was helpful but if the Twins want to get to the next level, I thought several times down the stretch that he lost his discipline and did some unacceptable chasing of pitches that should easily not have been swung at. Rhys Hoskins instead. Miranda and Kirilloff are big question marks a/la Buxton in recent years.

[jorgenswest]

Not yet. If they trade Farmer his right handed bat will be helpful.

[MinnesotaTwins26]

Donovan Solano was a good fit for the Twins last year, but I don't see Minnesota needing his versatility nearly as much this year. Solano could provide valuable at DH as he slashed .282/.369/.391 one of the best offensive seasons of his career, but the Twins have other solid options on their starting lineup as well as in the minor leagues that could perform as well as Solano at DH. Defensively Solano has proven to be an above average defensive first baseman but with Alex Kirilloff coming back from injury, Jose Miranda possibly finding a comeback season, and free agent options in players like Rhys Hoskins, Carlos Santana, and Brandon Belt so I doubt the Twins will pursue re-signing Solano.

[PatPfund]

Right now, it should be a clear "no" for the reasons in the OP. 

BUT, as also pointed out, the roster is highly likely to stay as it is, and every trade of someone in the infield pool (Farmer, Polanco, Miranda, Julien, Lee, etc) makes a reunion more of a fit. 2 or 3 might even make it likely.

[DJL44]

3 hours ago, arby58 said:

If Brooks Lee and Austin Martin (with no big league experience and no performance at AA/AAA even close to Miranda's 2021) are in their plans, Miranda certainly should be.

None of those players should be in their plans (nor should Severino). They each need to earn their way onto the 26 man roster. They're also bad fits for a bench role. Starting Brooks Lee's clock to sit him on the bench and use him as a pinch hitter would be a waste of resources.

[HerbieFan]

Tough call.  I think organizationally, they're better off if Miranda returns to health and 2022 form so that he can platoon with Kiriloff at 1B and DH some..  Polanco can play 2B against lefties, maybe DH some to keep him healthy.  

[DJL44]

8 minutes ago, HerbieFan said:

I think organizationally, they're better off if Miranda returns to health and 2022 form so that he can platoon with Kiriloff at 1B and DH some

I agree it would be great, but I wouldn't bet my season on a player who struggled in AAA in 2023. Yunior Severino is probably ahead of Miranda in the current depth chart.

[HoskenPowell]

At present...NO

But keep in touch. Farmer / Polanco / Kepler / Kiroloff or Miranda any or all could be involved in trades for pitching. So lets say Miranda and Polanco are packaged together then there's a obvious place for him. or say Miranda and Farmer get packaged the same thing. Injuries could happen early in ST as well.

But otherwise there's to many people for the remaining seats.

[JD-TWINS]

6 hours ago, Fatbat said:

What do we do if there isn’t room for Donny B on the 26man?

Call someone that wants a cheap bat that can DH & play 3 other spots if needed……mix with another guy & make a trade.

[JD-TWINS]

6 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Not a very high ceiling for Donnie Barrels at this point and while he was versatile, he really wasn't good as a defender. He's a decent fallback option at a very reasonable price, but I'd rather roll the dice with Miranda and/or Martin than count on 36-year-old Donovan Solano to contribute in '24 (hey, that's this year!).

As another commenter stated … Miranda needs to hit his way back to the Show. Can’t roster him on 26 man & hope! Martin as a 1B option doesn’t add up……..have the option in hand v. seeking it when Miranda isn’t performing. 22% K rate and tons of experience and played 1B just fine in ‘23. Twins don’t need him to play 2-3 positions. Pinch hit - 1B - DH a little and we’re good.

[Brandon]

If they trade Polanco then yes.  if not they may not have enough playing time available.  

for the if we already have:

Killeroff/ Miranda

Polanco / Julien

Correa 

Lewis 

with Farmer as an all-round back up and Lee and Martin and Severino waiting in the minors.

Solano did win me over after his performance last year and I would love to have him back if the Twins feel they need another 1B option.  either way I hope he lands in a good spot regardless and continues his march towards 1000 career hits.

[tony&rodney]

No hurry to even worry about Solano as an option right now. 

[Althebum82]

Man, this is a great question.  I am only okay with pursuing him if one of the other names (Farmer?  Polanco?) is removed from the list of potential contributors to next season.  If another team signs him first, we are still going to be okay.

Interestingly, my perception was that he had good skills at first base,   Guess I need someone to help me understand the analytics for the criticism he is getting for defensive ability at his new primary position (for the past two years now) after being a second baseman most of his career.  

[Doctor Wu]

16 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

Tough call.  I think organizationally, they're better off if Miranda returns to health and 2022 form so that he can platoon with Kiriloff at 1B and DH some..  Polanco can play 2B against lefties, maybe DH some to keep him healthy.  

That was my thought too. It's a tough call. Solano ended up being a valuable player for the Twins last year, at least in his limited but versatile role. The guy can hit! But, as the original post noted, the Twins don't seem to have as big a need for his services this year than last. But also, as Tony&Rodney just posted, it's still relatively early (did I just say that?!) in the off season and depending on trades and players added and/or moved, the Twins might feel the need to sign him up again. Heck, last year he wasn't signed until the start of spring training, if I remember correctly, so he could still end up with the Twins again. And as much as I want to see the young prospects getting playing time, I also value Solano's experience.

[Trov]

Depending on what we do with Polanco will affect this move.  Also, if we make any trades using the depth we have.  I think the health of Buck will play a roll too.  If Buck is expected to be "healthy" then that means Martin will be more of 2nd base back up, than CF option.  Martin brings more on the bases.  Miranda is the big question mark.  If he is healthy and does anything close to what he did as a rookie, after his second call up, then he would be upgrade over Salano at plate.  

If health to Miranda and Buck are still an issue, I could see them wanting to bring Salano in for spring training, but assuring full roster spot at this point is not likely.  Salano will not be in high demand, but there will be teams willing to give him a shot of making a squad.