Futures Game Preview: Twins Rising Prospect Hopes to Be the Next Dustin Pedroia

[Cody Christie]

MLB’s Futures Game allows for baseball’s top prospects to garner attention on the national stage. Who are the Twins sending, and why has he been one of the team’s fastest-rising prospects?

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge

The 2024 MLB Futures Game will be held on Saturday, July 13, at 3 PM CT and will be available to watch on MLB Network, MLB.TV, MLB.com, or the MLB app. It’s the 25th annual event, which has featured some of the best prospects in Twins history. Brooks Lee was scheduled to be the Twins representative, but his call-up to the big leagues forced a change. Instead, the Twins are sending another infield prospect whose stock is skyrocketing. 

Luke Keaschall shares many similarities with former Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia, a player he hopes to emulate professionally. Both players attended Arizona State University, played multiple infield positions, and can be seen as more diminutive in stature. Keaschall started his college career at the University of San Francisco before joining ASU for his junior season. He put himself on many team’s draft radars by hitting .353/.443/.725 (1.168) with 25 doubles and 18 home runs in 55 games. Based on this performance, Minnesota was excited that he fell to the organization in last season’s draft. 

The Twins selected Keaschall with the 49th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Minnesota quickly signed him for $1.5 million and sent him to the FCL to get his first taste of pro ball before heading to a full-season league. Most of his at-bats came with Low-A Fort Myers, where he went 21-for-72 (.292 BA) with ten extra-base hits and a 20-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Minnesota bumped him to Cedar Rapids for the stretch run since they were in the hunt for the Midwest League playoffs. He hit 10-for-32 (.313 BA) in eight games, with two doubles and two home runs. In the deciding game, he reached base twice, drove in a run, and scored a run. It was a strong debut for him to build on for the 2024 season. 

“I work my tail off in the weight room,” Keaschall said. “At the end of the day, I'm still growing, I'm still maturing, I'm still getting bigger and stronger and better at the game and refining my swing and mechanics. I think just over time, becoming a better baseball player, maturing a little bit more.”

Minnesota had Keaschall begin this season in Cedar Rapids, since he had limited at-bats at that level to end last season. He was a monster in the Kernels lineup, hitting .335/.457/.544 (1.001) with 12 doubles and seven home runs in 44 games. At the end of May, the Twins promoted him to Double-A, where he was nearly 3.5 years younger than the average age of the competition at that level. In his first 38 games, he is hitting over .300 while getting on base over 40% of the time. His surface numbers don’t tell the whole story about what he brings to the team. 

He worked on his swing during the winter to have a better line-drive approach by hunting for pitches in the zone that he can drive for power. His professional approach has allowed him to accumulate nearly as many walks (51) as strikeouts (66). Among minor league players with at least 300 plate appearances, his wRC+ ranked in the top five. He’s also been a threat on the bases by going 19-for-23 in stolen base attempts. 

Defensively, Keaschall was drafted as a second baseman, but the Twins are giving him opportunities to play in the outfield and even some first base. During the 2024 season, he made 20 starts at second base and 16 at center field. Last winter, he went to Driveline to have them help him work on his arm action, which has helped him transition to a more regular outfield role. 

Even with his college experience, Keaschall has been promoted aggressively by the Twins while continuing to perform well. He’s only had 18 plate appearances against younger pitchers and is the first player from the team’s 2023 draft class to be promoted to Double-A. The Twins may have found a steal in the second round, especially if Keaschall can continue to follow in Pedroia’s footsteps.

What stands out most about Keaschall’s start to his career? Where does he rank among the team’s top prospects? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

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[JD-TWINS]

I do not follow the prospects well enough to know where he ranks (gotta be toward top 10 with a bullet) - the obvious numbers that stand out are the capability to hit .300 plus at all 3 stops so far as well as his ability to work for base on balls.

[Karbo]

I wonder if Keaschall's outstanding start puts Julian on the trading block?

[tony&rodney]

Keaschall takes good at bats and usually gets in at least one really wicked swing per plate appearance.  

I'm hoping that Emmanuel Rodriguez returns soon to hit behind Keaschall, which should be a strong duo together in the lineup. 

[DJL44]

He would need to get a LOT better at defense at 2B to resemble Pedroia. And shrink 3 inches.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Karbo said:

I wonder if Keaschall's outstanding start puts Julian on the trading block?

If Keaschall makes any player redundant it is Austin Martin.

[wabene]

I just don't understand why Keaschall keeps getting compared to the much smaller Tanner Schobel and now Pedroia. The guy is listed at 6'0" 190, but one look at him in his current form and he is easily a very ripped 200 plus lbs. That is not diminutive. That is a tall NFL running back.

Anyway I need to just let go because it does not matter, lol. Keaschall is who I am watching and he may be on the same track as Lee. We'll see him next year then at this pace.

[LambchoP]

Keaschal has been real fun to follow and although this is his rookie year, he sure seems like the real deal. Glad the twins are having him learn multiple positions so that when he does get to the show, they'll have options for where they can play him. Hopefully we can keep him healthy:)

[Karbo]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

If Keaschall makes any player redundant it is Austin Martin.

maybe, but Martin plays OF more, and Julian would probably bring more in a trade IMO.

[Brandon]

The Twins are manufacturing 2B for our competition.  We get to pick the one we want to keep and trade for pitchers.  Let’s see we developed Steer, Polanco, Austin Martin, Julien, Keaschal, Lee, Miranda can play 2B as can Lewis.  Schoebel is also on his way up.  Am I missing anyone?

[Jocko87]

26 minutes ago, Brandon said:

The Twins are manufacturing 2B for our competition.  We get to pick the one we want to keep and trade for pitchers.  Let’s see we developed Steer, Polanco, Austin Martin, Julien, Keaschal, Lee, Miranda can play 2B as can Lewis.  Schoebel is also on his way up.  Am I missing anyone?

It will continue this way. I believe strongly their philosophy is draft up the middle talented hitters  and let them fall down the defensive spectrum as needed.  You can never have too many shortstop prospects.  A pick like Sobato better hit, as he has no other option.

I fear/hope it will cause a reckoning on the Twins beat one day.  They are no longer a draft and develop organization. They are asset development based, which will include a lot of trades. Eventually "the one who got away" articles will dry up. I hope. I wish them all well, but not too well, in their new organizations.

[SaberNerd]

Keaschall's rise this season rivals Zebby's.  There is probably a bit more power left, and he will likely need a good chunk of time to be ready defensively, but he looks like he will be a really good player when he's ready and could probably hold his own offensively right now.

Right now, he's probably the teams 4th or 5th best prospect, with him vs Zebby being personal preference.  Baseball America had him ranked 48th overall in their most recent ranking.

[JD-TWINS]

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

The Twins are manufacturing 2B for our competition.  We get to pick the one we want to keep and trade for pitchers.  Let’s see we developed Steer, Polanco, Austin Martin, Julien, Keaschal, Lee, Miranda can play 2B as can Lewis.  Schoebel is also on his way up.  Am I missing anyone?

I think you’re adding?

I saw Vazquez play 2B last year for a couple innings as well.

Miranda might play 2B if somebody breaks their wrist for part of a game but I can’t even imagine how that might happen.

I love what I read about Keaschall and his development physically & as a multi-position player! He’s in AA though, might want to pump the brakes. I think Lee played there twice in St. paul?

Martin - Lewis - Lee are all SS that can play the other positions on the dirt, we’re all assuming.

I live in Cincinnati, and yes, Steer can play 2B. He’s played SS a handful of games last year as well. Usually in LF this year with the glut of infielders the Reds have. He played 1B last night. He’s their version of Castro. 3B is his best infield position. 

Severino & Martin can cover 2B going forward with some help from or maybe even anchored by Castro?

Polanco’s gone - trade Julien in a package with another AAA bat and a A ball prospect for an arm. Kirilloff’s available as well. Schobiel and another guy or two in a second package. Give Tampa Bay a call for an arm.

Keaschall will be on the Club next September or will be worth more in trade this time next year. He seems to have a spot somewhere on the Roster in ‘26 at this point!

[DocBauer]

Agreed he is NOT Pedroia. He's much bigger in height and muscle, soni really don't get the comparison.

He turns 22yo in a couple of days and is already at AA after being drafted last season, and is almost ready for AAA thr way he mashes and sees the ball. I'm hoping he gets a cup of coffee there at least this season, but that's where he'll undoubtedly begin 2025.

He played a lot of SS in college, but it's my understanding he's just not a real SS at this level, and his arm might not be strong enough for 3B, which explains him not playing there at this point. But range and arm strength both good enough for LF and CF on addition to 2B. I like the idea of him working at 1B as well. Why not? It just increases his value to thr team to be able to mix and match the best lineups possible.

I scratched my head a little when he was drafted. I know you don't draft for need necessarily in the ML draft, but I didn't expect a 2B/athlete type that early. Boy am I glad now they rolled with their gut and just tool thr best guy avaulable.