Longest-Tenured Minnesota Twins Players... For a Little Longer

[Seth Stohs]

For at least two more days, Max Kepler will be the longest-tenured Minnesota Twins player. When the World Series ends, there will be a new player at the top of this list. In fact, several of these players will become free agents. If nothing else, let's acknowledge them for their years in the Twins organization. 

Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Two World Series games are already complete. In theory, the World Series could be over as early as Tuesday night. If it needs to go to a Game 7, it would be on Friday night. 

When the World Series is over, players eligible to become free agents will become free agents. That's true of both major-league and minor-league players. The player being talked about the most by Twins fans along those lines is Max Kepler. The 31-year-old outfielder has literally been a member of the Twins organization for more than half of his life. 

As it relates to this article, there will be a new player atop the list of the longest-tenured players in the Twins organization. That's not to say the longest in the big leagues. No, in the organization. When did the player sign with the Twins (or were acquired by the Twins via trade, free agency, etc.)? 

I think it's important to recognize players that give such a long time to the Twins organization. Kepler got a nice bonus, He spent parts of 10 seasons in the big leagues. He earned a long-term contract. He ranks in the Top 20 in many, if not most, offensive categories in Twins history. But when you read the list below, you just might be surprised by several of the names of players who have given a lot of years to the organization. 

In reality, below you will find quick blurbs on the 12 players with the longest tenure in the Twins organization, at least for a few more days. The #10 spot is covered by three players that signed on the same day. 

And yes, this list will change fairly significantly at the end of the World Series. So let's give these players their due today. 

THE TOP 10 LONGEST-TENURED TWINS 
#10a, 10b, 10c - Wilfri Castro, Danny Moreno, Miguel Rodriguez - 7/3/17 
The Twins signed three players on the second day that they could sign international players. Actually they signed several more players, but these are the three players who have remained in the Twins organization. 

Wilfri Castro played primarily behind the plate and was the definition of an organizational player. He played in the DSL in 2018 and 2019. He played in the FCL in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This year, he got into 22 games with Low-A Fort Myers. 

Danny Moreno fought a lot of injuries. He also had some really good stuff, so it’s worth keeping a guy around. He pitched in the DSL in 2018. He pitched in the GCL/FCL in 2019, 2021, and 2022. He spent the past two seasons with Low-A Fort Myers. Early this season, he was touching 96 mph. At the end of the season, he was topping out around 94 mph.

Miguel Rodriguez is a guy that, at times, was an intriguing pitching prospect. He was a starter early in his career, but the past two seasons he has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen. He was fantastic in 2023 at Cedar Rapids. He posted a 2.85 ERA and had 14 saves. He also had a strikeout per innings. He ended last season at Wichita and was there all of 2024. In 50 total Double-A games, he went 4-9 with a 4.73 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. He had 66 strikeouts, but 26 walks, in 59 innings. He’s already 25, but he might be a guy the Twins consider trying to bring back this offseason. 

#9 - With their 12th round pick in 2017, the Twins selected Bailey Ober out of the College of Charleston. He signed with the organization on June 22, 2017. An All American as a freshman, he had Tommy John surgery and missed his sophomore season. It took time for him to come back which allowed the Twins to draft him when they did. The Twins were also very patient with him because of the injury concerns. But when he pitched, he was great. In 2019, he made 13 starts and went 8-0 with a 0.69 ERA. In 78 2/3 innings, he had 100 strikeouts to just nine walks. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020. So it was somewhat surprising that he was called up to the Twins early in the 2021 season and made 20 starts as a rookie. He made just 11 starts in 2022 due to injury, but it was a leg injury. He took off in 2023. He was 8-6 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts. He had 146 strikeouts in 144 1/3 innings. In 2024, he had 191 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings over 31 starts.     

#8 - Based on their play in 2016, the Twins earned the #1 overall pick in the 2017 draft. The Twins were thrilled to select Royce Lewis with the top pick out of JSerra Catholic High School in California. He signed with the team on June 17, 2017. He homered in his first professional at-bat in the GCL and ended that season in Cedar Rapids. He spent about two-thirds of the next season with the Kernels before ending that season in Fort Myers. Lewis’s career has been filled with ups and downs. He was at the alternate site in 2020, and then he missed the 2021 season with a torn ACL. He returned in 2021 and even played a dozen games in the big leagues. Unfortunately, he tore the ACL again and missed another year of playing time. In 12 big-league games he hit .300 with two homers. In 58 games in 2023, he hit .309 with 15 homers. This season, he homered in his first at-bat, but then he got hurt and missed about two months. He started out fast but struggled down the stretch. He ended the year hitting .233 with 16 doubles and 16 homers, and he will be a major factor in the Twins lineup for years to come.   

Here is an interesting reference point.  Derek Falvey was named the Twins President of Baseball Operations in October 2016). He named Thad Levine as the team’s GM a month later. 

#7 - This one might surprise a lot of people. Outfielder Jeferson Morales signed with the Twins way back on October 6, 2016. He debuted in the DSL in 2018. He moved to the GCL in 2019. After the lost 2020 season, he spent most of the 2021 season with Fort Myers before ending the season with Cedar Rapids. He spent most of 2022 and 2023 with the Kernels. He could have become a minor-league free agent last offseason but very quickly signed to stay with the Twins. This season, he made the move up to Wichita. In 88 games, he hit .278/.356/.431 (.787) with 21 doubles and nine homers. He earned the opportunity to finish the season with about a month in St. Paul. In 17 games, he hit a robust .359/.433/.585 (1.018) with seven doubles, a triple, and a home run. When the World Series ends, he will have the opportunity to be a free agent again. Will he return? 

#6 - In 2016, Jose Miranda was the Twins third of four high school hitters drafted in the first two rounds. Alex Kirilloff and Ben Rortvedt were drafted ahead of him, and Akil Baddoo was drafted one pick after Miranda. The Puerto Rican signed on June 23, 2016. His progress through the minor leagues started slowly, one level per year. However, when he returned after the lost Covid year of 2020, he was a new and improved player. He dominated in the minors and in 2022 he made his MLB debut. As we have seen with others, he has certainly had ups and downs since being called to the big leagues, and he has had a few injuries as well.         

#4b - Alex Kirilloff was the 15th overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Plum High School, in Pittsburgh. He signed on June 21, 2016. He’s had a bit of a roller coaster career. He’s fought a lot of injuries, from Tommy John in his first full season to a ton of wrist injuries the past four or five seasons. At times, he has shown the offensive prowess that made him a Top 10 prospect in baseball. He’s second-year arbitration eligible this year and it isn’t as easy of a decision as we would have hoped.     

#4a - In the third round of the 2016 draft, the Twins made Griffin Jax the highest-drafted player from the US Air Force Academy. He signed on June 21, 2016. He was only able to pitch for a couple of weeks that season and the next. He came up as a starting pitcher in 2021, and in 2022, he spent the season in the bullpen. The past two seasons, he has literally been one of the best relief pitchers in MLB.       

#3 - You just might have forgotten about this guy. Lefty Jovani Moran had Tommy John surgery following the 2023 season but soon after signed a two-year minor-league deal to remain in the organization. With his ability to get swings and misses, he could jump back into the Twins bullpen in 2025 and be a huge factor… depending upon when and how he returns. Moran is the last remaining member of the Twins 2015 draft class. The 27-year-old was the Twins seventh-round pick from the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy and signed on July 9, 2015. If he comes back, can he get back to 2022 form (2.21 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 4.0 BB/9, 12.0 K/9) or will we get closer to the likely injured 2023 season (.5.31 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 5.7 K/9, 10.2 K/9)? 

#2 - The Twins were not a good baseball team in 2011 and truly earned the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. As you know, the Astros selected shortstop Carlos Correa with the first pick. The Twins selected prep outfielder Byron Buxton with the next pick and signed him on June 13, 2012. In the minors, he was once a minor-league player of the year, and twice the #1 overall prospect in the game. He made his debut in June of 2015. He was 21, and really wasn’t ready, but he filled a need.   

In 2017, Buxton not only won the Gold Glove award, but he was named the Platinum Glove winner as the top defensive player in all of baseball. The assumption was he’d have several more Gold Gloves, but since that season (when he played 140 games), he has played in more than 60 games in center field just twice (2019 and 2024). Injuries are part of the story over Buxton’s career, but when he is in the lineup, generally speaking, he performs at a very high level. Since 2019, he has posted an OPS over .800 five of the six seasons. In 772 games with the Twins, he’s got a .780 OPS. He has hit 157 doubles, 24 triples and 133 homers. He is signed through the 2028 season. 

#1 – On July 11th, 2009, the Twins signed highly-regarded German outfielder Max Kepler. At the time, he was just 16 years old and he finished up high school in his first offseason. Now 31, Kepler has literally spent more than half of his life as a member of the Minnesota Twins organization. While his six-year, $41.13 million contract has run out, and he will become a free agent when the World Series is complete, for now he remains in the #1 spot on this list.   

His big-league career began late in the 2015 season. He played in three games after leading the Chattanooga Lookouts to a Double-A Southern League championship. His first hit came on the final day of the season, a single off of Johnny Cueto. Over the next nine seasons, he played in 1,069 more games and hit 205 doubles and 161 home runs. For his career, he posted a .318 on-base percentage and a .429 slugging percentage. He scored 554 runs and drove in 508 runs. His best year was in 2019 when he hit .252 with 32 doubles, 36 homers and 90 RBI. 

While Kepler is likely to go to another organization, and if healthy, he could play another five to eight years. And a few years after he retires, he will join the Twins Hall of Fame. 

 

So there you have it, the players in the Twins organization who have been in the system the longest, consecutively. I’ll guess that at least a couple of the names may not surprise you. I’m certain that you wouldn’t have guessed all 12 players on this list. I wouldn’t have. 

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Who is Next? 
#13 - Randy Dobnak - 7/28/17
#14 - Carlos Aguiar - 9/19/17
#15 - Yunior Severino - 12/8/2017 
#16a-d - Kody Funderburk, DaShawn Keirsey, Ryan Jeffers, Chris Williams - 6/13/2018 
#20 - Josh Winder - 6/18/2018  

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[Fezig]

Now that MLB has disallowed the shift Kepler has a chance at playing some meaningful years...for someone else.

[Doctor Wu]

You are right, Seth. Moran is certainly a player I HAD totally forgotten about. If he's healthy and can contribute to the bullpen that will be a big plus for the Twins next season. 

[dxpavelka]

Won't miss Kepler.  Until he's gone.

 

[rv78]

Now we know why the Twins have been average or worse for so long. Not one superstar in the whole bunch.

[LambchoP]

I always liked Kepler, but it's time to move on. We've got lots of OF prospects making their way up the ladder. Jenkins, Rosario, Rodriguez, Mccusker, Eeles, Keaschal, Martin, Keirsey.... I will say we will miss Kepler's defense in RF. Wallner has a cannon, but nowhere near the range or experience Kepler brought.

[David Maro]

Hopefully Moran can become a pitcher not a thrower like before.It has been said he has great stuff,but no control.There was a game I remember he was brought in to mop up and he failed.He walked the bases loaded when the score was 12-5 the Twins.

Like many of the players named it is  time for them to start showing their ready to contribute or not.

[Blyleven2011]

You really think Kepler  will get in the twins hall of fame ???

[Seth Stohs]

13 minutes ago, David Maro said:

Hopefully Moran can become a pitcher not a thrower like before.It has been said he has great stuff,but no control.There was a game I remember he was brought in to mop up and he failed.He walked the bases loaded when the score was 12-5 the Twins.

Like many of the players named it is  time for them to start showing their ready to contribute or not.

Pretty much every reliever with any extended time in the big leagues has had a failed game or several. 

That said, yes, the key to Moran's success is his ability to throw strikes. When he throws strikes, he can be incredibly dominant with a good fastball and great changeup. That will continue to be the question mark around him after Tommy John. 

[Seth Stohs]

16 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

You really think Kepler  will get in the twins hall of fame ???

Yes. Maybe. 

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

You really think Kepler  will get in the twins hall of fame ???

 

1 hour ago, Seth Stohs said:

Yes. Maybe. 

Did some numbers on that not too long ago. It probably depends on what Kepler does after his career is over since he didn't win any major awards, and wasn't part of a World Series team or anything like that. He's in that Koskie, Dozier, Smalley range for production; none of whom are HoF'ers for the Twins right now. He's also in striking distance of Justin Morneau, but Morneau was a superstar with the Twins where he won an MVP, and he was a fan favorite in addition to being been heavily involved with the Twins since his retirement. Torii Hunter is well above Kepler in production, in addition to being the face of the franchise for quite a while, and that's before he came back for a swan song, and got involved with the team post-retirement as well.

If Kepler just rides off into the sunset, which seems more in line with his personality he's shown so far, I'd say he's a long shot. If he comes back to the Twins in a major capacity post retirement, he'll likely get in.

[Seth Stohs]

11 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

 

Did some numbers on that not too long ago. It probably depends on what Kepler does after his career is over since he didn't win any major awards, and wasn't part of a World Series team or anything like that. He's in that Koskie, Dozier, Smalley range for production; none of whom are HoF'ers for the Twins right now. He's also in striking distance of Justin Morneau, but Morneau was a superstar with the Twins where he won an MVP, and he was a fan favorite in addition to being been heavily involved with the Twins since his retirement. Torii Hunter is well above Kepler in production, in addition to being the face of the franchise for quite a while, and that's before he came back for a swan song, and got involved with the team post-retirement as well.

If Kepler just rides off into the sunset, which seems more in line with his personality he's shown so far, I'd say he's a long shot. If he comes back to the Twins in a major capacity post retirement, he'll likely get in.

My initial thought was Yes. Then the name that popped into my head was Jacque Jones, who also isn't in. The three names you mentioned... they all should be in the Twins HOF, Smalley first and foremost. But yeah, Kepler would fit in with that group. 

[jmlease1]

2 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

Pretty much every reliever with any extended time in the big leagues has had a failed game or several. 

That said, yes, the key to Moran's success is his ability to throw strikes. When he throws strikes, he can be incredibly dominant with a good fastball and great changeup. That will continue to be the question mark around him after Tommy John. 

It will be very interesting to see how Moran pitches when he's back on the mound and when he actually starts really throwing. not unusual for pitchers to throw even harder after the procedure, but the real (only?) issue for Moran is whether he can locate his stuff consistently enough. Love his changeup. he's always going to walk some guys, but he also has the stuff where it doesn't necessarily matter that much if he puts a couple of guys on from time to time. A reliever can be a bit wilder than a starter and still be very effective when they have K-rates like Moran. Really hope he comes back in good shape.

[JBK]

The writer is way too kind. Max has been good, and sometimes great (2019), but he is not Twins HoF worthy.

[Johnny Ringo]

From what I hear, Max is already in the HOF with the ladies.

[Seth Stohs]

On 10/28/2024 at 1:37 PM, JBK said:

The writer is way too kind. Max has been good, and sometimes great (2019), but he is not Twins HoF worthy.

I am a pretty nice guy...