Offseason Handbook: Searching for Energy Guys Across the League - Caretaker Exclusive

[Hans Birkeland]

The Twins have plenty of guys who are good hitters. As the Yankees showed by giving themselves an atomic wedgie on baseball's biggest stage, however, sometimes you just need some ballplayers. Here are a few who might makes sense for the Twins.

Image courtesy of © Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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In my last piece for Twins Daily, I opined on the downfall of a lineup made up of passive swing technicians, which I summarized as being haunted by the ghost of J.D Drew. While I accept that my premise was hyperbolic to some degree, watching the Twins in 2024 would make any fan mourn for the days of Nick Punto, Carlos Gómez, or heck, even Otis Nixon. There are a few solutions in-house to fix this energy and speed deficit. First there is DaShawn Keirsey Jr, the speedy, tattooed outfielder the Twins have stashed at Triple-A for most of the least two years. Byron Buxton, of course, is an "action guy" for however many games he plays, and Royce Lewis certainly provided a lot of energy prior to his brutal three-month don't-call-it-a-slump to end the year. Today, I want to explore what sorts of external options are out there as the Twins tiptoe into the offseason, without leaving the metaphorical bat on their shoulder.

The first group I identified are both realistic (cheap), and perhaps exactly what the Twins need, as in hitters who are under no pressure to hit, but can help the team in other ways, namely with speed and energy. For fun, I listed the average sprint speed of all the players in question, per Baseball Savant.

• Zach McKinstry IF 28.4 f/s
• Jonny DeLuca OF 29.8 f/s
• Garrett Hampson IF/OF 29.8 f/s
• Amed Rosario IF 29.0 f/s
• Esteury Ruiz OF 29.4 f/s
• Edmundo Sosa IF 29.2 f/s
• Stuart Fairchild OF 29.1 f/s
• Travis Jankowski OF 28.5 f/s
• Cristian Pache OF 28.5 f/s
• Jake Cave OF 27.7 f/s

These guys are barely starting-caliber players, evenwith the platoon advantage. McKinstry is an excellent baserunner who led the league in how often, relative to an average baserunner, they tried to take an extra base, taking off 47% of the time when an average runner would have tried 26% of the time. Not only that, he was successful 26 of the 27 times he tried it. He can't hit, at all, but has defensive utility and has been a thorn in the Twins' side a few times for the Tigers.

Estuary Ruiz led the league in stolen bases in 2023 and spent time in the minors in 2024, after switching teams a few times as a high-profile prospect who scouts worried wouldn't hit. So far, they've been right, but he is just 25. Amed Rosario had some big moments against the Twins, hit .280 last year and is still just 28. Garrett Hampson had a big clutch hit for the Royals and was 3-3 with three RBIs this postseason. He can run, but couldn’t hit even when he called Coors Field home. A Cave redemption arc where there is no pressure on him to hit, only to play hard and fire the team up would, as they say, feed families.

And that’s the appeal of these guys. You won’t expect them to hit, and those are precisely the conditions under which one of these guys can provide a high amount of excess value.

My pick: Jankowski is Dan Gladden redux, and after a poor year in Texas, he won’t cost much more than Gladden did in his heyday.

Next are the middle ground—guys who had enough established value that their teams won't just give them up for nothing. Some are slightly expensive. Others are cheaper, but with upside far beyond what the cheapest group can provide:

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[LambchoP]

Guys that can't hit are NOT what we need. We've got to get more athletic and clean up our defense. I think Keirsey Jr would help in defense and speed in the OF. The question is whether he can hit enough to warrant a roster spot. Twins will always need a CF to play at least half the season as Buxton insurance.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Some of these guys could be helpful, but I worry that we are overreacting to this past season’s team.  Yes, there were certainly times when some additional team speed would have been good to have, but if the hitters hit, there is much less problem with that.  I’m supportive of more team speed but I don’t just want to go out there to get guys who “battle their tails off” but can’t actually hit.  

[old nurse]

Speed and energy guys are of no use if they don’t get on base. They are under more pressure to hit, not less 

[bean5302]

Found you an energy guy. Name's Royce Lewis.

[KnoblauchWasFramed]

"Energy Guy" is Gen Z language for "Dumpster Diving Find"  

[DocBauer]

Castro is a "ballplayer". And he also offers some speed. Oh, he can also hit, where many/most on the list above can't hit, or barely hit.

Why sign or trade for anyone else's "speed' guy who can't hit when we already have athletic, speed guys in Helman and Keirsey who haven't been given a real shot yet to see if they might actually be able to hit at the ML level? Maybe they will and maybe they won't.  For them not to have been given a legitimate look yet is inexcusable. My goodness, they were drafted by this FO. And then when they reach AAA and do well they're ignored?

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, old nurse said:

Speed and energy guys are of no use if they don’t get on base. They are under more pressure to hit, not less 

Speed and energy guys who get on base are expensive. I presume this article is grounded in the reality that large outlays of cash simply aren't planned, this off-season.

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, ashbury said:

Speed and energy guys who get on base are expensive. I presume this article is grounded in the reality that large outlays of cash simply aren't planned, this off-season.

The couple that I looked at on the list were awe inspiring. It takes a lot of hubris to think they would be helpfull for the team. Helman and Kiersten are still both on the 40 man. There are your cheap speed and energy.   They could do worse than the listed players, but they have not yet had the chance to prove it. Had the FO thought they were not better than their September call up they would have been designated.