3 Twins In "No Man's Land" Headed Into 2025

[Cody Pirkl]

As one might expect following a historic collapse, several Twins players have big question marks heading into 2025. A few names will likely give the Twins front office a headache as they project how to move forward.

Image courtesy of Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Twins don’t have an easy task this offseason as they try to return to contention under a strict budget. Making matters more difficult are several of their players whose futures are particularly murky. These players have shown tremendous upside, but it's also clear that at their worst, they don't even belong in the big leagues. Here are three players on the roster who find themselves in no man’s land headed into 2025.

Edouard Julien
Julien burst onto the scene as a rookie and looked like a potentially elite piece of the next great Twins team. Pairing plate discipline with power, Julien showed flashes of being one of the best-hitting second basemen in all of baseball through his first 400 plate appearances. Then it all fell apart.

Julien never found his footing in 2024. His disciplined plate approach became his biggest weakness, as opposing pitchers discovered they could fill the strike zone while the bat remained on Julien’s shoulder. At times, Julien appeared more interested in walking than doing damage at the plate. He led the league in strikeouts looking, despite spending much of the season in St. Paul. He slashed an untenable .199/.292/.323, which was 20% below league average. Even his defense seemed to regress down the stretch, as he seemed to take his tough at-bats into the field with him.

As one would expect following such a disappointing season, Julien has no guaranteed starting spot in 2025. Given the Twins’ glut of options in the infield, they’ll likely prioritize other players at second base, such as Brooks Lee or Royce Lewis. Julien may be shifted to first base out of necessity, where the bar to clear to be a helpful hitter will be much higher. His career will sink or swim with his offensive contributions, and in 2025, he’ll have to work his way back into the Twins' long-term plans.

José Miranda
The 2024 campaign was a strong bounceback season for Miranda, who suffered through an injury-riddled 2023 season. His final slash line of .284/.322/.441 was a pleasant surprise, but how he got there left plenty of questions for the Twins to ask moving forward.

Miranda has always been a streaky hitter, and his resurgent season was a tale of two halves. His .888 OPS in the first half of the season was a big reason the Twins were in the thick of the division race. Unfortunately, his .543 OPS in the second half was a big reason they fell out of it. Miranda had back problems flare up partway through the season, and it felt like he was never the same upon his return.

Like Julien, Miranda’s primary position in 2025 may be first base. His first-half performance would be more than adequate for the position, but the Twins may be concerned with the likelihood of those numbers sustaining themselves over a full season of regular playing time. Due to his plate approach and injury history, the team likely can’t rely on Miranda as a regular impact contributor. Miranda is a good bet to come up with some big performances in 2025, but it felt like he came up short of earning a place in the everyday lineup moving forward, and now his defensive fit will be a question mark, as well.

Jorge Alcalá
Like Miranda, Alcalá’s total body of work in 2024 has to be considered an enormous success. After years of injury, he threw 58 innings with a 3.24 ERA and supporting peripherals. He also fell apart down the stretch, leaving plenty of question marks heading into 2025.

Alcalá averaged 98 miles per hour on his fastball in 2024 and still had his wicked slider. It’s possible his inning count just wore him down in his first entire season in years, but his 9.90 ERA in August was a significant factor in the Twins' collapse. Alcalá’s implosion against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 18 is often referred to as the tipping point of the season, and he tumbled down the bullpen hierarchy amidst several more poor outings down the stretch.

Making matters more complicated is that the Twins do not appear to be believers in Alcalá. If their questionable usage of him for years before wasn’t enough, they demoted him in September to claim Cole Irvin off waivers. They used Irvin in high-leverage spots in what was likely the twilight of his MLB career, instead of sticking with Alcalá. He returned to throw just under 10 innings in September and allowed only two runs. Hopefully, his strong finish to the season is a sign of another solid season in 2025. Still, knowing what to expect from him is hard, especially given his shaky standing in the organization.

The Twins might have a more manageable offseason if they had a better idea of what these three players can contribute in 2025. Are there any other players on the roster that fit this description? Let us know below!

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[RpR]

Julien should follow the path of Garlick , play some where else or as he is now stay in AAA.

He never looked like more than an average player, at best, with holes in his glove.

Miranda , like Wallner , I would bet,  will be here for quite some time.

[DJL44]

If the Twins don't believe in Alcala he could be pretty good trade bait.

[thelanges5]

 

[jmlease1]

I'm confused by how the Twins seem to think of Alcala, who has a ton of talent and now that he's healthy has the tools to be a shut down flamethrower in the back of the bullpen. But there seems to be some attitude or mental discipline things going on there that we sort of hear rumors about the team being unhappy about but it rarely seems to get into specifics. Maybe he's the million dollar arm/5 cent head guy. or maybe they just need to settle him in a role as a late inning, 1 inning reliever and let him cook, instead mucky around with 2 inning stretches.

The August 18 meltdown was pretty bad, but it happened so fast that they probably couldn't get anyone up in time to stop the bleeding when it quickly because obvious that Alcala didn't have it that day, coming off 1 day of rest. but even with that hellacious outing, he still had a very solid season.

he shouldn't be in no-man's land: he should be looked at being right with Sands as the guys right behind Duran and Jax. But maybe some of the other stuff is impacting that in ways we don't really know?

[nicksaviking]

I do like that Julien's struggles are due to inaction, instead of failure of action. It's quite possible he can't be helped, but I'd think making him actually swing is an easier fix than the alternative. If they're working on it, I'd guess it will be evident immediately so his status in the organization should be one of the easiest to identify early in the year, or even early in spring training.

[Trov]

Alcala is not a super high leverage type guy right now, but he has possibilities.  He pitched in 54 games. He gave up runs in 15 of them, for a 75% of his outings he gave up no runs. 13 of his 54 games was for more than 1 inning.  11 where for less than 1 inning.  Of those 11 only 3 were games where he gave up a run.  Without doing the full deep dive, he did allow 7 of the 25 inherited runners score. 

He has shown he can be a reliable okay relief guy but you are not going to give him the ball in high leverage stuff often. 

[tony&rodney]

20 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm confused by how the Twins seem to think of Alcala, who has a ton of talent and now that he's healthy has the tools to be a shut down flamethrower in the back of the bullpen. But there seems to be some attitude or mental discipline things going on there that we sort of hear rumors about the team being unhappy about but it rarely seems to get into specifics. Maybe he's the million dollar arm/5 cent head guy. or maybe they just need to settle him in a role as a late inning, 1 inning reliever and let him cook, instead mucky around with 2 inning stretches.

The August 18 meltdown was pretty bad, but it happened so fast that they probably couldn't get anyone up in time to stop the bleeding when it quickly because obvious that Alcala didn't have it that day, coming off 1 day of rest. but even with that hellacious outing, he still had a very solid season.

he shouldn't be in no-man's land: he should be looked at being right with Sands as the guys right behind Duran and Jax. But maybe some of the other stuff is impacting that in ways we don't really know?

This is what I see as well. Alcala should be a one inning weapon with a clearly defined role. If this isn't going to happen then it would be very easy to find a team who values Alcala. 

The blowup was a bad day but as I watched that I wondered something .... (and this is my first Rocco complaint ever despite not being a big fan of his style) .... where was the pitching coach and manager. It was clear Alcala had to be pulled. There was time. That has already been discussed ad infinitum. The manager takes the blame for that brain spasm.

Julien and Miranda are so inconsistent. They would have more success on teams with dissimilar personnel. The Twins are loaded with players who have stiff gloves, run like joggers, and are inexperienced, yet still have talent. Both Miranda and Julien deserve to be in the major leagues but need a correct place/team. The best days for each may have colored the eyes of management and made it tough to move forward without giving both another shot. I just wonder what value these two would have for another team. It seems like Seattle or Arizona are fits. 

[chpettit19]

Julien's approach has never been his problem, his inability to hit non-fastballs has. His swing path is way too steep and unless he can change that he's likely never going to be an above average major leaguer. That is what big league teams figured out about him. He can't hit breaking pitches so he doesn't swing at them. Then he got beat by fastballs a little more this year because he was so focused on the breaking stuff. 

He got 54.5% fastballs in 2023 and murdered them (.299 BA and .537 slug). Only got 50.1% fastballs in 2024 and struggled a little more (.253 BA and .433 slug). Struggled to make contact with anything that wasn't a fastball either year 43.6% whiff rate on breaking balls in 2023, 40.3% whiff rate on offspeed pitches. 41.3% whiff rate on breaking balls in 2024 and 42.9% whiff rate on offspeed pitches. Whiff rates of 20.5% and 22.6% on fastballs in 2023 and 2024. Overall whiff rates of 30.9% in 2023 and 29.1% in 2024 both worse than the 25% league average because he can't hit non-fastballs. His swing is his problem, not his approach. Not swinging at pitches you can't hit isn't a bad approach. Not being able to hit pitches is a problem, though.

[mikelink45]

I like this essay - I cannot read the trade dreams that appear regularly.  This is a very interesting trio.  Alcala has been mishandled in my mind. They have seen that he is not a multi-innings guy nor can he pitch two days in a row, but still they used him that way.  I am not sure if either the team or Alcala can overcome the bias that seems to exist.  No wonder he appears in the trade projections I don't like.

Miranda is a puzzle.  Unlike Julien he was not consistently bad, but his Jekyll and Hyde stats are worrisome.  I had a lot of expectations for him (Julien too).  Julien went into the worst of sophomore slumps, but Miranda teases with big performances and terrible droughts. Neither of these two can really be counted on for regular contributions and I keep seeing them listed at 1B.  

This makes me wonder why no one seems to have confidence to give McCusker a shot at least as a part time 1B. Or start looking at Larnach for 1B.  

[Muppet]

Borgschulte for 2025 team MVP. Hopefully he'll fix up this group of ruffians (except for Alcala). 

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Another article that probably could have included 3 more players...

Other than injuries, inconsistency has been the best word to describe Twins players over the last few years.  Up one day, down the next.  Stretches of brilliance, then huge droughts.  I am waiting to see if the team decides they want them to be a relied upon regular in the lineup.   

[stringer bell]

To paraphrase Yogi—90% of baseball is half mental. Confidence seems to trump mechanics for hitting and pitching. All three guys have looked like stars, lost confidence and flailed in the past two years. 
 

If the Twins coaches can be gurus who unlock peak performance of several players, they will have earned their salaries. 

[bean5302]

Tough to count on Julien, but even Julien hit better than Brooks Lee. At least one of the two should start the season in St. Paul, but neither is needed on the 26 man if the Twins keep Castro.

I'd like to see Lee and Julien hit well for 200+ PA at AAA before calling their names. Of course, having a young player be healthy for 200 PA for the Twins is a near miracle in and of itself these days...

[Linus]

I would add Larnach and to a certain extent Lewis and Wallner. Lee still deserves some slack but the rest of these guys gotta step up especially because they don’t offer much on the bases or with the glove. 
Of all of these guys Julien is the one who starts in AAA. His great 3 months his rookie year was based on a 371 babip. Last year is more typical of what he represents. 

[OBX 3 6 28 29 34]

I would ask for patience, coaching, building confidence during the offseason and let's see how they respond.

[Parfigliano]

12 hits in a row even with the number of games really pumps a guys BA/OBP

[tony&rodney]

1 hour ago, Parfigliano said:

12 hits in a row even with the number of games really pumps a guys BA/OBP

Well, he did it which is significant. But perhaps you are thinking of looking at the hitter minus that one short stretch, which may be worthwhile.

[Doctor Gast]

Our problem isn't the budget crunch it's not making the needed trade, The root word in Chinese for opportunity is crises. This budget crunch should become an opportunity. By learning not to be so dependent on FA, which can make us into a better team for one thing looking to deserving in-house players over expensive inferior outsiders.

Miranda & Alcala both were coming off rehabbing from previous injuries. IMO both were managed incorrectly which led to their poor performance. Hopefully, both will be managed better & both will produce very desirable results. Alcala sticks to 1 inning & nonrepeating outings until he shows he's strong enough to do more. Miranda settled into 1B to improve his glove while mashing.

Julien has no such excuse. W/o Correa to cover for him Julen isn't passable at 2B. The league has taken away his HR advantage. IF he adjusts he won't be the same & no longer has the bat to stick at 1B. He's a liability both defensively & offensively, trade him.

 

[Lasorda_This_Out]

Kepler?

[CRF]

I think the whole organization, and all of us fans, are in "No Man's Land".

[Otaknam]

20 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm confused by how the Twins seem to think of Alcala, who has a ton of talent and now that he's healthy has the tools to be a shut down flamethrower in the back of the bullpen. But there seems to be some attitude or mental discipline things going on there that we sort of hear rumors about the team being unhappy about but it rarely seems to get into specifics. Maybe he's the million dollar arm/5 cent head guy. or maybe they just need to settle him in a role as a late inning, 1 inning reliever and let him cook, instead mucky around with 2 inning stretches.

The August 18 meltdown was pretty bad, but it happened so fast that they probably couldn't get anyone up in time to stop the bleeding when it quickly because obvious that Alcala didn't have it that day, coming off 1 day of rest. but even with that hellacious outing, he still had a very solid season.

he shouldn't be in no-man's land: he should be looked at being right with Sands as the guys right behind Duran and Jax. But maybe some of the other stuff is impacting that in ways we don't really know?

 

[Whitey333]

Seems like the Twins have mishandled Alcala just like they have done with others.  A good manager puts players in a position that best suits the players and then therefore the teams needs.  The Twins don't have such a manager.  Putting Alcala in game situations that he keeps showing he can't handle..  He us a decent one inning pitcher no more than every other day.  I like your article!  There's plenty more unproven players that could be on that list.

[Otaknam]

I see no reason to move Alcala unless there is something behind the scenes that we’re not aware of. His stuff plays, despite the late season meltdown. Flamethrowers with decent control have a place on the roster. Maybe he can refine his approach or add another solid pitch in the off season program.

Miranda has shown flashes of excellence, such as the 12 straight hits. It sounds like his back held him back last season, contributing to the meltdown. But he could be effective as a bench player, playing DH, first, and occasionally third when needed. And the team needs right handed bats. Julien is another matter because he is too selective at the plate, resulting in too many called strike three outs. But the team should be able to help him improve that. His below average defense is an issue, like Miranda. But he has good power for a second baseman, so he should be able to contribute somewhere, just not on defense. 

 

 

[arby58]

12 hours ago, Lasorda_This_Out said:

Kepler?

Yes, for the Phillies. Signed for 1 year, $10 million. That's not a lot, which suggests MLB thinks of him as a marginal starter not worth more than a 1 year contract.

[arby58]

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

Seems like the Twins have mishandled Alcala just like they have done with others.  A good manager puts players in a position that best suits the players and then therefore the teams needs.  The Twins don't have such a manager.  Putting Alcala in game situations that he keeps showing he can't handle..  He us a decent one inning pitcher no more than every other day.  I like your article!  There's plenty more unproven players that could be on that list.

Don't blame it all on the manager - he's trying to win ballgames and 'in the moment.' The bullpen was a mess the second half of the year, with few alternatives due to injuries to expected high leverage pitchers (particularly Stewart and Topa).

[JD-TWINS]

21 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

I'm confused by how the Twins seem to think of Alcala, who has a ton of talent and now that he's healthy has the tools to be a shut down flamethrower in the back of the bullpen. But there seems to be some attitude or mental discipline things going on there that we sort of hear rumors about the team being unhappy about but it rarely seems to get into specifics. Maybe he's the million dollar arm/5 cent head guy. or maybe they just need to settle him in a role as a late inning, 1 inning reliever and let him cook, instead mucky around with 2 inning stretches.

The August 18 meltdown was pretty bad, but it happened so fast that they probably couldn't get anyone up in time to stop the bleeding when it quickly because obvious that Alcala didn't have it that day, coming off 1 day of rest. but even with that hellacious outing, he still had a very solid season.

he shouldn't be in no-man's land: he should be looked at being right with Sands as the guys right behind Duran and Jax. But maybe some of the other stuff is impacting that in ways we don't really know?

If his stuff is good it’s a lack of being able to locate (command) and or his mental capabilities.

To me he is a very good 4th/5th guy in the PEN. I think he’ll be good again in ‘25. Nobody’s perfect so he’ll hit a couple bumps.

Tired of hearing the whining here about multiple innings - misuse- that was over at least 2 months prior to the Texas Masacre. He had been having great, extended success as a bridge guy in the 7th inning. He didn’t get people out in a couple outings stacked closely together in August. He needed a re-set to gather his command approach or his mental state…..maybe both. Can’t give the guy a needed break in August and then complain that he’s being wasted at AAA. Team was trying to do the right thing for the player and the organization…….neither have anything to do with not being able to score runs the last 6 weeks of the season!!

[JD-TWINS]

Can’t imagine why anyone thinks Eddie Julien is going to be fixed by moving him to 1B? Can’t imagine why/how the organization should talk themselves into this being a sound approach for the Club!

If there’s one guy that seems to be an absolute head case and visually (with his demeanor) makes him hard to root for, it’s Eddie.

I’ll reiterate from above, he lead baseball in backward K’s and the closest guy to him had more than 200 more AB’s.

To my knowledge, he’s only played a handful of innings at 1B in the TWIN’s organization. Becoming competent at a new position and competent at the plate seems like way too much for him, or most struggling players, to navigate through with success in one Spring Training.

[DJL44]

5 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Can’t imagine why anyone thinks Eddie Julien is going to be fixed by moving him to 1B? Can’t imagine why/how the organization should talk themselves into this being a sound approach for the Club!

If there’s one guy that seems to be an absolute head case and visually (with his demeanor) makes him hard to root for, it’s Eddie.

I’ll reiterate from above, he lead baseball in backward K’s and the closest guy to him had more than 200 more AB’s.

To my knowledge, he’s only played a handful of innings at 1B in the TWIN’s organization. Becoming competent at a new position and competent at the plate seems like way too much for him, or most struggling players, to navigate through with success in one Spring Training.

He's not competent at 2B. He needs to move off 2B because he's so far down that depth chart defensively that he won't play. If he can hit well enough to make up for his defense at 2B then he can hit well enough to be 1B/DH.

[JD-TWINS]

Just now, DJL44 said:

He's not competent at 2B. He needs to move off 2B because he's so far down that depth chart defensively that he won't play. If he can hit well enough to make up for his defense at 2B then he can hit well enough to be 1B/DH.

DH - OK…….occasional (25%) starts at 2B - OK.

Personally, I hope he rebounds with the bat but nothing in ‘24 was positive for him after April - that’s a long drought. I do not expect an offensive recovery but it sure would be welcomed……..7th HR on April 27th - one more the balance of the year - I don’t think that’s attributed to bad luck. Lead League in K’s looking and played maybe 50% of the season - again, not bad luck.

Also, personally, I think the assumption that he’ll be competent at 1B is laughable (I don’t hate the guy but his intuitive abilities with a glove just are not apparent)……IMO, he’ll need 3 months in St. Paul, at a minimum,  to even think about playing 1B in the show.