Shortstop to Utility: Examining the Twins' Prospect Development Approach

[Cody Christie]

Many of baseball’s best players are signed or drafted as a shortstop before eventually moving to another position. This process can work, but the Twins may have encountered a stumbling block regarding their development process.

Image courtesy of Kareem Elgazzar - USA Today Sports

The Minnesota Twins have long emphasized drafting and developing athletic players with defensive versatility. This philosophy has allowed the organization to remain flexible in constructing its rosters. Still, it also raises questions about whether it hinders players from maximizing their potential at a single position. The cases of Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Austin Martin highlight how the Twins’ development strategy starts with grooming players as shortstops before transitioning them into multi-position roles. While this approach has its merits, it’s worth asking: Is it a flaw in the team’s development process?

A Common Starting Point
Outside of catcher, shortstop is often considered the most demanding position in baseball. Players who can handle shortstop defensively are typically among the best athletes on the field, and developing them at this position ensures they are challenged at the highest level. Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, exemplifies this. When drafted, Lewis was lauded for his elite athleticism, strong arm, and high baseball IQ, which made him an ideal shortstop prospect.

Similarly, Lee, taken eighth overall in the 2022 draft, and Martin, a top-10 pick in 2020 by the Blue Jays before being acquired by Minnesota, were both developed as shortstops in the early stages of their careers. Each player entered the Twins’ system with a reputation for being able to handle the position, but none appear to be part of the organization’s long-term plan at shortstop. Instead, their development paths have diverged into roles emphasizing versatility over positional specialization.

The Shift Away from Shortstop
Lewis’s journey is a prime example of this shift (No, that isn't a defense joke). Lewis has understandably lost a step or two after losing two seasons to injuries, including tearing his ACL twice. Despite his initial work as a shortstop, the Twins moved him to other positions, including second and third base, to keep his bat in the lineup while Carlos Correa manned shortstop. This transition highlights the Twins’ desire to maximize roster flexibility. Still, it also begs the question: Could Lewis have developed into an elite defender at another position if given more time in the minors to focus on that spot?

Lee’s development trajectory suggests a similar fate. While Lee played primarily at shortstop in college and the minors, scouting reports have often projected him as a better fit at third or second base due to what some consider average range and arm strength. The Twins have already experimented with him at multiple infield positions, preparing him for a future where he could be a multi-positional asset rather than a cornerstone shortstop.

Martin’s case is even more complex. Drafted as a shortstop, Martin’s defensive struggles at the position became apparent early in his professional career. The Twins kept playing him at shortstop before starting to transition him to second base, third base, and the outfield. in 2023 While his versatility has been valuable, the lack of a defined position has arguably impacted his overall development, mainly as he’s worked to regain his offensive form. Last season, he ranked as one of the team’s worst defenders (-8 OAA), but he was also placed in defensive positions with limited experience. 

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Versatility
Minnesota’s preference for players with defensive flexibility has clear benefits. It allows the team to adapt to injuries, create advantageous matchups, and build depth throughout the roster. However, there’s a potential downside: Players who move between multiple positions may struggle to master any single position. Defensive consistency often comes from repetition, and constant shuffling can hinder a player’s ability to excel in one spot.

Additionally, there’s an argument to be made that the Twins’ approach limits the chances of developing a true franchise shortstop. By drafting athletic shortstops but quickly transitioning them into utility roles, the team may inadvertently diminish the opportunity to cultivate a long-term solution at one of baseball’s most critical positions. It helps to have Correa manning that position, but age and injuries have started to impact the team’s superstar. Minnesota needs a backup plan for shortstop if Correa misses time in 2025. 

A Question of Philosophy
The Twins’ approach reflects a broader trend in modern baseball, where positional flexibility is highly valued. Teams want players who can adapt to different roles, and Minnesota has embraced this philosophy wholeheartedly. Yet, as the cases of Lewis,  Lee, and Martin illustrate, this strategy comes with trade-offs. While it’s difficult to argue against the importance of flexibility, it’s worth questioning whether the Twins’ development process prioritizes versatility at the expense of maximizing a player’s potential at one position.

As the 2025 season approaches, the Twins’ roster construction will continue to rely on players who can fill multiple roles. Lewis may find himself bouncing between second and third base, Lee could split time across the infield, and Austin Martin’s future remains uncertain as he looks to carve out a consistent role. Whether this approach is a flaw or simply a strategic choice remains a topic of debate, but one thing is clear: The Twins’ commitment to versatility will shape the development of their top prospects for years to come.

Should the Twins let prospects focus on one defensive position? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[LambchoP]

I completely understand the value of defensive versatility and wanting our guys to be able to cover multiple positions. It allows Rocco to platoon, play match ups and cover for injured starters. The downside being, these young kids are being forced to learn three different positions. While they may end up ok at two or three of them, they never really get the development time to become any better than average at any one position. When you have an infield of utility guys it's nice from a management standpoint, but more than likely your defense is going to suffer. Gold glovers stick to one position and play it well. I think the best middle ground is having one or two multiple position guys in the IF and one or two in the OF. Everyone else has their own designated position that they can focus on. I'm sure the players would love it and would probably improve their offensive numbers as well.

[rdehring]

Interesting.

I would think/hope the Twins watch a kid who is signed/drafted as a shortstop for a year or so at that position, exclusively.  If he looks like he could be a special defensive shortstop, I would hope they keep him there full time.  If he is suspect defensively, then it would make sense to begin moving him around to see if he can find another defensive home.  If he fails to find one, then working on various positions makes sense.  

Whether or not they are doing this, I don't have a clue.

[NYCTK]

It'd be incredibly foolish to pigeon hole players into a position right away. It is prudent that the team recognize early when a player will not be able to play a position and move them off it (like they failed to do with Austin Martin) but moving a player around the diamond is not hindering anyone's development. 

Austin Martin doesn't suck because he has played too many positions. He's been allowed to suck because the Twins failed to recognize he can't play OF but put him out there anyways. 

Likewise, it would have been completely foolish to move Lee off of SS if the team thought there was a chance to actually play the position at the major league level which talent evaluators thought was possible last summer. You don't intentionally lessen the value of your asset. But that presents an issue if that player hasn't been allowed to get reps at a certain position by the time they make the show and their best position is occupied. 

I really don't understand how anyone thinks Royce falling like a stone down the defensive spectrum is the Twins fault. 

[Blyleven2011]

Martin remaining a shortstop in the minors when the consensus was he wasn't going to handle the position  ...

They kept playing him there and then moved him to the outfield  for a brief period before finally reaching the show , his best position as I see it is second base on the dirt  , he still has a ways to go on the grass  ....

Lots of fans questioned his development at shortstop in the minors , but the front office kept him there ....

Has it hurt his development  , yes because major league baseball is stressful enough and then try to learn a new position at the MLB level just adds to more stress to make him a utility player ...

They did not handle Martin on his development and there are others that they've waited to long on in the minors to develop , that hinders our defense at the major league level  ...

We don't need everyone to be utility players , we shouldn't need to platoon as often as we do , find the strength in the player and groom him for that position  ...

[tony&rodney]

Most baseball players were shortstops and pitchers at some point in their journey. A few were centerfielders and pitchers. There are not many examples of MLB athletes who played corner outfield or first base in grade school or even high school. There are some good athletes at 3B/2B in high school due to a superior shortstop pushing a guy over. Royce Lewis was a third baseman and Austin Martin an outfielder until they arrived into the Twins organization. Brooks Lee was always a shortstop. The transfer of a good infielder isn't that difficult. It mostly involves a few technical shifts and repetitions. Practice.

At the MLB level the smallest of details make a difference due to the massive difference in expertise compared to any other league. Nuances come into play with young and inexperienced players in baseball. There are few athletes who can come into MLB as a teenager or even in their early 20s and be instantly proficient to a degree where they match the best in the game defensively. In the NFL, NBA, and NHL young superstars are common. Cooper Flagg could start for every team in the NBA today. 

This is just to say that development is difficult to predict and patience is needed. Royce Lewis has bulked up significantly during his rehab from two major injuries. We hear/read that he focused on flexibility, reactions, and speed this winter. Perhaps Lewis makes the adjustments in his new body to become a good third baseman. The potential of his bat generously allows him another opportunity. Martin is in nowhere land. It is hard to understand how he lost what were seen as decent skills in the field. Confidence? Brooks Lee is getting older and his lack of superior athleticism makes it difficult for him to play an excellent.

The process isn't really a problem. Making the adjustments at the highest level is just more difficult than people imagine. The separation is unbelievable. Go watch a softball game, high school game, college game, minor league game, and MLB game in a two-week window and you will appreciate the difference.

[terrydactyls]

As LambchoP stated, a team needs a few versatile players.  But not the majority of the roster.  Consistent practice at just one position leads to a solid defense - something the Twins have lacked recently.

[Fatbat]

The minor leagues should be the place to find a defensive position and stick to it but when you draft the best athletes at 19-21 yo, there isn’t always a clear path. Everyone has a unique path and I doubt that the twins’ developmental plans hinders any prospect. Martin is a curious case because he lacked defensive chops and power at the plate. He is very athletic but seems lost is some respects.  Place that on him, not coaching/development. 
Kids can be stubborn. Look at some of the relatively recent failures from Cavaco to Balazovich. They have to figure out if they want to put the hard work in to make it or not. Contrast that with late rounders like Ober to Julien, I doubt they had any development advantage other than desire. 
 

[Doctor Gast]

A very interesting subject. Cody. IMO focusing on flexible athletic SS is a good strategy rather than focusing on unathletic big bats. Sano was quick for a big boy but he was never going to stick at SS. We have picked a lot of pseudo-SSs, with the focus more on bat than glove, we may not have any true SS.  What I don't like is Twins pushing players where they have no right to be. Cave at CF, Polanco at SS, Kepler at CF, Julien at 2B, Martin at SS & etc. Lewis before could have transitioned to CF fine until they said you are our SS. Lewis over conditioned (plus his battle with ice) & hurt his ALC. They said you are our 3Bman to Miranda & he over conditioned & hurt his shoulder. In Martin's case, they should have taken him from SS much sooner & immediately given him time in CF to take advantage of his athleticism & become a very good utility player. Castro is a super utility player who is very important, to be a super utility player you have to be good at  SS & CF logging a lot of hrs. there & corresponding positions. Martin is a natural 2Bman but needs more time at CF to become better as an utility player. When you have a true SS, CF or catcher I agree you have to capitalize on their talents & keep them at their position as much as possible. Proper evaluation is necessary to know who belongs in what roles.

[bean5302]

The Twins track record of shortstop development is really rough. The last good shortstops they've developed were probably Christian Guzman (acquired from Yankees after High-A) and Jason Bartlett (acquired from Padres from Low-A).

Punto, Adrianza and Florimon were already pro before Minnesota grabbed them. Escobar was in AAA when the Twins got him. Trevor Plouffe, Danny Santana, Jorge Polanco, Brian Dozier, Nick Gordon, Austin Martin, and Royce Lewis were all viewed as poor to unplayable shortstops by the time they reached MLB.

 

[NYCTK]

3 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

What I don't like is Twins pushing players where they have no right to be.

Agrree. The Twins Organization seems to be poor at evaluating player defensive skills.

 

3 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

Martin is a natural 2Bman but needs more time at CF to become better as an utility player.

He's played more games at CF than any position. He's just bad. Time to stop making excuses for him. 

[mikelink45]

I mentioned in another article how the transition to mlb seems to be tough for the Twins with Lee, Lewis, Julien, Martin, Miranda, Jeffers, Wallner, and larnach struggling to get traction or maintain their quality.   Is it because they are moved so much they are continuing to adjust or is it because the Twins are not good at helping them make the transition and then make the inevitable adjustments?  

I look at other teams bringing in their prospects and making a quick adjustment.  I know they all don't make it, but I feel like our record is worse than many other teams. 

[Doctor Gast]

22 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Agrree. The Twins Organization seems to be poor at evaluating player defensive skills.

 

He's played more games at CF than any position. He's just bad. Time to stop making excuses for him. 

Great we agree on one point.

IMO Everyone is lost & some are intimidated when they come onto MLB CF. If they are brought up solely as a CFer they may be better prepared but they still need to be mentored. Hunter praised Puckett for mentoring him, Span praised Hunter for mentoring him, and Revere praised Hunter & Span for their mentoring. Many pooh, pooh the importance of mentoring but I've heard too many testimonies (Trevor Plouffe always stresses the importance of mentoring) to counter that opinion. Martin has played some CF in college & MiLB but how much has he been really prepared to play there

[NYCTK]

1 minute ago, Doctor Gast said:

Great we agree on one point.

IMO Everyone is lost & some are intimidated when they come onto MLB CF. If they are brought up solely as a CFer they may be better prepared but they still need to be mentored. Hunter praised Puckett for mentoring him, Span praised Hunter for mentoring him, and Revere praised Hunter & Span for their mentoring. Many pooh, pooh the importance of mentoring but I've heard too many testimonies (Trevor Plouffe always stresses the importance of mentoring) to counter that opinion. Martin has played some CF in college & MiLB but how much has he been really prepared to play there

There are also skills and instincts. And Martin showed none as an OF. Athleticism isn't enough to be a good major leaguer. 

His value is greatly diminished as strictly a mediocre middle infield backup and pinch runner now, but that's not cause Buxton wasn't inviting enough or whatever. 

[Parfigliano]

3 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I completely understand the value of defensive versatility and wanting our guys to be able to cover multiple positions. It allows Rocco to platoon, play match ups and cover for injured starters. The downside being, these young kids are being forced to learn three different positions. While they may end up ok at two or three of them, they never really get the development time to become any better than average at any one position. When you have an infield of utility guys it's nice from a management standpoint, but more than likely your defense is going to suffer. Gold glovers stick to one position and play it well. I think the best middle ground is having one or two multiple position guys in the IF and one or two in the OF. Everyone else has their own designated position that they can focus on. I'm sure the players would love it and would probably improve their offensive numbers as well.

Rocco "playing matchups" kills kills this team.

[Linus]

1 hour ago, NYCTK said:

There are also skills and instincts. And Martin showed none as an OF. Athleticism isn't enough to be a good major leaguer. 

His value is greatly diminished as strictly a mediocre middle infield backup and pinch runner now, but that's not cause Buxton wasn't inviting enough or whatever. 

This.  Martin was rough in the OF because he has a poor arm, gets bad jumps and takes bad routes.  Could that improve - maybe but the more likely thing is he just isn’t good not that he didn’t get enough reps.

[Linus]

I don’t know what the exact answer is other than guys shouldn’t be learning new positions in the big leagues and that is happening far too often with the Twins.  Taking a global view of this I would say the Twins haven’t drafted and developed one plus defender under Falvey.  Maybe that’s a fault of development or maybe it’s the profile of the player they tend to draft which have often been bat first guys that lack upside with the glove.

[jorgenswest]

I don’t think they are poor at evaluating defensive skill. I think they prioritize batting as they drafted players like Julien, Keaschall, Steer and Schobel. They all moved infield positions in college. If any of them had the defensive skill to play exclusively at SS in college and stay their through the minors they would have been drafted earlier. In Julien’s case he moved from 2B to 3B. The Twins had to know that they were going to be questionable to stay up the middle. College shortstops don’t often stick at shortstop but particularly if they played significant time at other positions.  Similarly if they end as college 2Bs they often move to a corner by the time they get to the majors. The days of the good glove/weak bat middle infielder is gone. A good bat is critical. 

I do wonder if Keaschall’s bat appears ready before his glove as was Julien’s case two years ago, should they bring him up? Should they have patience to let his glove develop at 2B or CF in AAA?

 

[Linus]

13 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

I don’t think they are poor at evaluating defensive skill. I think they prioritize batting as they drafted players like Julien, Keaschall, Steer and Schobel. They all moved infield positions in college. If any of them had the defensive skill to play exclusively at SS in college and stay their through the minors they would have been drafted earlier. In Julien’s case he moved from 2B to 3B. The Twins had to know that they were going to be questionable to stay up the middle. College shortstops don’t often stick at shortstop but particularly if they played significant time at other positions.  Similarly if they end as college 2Bs they often move to a corner by the time they get to the majors. The days of the good glove/weak bat middle infielder is gone. A good bat is critical. 

I do wonder if Keaschall’s bat appears ready before his glove as was Julien’s case two years ago, should they bring him up? Should they have patience to let his glove develop at 2B or CF in AAA?

 

That’s an interesting question.  Based on past history he will be brought up when the bat is ready regardless of his ability with the glove.

[T.O.]

2 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

Rocco "playing matchups" kills kills this team.

" but the Twins may have encountered a stumbling block regarding their development process."

The Stumbling Block is the manager, or the FO if they are pulling his strings. They keeping throwing things against the wall to see if anything sticks. They seem to be driven by analytics and don't have much ability to manage players as humans.

[USAFChief]

I absolutely loath the Twins "Anybody can play anywhere" philosophy. 

Learn a position in the minors and play it. If there's an injury, IL the guy and call up a replacement, who has learned the position in the minors. 

 

"Flexibility" and "versatility" are just buzzwords for crap defense.

[Elliot]

The above is the reason why good offensive/defensive shortstops are so highly paid. When someone is signed as a SS you keep them there until they show they can’t handle it. It is the peak of the defensive pyramid. Hindsight is perfect but projection into the future is more difficult. I recall Polanco, and one other SS, I think either Rivas or Santana, being brought up from A or AA to play SS at the MLB level because they were thought to be major league ready defensively, but unclear if they would ever hit enough. Turns out they were fine offensively but lacking on the defensive side. 
I am fine with Lewis and Lee being left at SS in the minors since it would clearly be their highest value if they could stick there. Now that the decision has been made that they are not adequate at SS, or at least are not going to displace Correa, make a decision at a new position and let them develop. Dozier (a former SS) at 2B and Gaetti and Koskie at 3B are good examples of players who developed into very good defensive players once they were given the coaching and reps necessary. 
By the way, this discussion is the reason I have been a big proponent of Kim from San Diego being my first choice of a FA to pursue. Good defensive SS’s who can also hit are really hard to find. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

5 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

A very interesting subject. Cody. IMO focusing on flexible athletic SS is a good strategy rather than focusing on unathletic big bats. Sano was quick for a big boy but he was never going to stick at SS. We have picked a lot of pseudo-SSs, with the focus more on bat than glove, we may not have any true SS.  What I don't like is Twins pushing players where they have no right to be. Cave at CF, Polanco at SS, Kepler at CF, Julien at 2B, Martin at SS & etc. Lewis before could have transitioned to CF fine until they said you are our SS. Lewis over conditioned (plus his battle with ice) & hurt his ALC. They said you are our 3Bman to Miranda & he over conditioned & hurt his shoulder. In Martin's case, they should have taken him from SS much sooner & immediately given him time in CF to take advantage of his athleticism & become a very good utility player. Castro is a super utility player who is very important, to be a super utility player you have to be good at  SS & CF logging a lot of hrs. there & corresponding positions. Martin is a natural 2Bman but needs more time at CF to become better as an utility player. When you have a true SS, CF or catcher I agree you have to capitalize on their talents & keep them at their position as much as possible. Proper evaluation is necessary to know who belongs in what roles.

Good points. Don't forget though that when this franchise finally does draft, and well on his way to developing as a bona fide SS, they trade him to the Dodgers for Manuel Margot. And then it gets excused away because "he can't hit." Which we don't yet know if he will further develop that skill or not. I believe he will. What a waste. A kid that would have been our SS until well into the 2030's. Noah Miller. For Manuel Margot. smh

[sweetmusicviola16]

Noah Miller. SS.

[DocBauer]

Wait! Huh?

So Lewis was handled poorly and not given a good opportunity to stick at SS after TWO knee surgeries, a gain of about 20+ pounds of muscle, and the signing of Correa, who happens to be one of the greatest SS of his generation?

The Twins did NOT assign Martin to SS. The Jays did that. The Twins kept him there when they acquired him at the deadline. If the Twins made a mistake, it was in not moving him off of SS the following season as I don't believe anyone every believed he would stick at SS. Right or wrong, the Twins reportedly kept him at SS stating he could learn more there from an experience perspective if he were to remain on the dirt at 2B or 3B. Of course, it was also reported they felt he was a "natural" OF and could move there easily. And I dare say we've all been underwhelmed by what we've seen of him out there. Should they have moved him sooner? Perhaps. But they are not the ones who moved him to SS

I guess I don't understand where Lee fits in to the equation. He was drafted as a SS, has played primarily SS when coming up...even has some at the ML level...but it's been somewhat accepted he would be better at 2B or 3B. So where exactly have the Twins potentially errored here? He didn't hit well in his debut and had an injury because they played him too much at SS? I just don't know that I see the correlation regarding Lee and the theme of the OP.

But I have to add, except for special cases like TOP prospects that might include SS or CF that might stick at one position almost exclusively, virtually ALL MILB players move around, and usually have. They do this to increase the likelihood of making the majors, possibly not at their original position which may already be manned by an even better player, but also because in MILB you want/need everyone to play. It's about development and opportunity, not just playing the best starting 9/10 and letting other players sit on the bench and never develop. So catchers play 1B and DH to keep getting AB's while other catcher play. CF play the corners so they get AB's, but other CF options get to play. Same with SS, and just about any other position. 

Now, if you want to argue/debate about the Twins not doing a good enough job of drafting/signing young SS that can STICK at SS at the ML level, I'm willing to listen and probably agree. But I really don't see anything debatable or wrong in the handling of the names mentioned in this article, save perhaps moving Martin straight to 2B, or permanently to the OF sooner.

[Elliot]

17 minutes ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

Noah Miller. SS.

I was going to mention Miller but had gone on too long already. 
First  and foremost, a SS needs to be able to play defense. Offense is a bonus. Same for catcher. A good offensive player at either position who is below average defensively is a net negative. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

2 minutes ago, Elliot said:

I was going to mention Miller but had gone on too long already. 
First  and foremost, a SS needs to be able to play defense. Offense is a bonus. Same for catcher. A good offensive player at either position who is below average defensively is a net negative. 

Andres Gimenez is going to make 100 million dollars over the next 5 years. Because he can flat out field. We don't know if Miller will hit as well as Gimenez. He is still developing. But to be cast away for a year of Margot???? Oh but we got Doncon!!!!

[ashbury]

25 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

The Twins did NOT assign Martin to SS. The Jays did that. The Twins kept him there when they acquired him at the deadline. If the Twins made a mistake, it was in not moving him off of SS the following season as I don't believe anyone every believed he would stick at SS. Right or wrong, the Twins reportedly kept him at SS stating he could learn more there from an experience perspective if he were to remain on the dirt at 2B or 3B.

It's even worse, by a few months, than you say, because when they sent him to the Arizona Fall League the off-season after they acquired him, he still was playing the majority of his innings at SS, with only 5 games in CF.  This mistake is seared into my memory because it was one of the years I made the trip. Next season begins in October, for the prospects.

It's frustrating for a long-time fan like me, who has very little inside-baseball knowledge, to feel like the professional talent evaluators were slower to reach the right conclusion.  I would love to know what they were thinking - what they were seeing that I didn't.  Better than the average human being at the necessary skills, sure; but good enough compared to other candidates?

[sweetmusicviola16]

So many of todays OPS crazed fanatics would have never allowed Ozzie Smith to be the greatest SS the game has ever seen because he carried a .666 career OPS and an OPS+ of 87. The next time this team finds and drafts a great SS glove I sure do hope they don't allow analytic stats to cloud their view and throw him away.

[GNess]

If you lock in a prospect's position too early then the team will have more prospects effectively blocked by players at the MLB level. It makes total sense to have players learn a few positions while in the minors as this gives them more pathways to MLB.