Ranking the 2025 Minnesota Twins' Top Players Under 25: Nos. 6-10

[Cody Christie]

Organizational prospect lists can be flawed, in that there are players who have lost prospect eligibility but are still young. Let's explore the Twins' top players in their age-25 season or younger.

Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Last season, the Twins had a significant group of rookies impact the roster. Many of these players have lost prospect eligibility because of the time spent on the big-league roster. However, players who are 25 or younger are still not yet at the prime of their careers and can give a larger picture of a team’s developmental system. Here is a look at the sixth- through 10th-best players ages 25 or younger in the Twins organization.

10. Charlee Soto, SP
2025 Season Age: 19
Soto’s selection in the 2023 MLB Draft went against the front office’s broader strategy of targeting college pitchers. Soto boasts a fastball that can already touch the upper 90s, paired with a devastating slider and a developing changeup that scouts believe could become a plus pitch. Last season, he posted a 5.23 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP and a 26.4 K%. He faced older batters in all but 10 of his plate appearances, and there were signs of improvement as he settled into Low-A competitive context for the second half. The Twins have prioritized developing his command, and early returns have been encouraging. With proper development, Soto has the potential to anchor a future rotation in Minnesota, making him one of the most exciting young arms in the system.

9. Kaelen Culpepper, SS
2025 Season Age: 22
Culpepper may not have been the most talked-about draft pick in 2023, but he has quickly made a name for himself with his advanced defensive skills and surprising offensive upside. A product of Kansas State, Culpepper’s defense has already been touted in the minors, with elite range and a strong, accurate arm. His ability to play multiple infield positions makes him even more valuable in today’s game. Offensively, Culpepper has shown a knack for making consistent contact, with flashes of developing power. Last season, he posted a .724 OPS with a 9.8 BB% and a 13.4 K%. If his bat continues to progress, he could blossom into one of the most well-rounded players in the system.

8. Andrew Morris, SP
2025 Season Age: 23
Drafted in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech, Morris has steadily climbed the ranks within the Twins organization and finished last season at Triple-A. He has impressed with his ability to attack hitters and pound the strike zone. In 26 appearances (133 IP), he posted a 2.37 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and a 24.5 K%. Morris's four-pitch mix makes him intriguing, including a sharp slider and an above-average changeup that keeps hitters off-balance. While his ceiling may not be as high as other pitchers on this list, Morris has a high floor and could slot into a big-league rotation as a reliable mid-rotation starter. The Twins value pitchers who can provide consistency, and Morris fits that mold perfectly.

7. Simeon Woods Richardson, SP
2025 Season Age: 24
Woods Richardson is already a familiar name to Twins fans, as he pitched over 130 innings in the majors during the 2024 season. Acquired in the trade that sent José Berríos to Toronto, he made significant strides last season after altering his arm angle. His fastball-changeup combination is lethal, and he pairs it with a curveball and slider that add depth to his repertoire. He used his slider more regularly in 2024, producing a 23.9 Whiff% and a .313 opponent slugging average. His increase in velocity last season has helped his ability to mix pitches, induce weak contact, and avoid walks, making him a valuable asset. As he continues to refine his craft, Woods Richardson projects as a mid-rotation starter in a competitive Twins rotation.

6. Zebby Matthews, SP
2025 Season Age: 25
Matthews burst onto the scene last season, moving from High-A to the big leagues. Minnesota drafted him in the eighth round in 2022 out of Western Carolina. Matthews’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and generates plenty of swings and misses, thanks to his ability to locate it with precision. His secondary pitches, particularly his slider, have grown significantly since entering pro ball. Last season, his slider had a 37.6 Whiff% at the big-league level, and many will point to his 1.9 BB% in the minors. While Matthews doesn’t have the ceiling of Soto, his advanced approach gives him a legitimate path to a big-league role right away in 2025.

The depth of talent under the age of 25 within the Twins’ organization speaks volumes about their commitment to building a sustainable contender. Players like Soto and Woods Richardson represent the rotation's future, while Culpepper’s defensive skills and versatility provide value across the diamond. Meanwhile, prospects like Morris and Matthews highlight the organization’s knack for developing overlooked arms into potential contributors. Twins fans have every reason to be optimistic about the franchise’s future as these young players progress.

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Do you agree with the names on the list so far? Should a player be ranked higher? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Cory Engelhardt]

I have a hard time putting Zebby ahead of SWR with what SWR produced last season, but I like both of their potential

[bean5302]

Quote

Top Players Under 25

Zebby Matthews, age 25... doesn't qualify. 

Here are the following players who will be under 25 this year who also played for the Twins last year where their prospect status could have been impacted.
1. Simeon Woods Richardson = a24 season this year.
2. Brooks Lee = a24 season this year.
That's all folks, for the rest, just look at the prospect list!
 

[Cory Engelhardt]

26 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Zebby Matthews, age 25... doesn't qualify. 

Here are the following players who will be under 25 this year who also played for the Twins last year where their prospect status could have been impacted.
1. Simeon Woods Richardson = a24 season this year.
2. Brooks Lee = a24 season this year.
That's all folks, for the rest, just look at the prospect list!
 

Technically he turns 25 in May, so as of today he is only 24.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

35 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Zebby Matthews, age 25... doesn't qualify. 

Here are the following players who will be under 25 this year who also played for the Twins last year where their prospect status could have been impacted.
1. Simeon Woods Richardson = a24 season this year.
2. Brooks Lee = a24 season this year.
That's all folks, for the rest, just look at the prospect list!
 

I bet you’re a hoot at parties

[Vanimal46]

1 hour ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I bet you’re a hoot at parties

Sounds like you’re not taking any of the content seriously like me. 

Zebby Matthews is playing his age 25 season and the headline is ranking top players under 25. So play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Easily correctable mistake, but this site continues to operate on auto pilot. 

[JD-TWINS]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I have a hard time putting Zebby ahead of SWR with what SWR produced last season, but I like both of their potential

Preach!! ……to me it’s disrespectful to assume Matthews is somehow more valuable after SWR proved his value in ‘24. Matthews is a year older and at least a year behind SWR’s development…...not his fault, but he was in A ball last May………. SWR needs an out pitch - personally, I think it’s his slider. He needs to find another pitch or just better command to set up his slider. His ERA (in a protected role) was very solid outside 3 rough starts. I think he can get to 30-31 starts and 165 innings in ‘25. If he keeps the ERA at 4.00 range or better, he’s a solid a developing 4 or 5 starter……that’s all he’s needed to do.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

15 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sounds like you’re not taking any of the content seriously like me. 

Zebby Matthews is playing his age 25 season and the headline is ranking top players under 25. So play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Easily correctable mistake, but this site continues to operate on auto pilot. 

Sites such as these don’t have editors, so this stuff happens. The Athletic has many of the same issues and that’s The NY Times fer cryin in da beer…. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

18 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

Preach!! ……to me it’s disrespectful to assume Matthews is somehow more valuable after SWR proved his value in ‘24. Matthews is a year older and at least a year behind SWR’s development…...not his fault, but he was in A ball last May………. SWR needs an out pitch - personally, I think it’s his slider. He needs to find another pitch or just better command to set up his slider. His ERA (in a protected role) was very solid outside 3 rough starts. I think he can get to 30-31 starts and 165 innings in ‘25. If he keeps the ERA at 4.00 range or better, he’s a solid a developing 4 or 5 starter……that’s all he’s needed to do.

He is only like 4 months older, and he does have strikeout stuff. But I like SWR to start the year more for sure

[ashbury]

18 minutes ago, JD-TWINS said:

I think he can get to 30-31 starts and 165 innings in ‘25. If he keeps the ERA at 4.00 range or better, he’s a solid a developing 4 or 5 starter……

A 4 or 5??  There were only 55 pitchers who went 165 innings last season. That's just under 2 per team (Twins had Ober and Lopez).  Not all those 55 pitchers kept their ERA at 4.00 or better, either.

You might consider switching to grading on the curve. 😀

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I bet you’re a hoot at parties

I'll bet ya , they want to throw him out  ....

[tony&rodney]

The headline states under 25.

The last line before a look at the players is below.

"Here is a look at the sixth- through 10th-best players ages 25 or younger in the Twins organization."

I'm a little surprised at how critical people are about the content when each person is allowed to contribute articles themsleves or just not open the site if it isn't to your liking. There are a gazillion sites I never open and few that I read. It is always a choice and no you are not adding a critical voice by whining and yes the long offseason is bound to produce a number of articles that have little interest to many which is evident by the names missing in the comments. 

I would think that Brooks Lee and Simeon Woods Richardson deserve some respect for their time on the roster and their contributions to the team, particularly SWR. After that the prospect list is an arrangement of Jenkins, Rodriguez, Keaschall, Matthews (days but not innings), K. Culpepper, Winokur, Morris, and Raya with Soto and Prielipp close behind.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

What did we win?

Sure beats losing...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Oh right. Prospects 25 years or fewer.

 

Glad to read this! 

 

I am not sure i've paid attention to hear of Mr. Morris before. Glad we got lots o pitching! And these half lists leave something to the imagination. Who hasn't been ranked yet who should be.... Sadly i am too lazy to look up ages. All i know is Buxton is 25.

[TwinsDr2021]

Got to say I am confused by this article, it seems to be some sort of combo prospect top players list?

the top players that will play next season are guys under  on the MLB roster (Lee and SWR) and guys you think will play on the roster next season(Morris, ERod, and an outside chance Jenkins). Which eliminates Soto, Culpepper, and maybe Matthews since he turns 25 a month into the season.

[miracleb]

11 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sounds like you’re not taking any of the content seriously like me. 

Zebby Matthews is playing his age 25 season and the headline is ranking top players under 25. So play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Easily correctable mistake, but this site continues to operate on auto pilot. 

And in 2026 he will be playing his "age 26 season."  And in 2027 he will be playing his "age 27 season."  But how old is he right now?    (HINT.......24)

(Richie, I think there might be two of em that are a hoot at parties.....)    :)

[miracleb]

Gasp at the horror....he was only 23....... last year!

😜

[Otaknam]

It’s kind of a head scratcher for readers to be cranky over the content of this site. No one is forced to read it. As for this story, I hope the take on Culpepper is correct, that his defense is excellent and his offensive profile is trending up. I’m not as high on SWR being more than a number five starter. His fastball would need to add a few ticks to elevate his pitching. 95 mph seems to be the average fastball these days, and it needs to be maintained in the late innings. 

[LambchoP]

I hope all these young guys have great breakout years, because we're going to need them. With literally no help coming from free agency or trades this off-season, it's going to be up to our young guys and prospects to carry this team once Correa Buxton and Lewis are all on the IL by mid May or early June lol.

[bean5302]

15 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Technically he turns 25 in May, so as of today he is only 24.

2 hours ago, miracleb said:

And in 2026 he will be playing his "age 26 season."  And in 2027 he will be playing his "age 27 season."  But how old is he right now?    (HINT.......24)

(Richie, I think there might be two of em that are a hoot at parties.....)    :)

15 hours ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I bet you’re a hoot at parties

The article listed him as age 25, and he will be playing as age 25 this year. Competitive season age is what's used to determine prospect age in almost all instances.

The truth is this article lacks substance and it's trying to create a false narrative through manipulation. The Twins' farm system and prospect list has not been significantly altered by recently graduated sub-age 25 prospects. It's hard to create content in the offseason, but these articles should be better thought out than this. 

But please, feel free to lob some more personal insults my way, "Community Moderator" @Richie the Rally Goat, and @miracleb. 

[chpettit19]

53 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

The article listed him as age 25, and he will be playing as age 25 this year. Competitive season age is what's used to determine prospect age in almost all instances.

The truth is this article lacks substance and it's trying to create a false narrative through manipulation. The Twins' farm system and prospect list has not been significantly altered by recently graduated sub-age 25 prospects. It's hard to create content in the offseason, but these articles should be better thought out than this. 

But please, feel free to lob some more personal insults my way, "Community Moderator" @Richie the Rally Goat, and @miracleb. 

The article also stated "Let's explore the Twins' top players in their age-25 season or younger." The title was misworded, but the article itself states they're looking at age-25 and younger seasons. So Zebby fits. 

That doesn't change that there aren't a significant number of young players on the Twins 40-man roster who aren't also prospect eligible, but the article explained why Zebby was on the list. It also makes David Festa eligible. So now you're at 4 guys on a top 10 list. And that's a pretty hefty number of guys.

And technically it makes Ronny Henriquez eligible as well, but I doubt we'll see him on this list. But now you're at 5 guys instead of the 2 you claimed. So, yes, the title should've been reworded, but the article itself explains the criteria quite clearly.

[Brett]

15 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sounds like you’re not taking any of the content seriously like me. 

Zebby Matthews is playing his age 25 season and the headline is ranking top players under 25. So play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Easily correctable mistake, but this site continues to operate on auto pilot. 

I respectfully disagree with your view of this site. In the last 12 years, I have read the front page stories nearly every day. While I don’t comment often, I do like to read stories and comments from the greatest Twins fans on the planet. All of this is to say that this site takes a village every day, and posting content sometimes requires courage more so than skill or experience. I posted a single blog a couple of months back, and I was sweating bullets over how it would be received.

With all of that stated, I would like to propose a Caretaker Takeover. We write the stories, moderate the communities, and manage the associated madness that comes with it. Writers and moderators get the day off…unless they want to read up and comment away.

If you made it this far, thanks for your attention. Have a great day.

[sweetmusicviola16]

7 hours ago, Otaknam said:

It’s kind of a head scratcher for readers to be cranky over the content of this site. No one is forced to read it. As for this story, I hope the take on Culpepper is correct, that his defense is excellent and his offensive profile is trending up. I’m not as high on SWR being more than a number five starter. His fastball would need to add a few ticks to elevate his pitching. 95 mph seems to be the average fastball these days, and it needs to be maintained in the late innings. 

In all fairness I think people are cranky because it's been  a long off season and one of nothing. They drafted a Rule 5 guy and traded for 2 fringe catchers and made a couple of milb signings. There's been a Cease rumor. That's it. Everyday we check here, mlbtr, other sources. Nothing. Not even a rumor of a low tier FA to help with holes. So I guess I'll give people slack if they seem irritated. I'm thinking this is probably a poor way to have happier fans after the 2024 collapse.

[Craig Arko]

19 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

Sounds like you’re not taking any of the content seriously like me. 

Zebby Matthews is playing his age 25 season and the headline is ranking top players under 25. So play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Easily correctable mistake, but this site continues to operate on auto pilot. 

It’s nice out today. Well worth taking some time to enjoy.

[Doctor Gast]

SWR is underrated, his character & newer savant show he's better than most think. I'd put him higher.

[DocBauer]

I appreciate the article. But simply, it's disjointed in the way it's presented. It's either players 25yo or younger for 2025, or those who don't turn 25yo until the season starts. Or players who are already "only" 25yo as the season starts. Not trying to pick on anyone or play fan editor, but if we're talking important players only 25yo or younger, Royce Lewis makes the list. He still won't turn 25yo until June. Love him or not, Julien doesn't "escape" 25yo status until the end of April.

Sorry, but as a blogger, former English and journalism major/minor, and writer, CLARITY of intent should be made more obvious. Otherwise, this list becomes, potentially, a top 15-20. (Which might be even more interesting).

As far as the players listed:

Soto is someone i think could be special. The former SS has the build and length and pure potential stuff to be special. It's a long way to the top if you want to be a rock and roll singer...errr...MLB SP! But he's a quality, young kid with pure STUFF that has added pitches and K'd batters and had highs and lows as a 19yo at A ball. IMO, he's borderline untouchable for what he might be in a couple of years.

Ignoring the rhetoric I and others have expoused  here in the comments, where is 24yo Connor Prielipp? He's probably the most enigmatic prospect in the Twins system. But if his elbow is now RIGHT, he's lightening in a bottle that SHOULD have been included.

Very impressed by what SWR did in 2024, increased velocity, much better slider. By his own admission, he lost his change a bit with his new delivery. He gets that under control, he takes a step forward.

Matthews might be better, but we'll see how 2025 plays out. Same with Morris. Matthews followed a developmental path seldom seen. A rough ML debut earlier than it was supposed to happen shouldn't surprise or diminish what he did in 2024. And Moriss is just behind him.

Culpepper reminds me of Keaschall. He wasn't necessarily what I wanted when draft time came. But what do I know? Culpepper...and i often dislike comparisons...seems to be Keaschall but a more PURE SS. Same potential with all the qualities of contact/AVG and some OB and pop/power and speed. Just maybe a better pure glove.

 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

22 hours ago, JD-TWINS said:

Preach!! ……to me it’s disrespectful to assume Matthews is somehow more valuable after SWR proved his value in ‘24. Matthews is a year older and at least a year behind SWR’s development…...not his fault, but he was in A ball last May………. SWR needs an out pitch - personally, I think it’s his slider. He needs to find another pitch or just better command to set up his slider. His ERA (in a protected role) was very solid outside 3 rough starts. I think he can get to 30-31 starts and 165 innings in ‘25. If he keeps the ERA at 4.00 range or better, he’s a solid a developing 4 or 5 starter……that’s all he’s needed to do.

SWR at 133 innings was 77th in WAR, 77th k-bb%, 74th in WHIP, 68th in ERA.

that makes a Rookie a top 80 starting pitcher, and since there’s 30 teams, he would have been an improvement over the existing number 3 pitcher on 10-15 teams (if pitching quality were evenly distributed)

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, Doctor Gast said:

SWR is underrated, his character & newer savant show he's better than most think. I'd put him higher.

On a Polanco  note ....

Polanco is re-signing with Seattle  , glad he's back , decent money  , 7.5 m plus incentives  ....

Brasier has been dfa'd  , what do you think , time to make a trade and get braiser and that catcher from the dodgers , it's going to take castro to do it thou  plus we would have to take the 4.5 m salary of Brasier  ...

I know you like castro  , but I think we could live without him if we could get a catcher for the future  ...

[Doctor Gast]

5 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

On a Polanco  note ....

Polanco is re-signing with Seattle  , glad he's back , decent money  , 7.5 m plus incentives  ....

Brasier has been dfa'd  , what do you think , time to make a trade and get braiser and that catcher from the dodgers , it's going to take castro to do it thou  plus we would have to take the 4.5 m salary of Brasier  ...

I know you like castro  , but I think we could live without him if we could get a catcher for the future  ...

I applaud you for seeing a real need & giving a very viable solution. Even though trading Castro & compromising quality depth at some key positions, I'd make that trade for Rushing in a second. But one problem in moving Castro is he's not worth that much in the open market & Rushing is highly valued, we'd have to throw in a Festa to balance out the trade. Falvey wouldn't give up Festa for Molina in his prime. Another is, even though we are doing LAD another favor by taking RHRP Brasier off their hands & Rushing is blocked at catcher, they'll still want to hang onto Rushing for a sweetheart deal that'll pop up. If they have to, when they feel Rushing is ready, they'll put him in the OF & use him as a 3rd catcher. Altough LAD value versatility they looking to dump fan favorite Chris Taylor so I don't think would be interested in Castro. 

Surprising that SEA resigned Polanco after all the negative fanbase response. I was hoping to trade Julien there & picking up Polanco to help out at 1B. But it was a good contract for him.