Royce Lewis and One Last Chance to Stick at Third Base

[Cody Christie]

Despite some lackluster defense in 2024, the Minnesota Twins have doubled down on keeping their young slugger at third base. So, is this his last chance to stay at the hot corner long-term?

 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter

Royce Lewis was drafted as a shortstop, which seemed like the natural defensive home for the start of his career. However, a combination of factors have made third base his primary spot—including Carlos Correa’s presence at short; Lewis’s multiple knee injuries; and inconsistent reps at one position. The transition, though, has been anything but smooth.

Last season, Lewis’s defensive struggles at third base were evident, particularly with his throwing. He often looked uncomfortable making strong, accurate throws across the diamond. He was worth 2 Outs Above Average (OAA) at third base last season, in 158 attempts. Among MLB third basemen, Lewis’s Statcast Arm Strength ranked 28th, at 84 mph. For some perspective, the top two third basemen (Christopher Morel and Trey Lipscomb) both averaged 90.3 mph or higher with their throws. 

According to FanGraphs, Lewis made six throwing errors in 411 2/3 innings at third base in 2024. Only five third basemen had more throwing errors, but those players all had significantly more innings at third. Some of his issues stem from footwork inconsistencies, which impact his ability to make repeatable and fluid throws. Despite these concerns, the Twins remain committed to helping him improve.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli recently spoke about Lewis’s defensive work this offseason.

“Ramon [Borrego] is doing a nice job with those guys getting them a lot of reps, a lot of focused reps," Baldelli told reporters at spring training this week. "They are working hard. They’re working in the mornings on top of the work that they get in team defensive drills.”

The team is hoping that additional reps and a focus on fundamentals will help smooth out Lewis's game at third. One of the primary areas of focus is his footwork, which directly impacts his throwing mechanics and accuracy.

“Royce wants to keep getting better in all aspects of his game. He’s working hard in the field,” said Baldelli. “He’s working hard on his footwork, which leads to a repeatable arm stroke and accuracy. That’s the way infield goes. Playing infield well starts with your feet, in many respects.”

The natural athleticism that once made Lewis a highly touted shortstop prospect has been somewhat hampered by his injuries. While he still possesses decent speed and reaction time, the multiple knee surgeries have likely diminished some of his explosiveness. That, coupled with the challenge of learning a new position at the highest level, makes this a crucial season for Lewis defensively.

If Lewis struggles again at third, the Twins might be forced to reevaluate his long-term defensive future. In recent years, the Twins have seen a development issue, with three of their top shortstop prospects moving closer to utility roles. Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Austin Martin were all first-round draft picks who ranked highly on national top-100 lists. Lewis and Martin likely won’t get any more time at shortstop in their careers. Lee still has a chance to fill in at shortstop, but he seems destined for a different long-term defensive home.

The Twins still view Lewis and his bat as a critical part of the lineup. However, his time at the hot corner might end if he cannot remedy some of his flaws from last season. There is the potential to move him to second base, or even to see more time at designated hitter—a position the Twins like to rotate players through. In the long run, the team would undoubtedly prefer to see him settle in as an everyday third baseman and make some of their other defensive decisions more challenging. 

Outside of Lewis, the Twins have multiple other options for third base. José Miranda played significant time at third last season, while Lewis was injured. His defense is considered worse than Lewis's, so he will likely get reps at first base and DH. Willi Castro and Brooks Lee are also in the hot corner conversation, if Lewis shows some of the same flaws as last season. Top prospect Luke Keaschall is returning from Tommy John surgery last August, but many believe he can be a long-term third base option. The Twins will be careful with him in the season’s early months, but he could be an option for the big-league squad in the second half. 

Lewis’s talent is undeniable, and his work ethic suggests he’s determined to make it work at third base. But as the Twins continue their push for contention, they need consistency at the hot corner. This season might be Lewis’s final chance to prove he can provide that stability.

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What does Lewis need to do this season to stick at third base? Who will be the team’s third baseman in five years? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[LambchoP]

I think with another year removed from surgery and by playing everyday at 3b, his defense should improve with more innings there. If not, or if the Twins need Lee to play 3rd to get him in the lineup, Lewis' bat would profile great at first base. Might help keep him on the field as well. With Lee, Julien, Miranda, Keaschal and maybe Eeles all fighting for I field innings, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I imagine whoever is hitting best will get into the lineup one way or another.

[Blyleven2011]

I doubt this is Lewis's last chance at the hot corner  , he's athletic enough and smart enough to overcome the throwing concerns  ...

Lewis has great pride in being the best , his work ethics will smooth things out   ...

[Karbo]

I think 3rd will belong to Lee once he adjusts to MLB pitching. Lewis could be GG quality at 1st!

[stringer bell]

In parts of three seasons, Royce has played 100 games at third base, a little less than 2/3 of one season. He didn't play a lot of third in the minors, so I think there is room to grow as a third baseman. If the defensive problems continue or get worse, I think that a move across the diamond makes the most sense and the Twins could have multiple years of Lewis as a first baseman.

I would hope that being more healthy would help Lewis to restore quickness, mobility and even arm strength. He was regarded as a premium athlete when he was taken first overall and seeing low sprint speed and below-average arm strength at age 25 doesn't make sense to me, unless impacted by injuries.

[DJL44]

Quote

Baldelli. “He’s working hard on his footwork, which leads to a repeatable arm stroke and accuracy. That’s the way infield goes. Playing infield well starts with your feet, in many respects.”

This is an encouraging quote - fundamentals from Rocco.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Last season, while he made some errors throwing, his defense was acceptable as long as he continues to hit.  He is at an age and (limited) experience level at the position that he should continue to improve defensively.  In the beginning, he had to rely on athleticism to get him through, but as he grows in the role he should be able to master the footwork and technique to make him into a solid defender.  If he hits, it’s not like we’re benching him, so it’s up to his bat to make it happen.

[mickster]

2 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I think with another year removed from surgery and by playing everyday at 3b, his defense should improve with more innings there. If not, or if the Twins need Lee to play 3rd to get him in the lineup, Lewis' bat would profile great at first base. Might help keep him on the field as well. With Lee, Julien, Miranda, Keaschal and maybe Eeles all fighting for I field innings, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I imagine whoever is hitting best will get into the lineup one way or another.

Eeles and Keaschal are Saints to start the year - and maybe the full year, which would be a good thing as that means the big club is healthy.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Brooks Lee is and will be the better 3B. The question is will he hit well enough? I believe he will but he is still unproven. As for Lewis I don't doubt that he can become a decent 3B. What I doubt is that he will ever stay healthy enough to endure anywhere. His injury history is a very proven one. And as one gets older you don't all of a sudden become less injury prone as a rule. Though Lee's back is also a concern.

[HerbieFan]

Size and athleticism to play 1B or LF.  If he gets back to hitting, I have no doubt there is a position he could excel at defensively.

[HelmetTip]

Sometimes I wonder if writers read their own articles: 

Quote

Last season, Lewis’s defensive struggles at third base were evident, particularly with his throwing. He often looked uncomfortable making strong, accurate throws across the diamond. He was worth 2 Outs Above Average (OAA) at third base last season, in 158 attempts

51 games. 2 outs above average.

So he was better than average in limited appearances last year by defensive metrics, should be much more comfortable there in 2025, yet this is "one last chance" to stick at 3B? 

Bring on the season & real articles about real stuff!

[arby58]

5 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I think with another year removed from surgery and by playing everyday at 3b, his defense should improve with more innings there. If not, or if the Twins need Lee to play 3rd to get him in the lineup, Lewis' bat would profile great at first base. Might help keep him on the field as well. With Lee, Julien, Miranda, Keaschal and maybe Eeles all fighting for I field innings, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I imagine whoever is hitting best will get into the lineup one way or another.

He certainly could end up at 1B, as plenty of 3Bers have done in the past (paging Harmon Killebrew and Miguel Sano). He's tall enough to have a pretty good reach, you'd prefer he was left handed, but nobody's perfect. 

I'm still not completely sold on Lee, and maybe (between he and Keaschal) he is the less athletic and ends up at 2B. The other issue (not this year, but maybe in 2-3 years) is Correa will probably be moved off SS, and there again, 3B is where a lot of shortstops go in their later years.

[Doctor Gast]

"Top prospect Luke Keaschall is returning from Tommy John surgery last August, but many believe he can be a long-term third base option. The Twins will be careful with him in the season’s early months, but he could be an option for the big-league squad in the second half." 

Why not throw Keaschal right in at 3B. 3B isn't any different than 1B or DH? Is it?

[Squirrel]

1 hour ago, Doctor Gast said:

Why not throw Keaschal right in at 3B. 3B isn't any different than 1B or DH? Is it?

Is this a real question?

[Blyleven2011]

4 hours ago, Squirrel said:

Is this a real question?

If you know doctor Gast  , you know it was sarcasm towards the team management on how they always  play a player out of position once they reach ther majors ...

[Fatbat]

He will most likely be closer to allstar than washout at 3B. Let the kid play.

[darin617]

Boras won't allow the Twins to make him the DH until he gets paid. And there's little to no chance that Boras would allow him to sign an extension now and that he will test free agency.

I always said 1st base is where he belongs with his poor throws and average defense at 3rd. I can see him not wanting to play 2b. The best thing would be if he would buy into being the DH if he continues to struggle in the field.

[saviking]

So, what if we moved him to first base ..