Predicting the Minnesota Twins Lineup One Year From Now

[S Bart]

2 hours ago, rv78 said:

Rocco will want him back to be the 2nd catcher behind Jeffers and that utility infielder they need to give the regulars a rest every other day. Besides, his .115 batting average is invaluable to this team.

I fully agree with you about Mickey G. (I like how that name rings with force...good chant in the stands). HE CAN BUNT and play multiple positions. All kidding aside, I do feel bad that the poor guy has been hit with so many attacks on Twins Daily. He looks like  a deer caught in the headlights in the dugout at times. He is hired to play baseball, and was placed on that level by the management. I am cheering that he hits a home run this season to make the naysayers gasp;) C'mon...when the mighty White Sox sweeps the Twins and they give up double digit runs with little hit support.  .....maybe we should cheer for the Bad News Bears player candidates... not much left to cheer about with a month to go . .

[Cory Engelhardt]

52 minutes ago, ashbury said:

I stopped reading here, thanks.

I do think the plan could be from trading their pitching to fill one of these spots?

For example, who is the best 1B that SWR could get in a trade?

But yeah, this offseason and into next year will be telling for the direction. I also fully expect a lockout after next season, so all of this is going to be just a crazy time to try to follow and love Twins baseball in my opinion.

[Nshore]

Frank Viola had an ERA over 5.00 for the first couple of years before he figured it out.  The Twins could be looking at some really, really lean years of these young pitchers taking their lumps.  In a way, the line-up seems almost irrelevant.

[bunsen82]

2 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Do you think Lewis's 75th percentile outcome for 2026 is closer to his 2025 season production or his 2023 season production?

I tend to think he can find a way to get back closer to what he was in 2023 with a full/healthy offseason. But if you truly believe the 2025 version IS what Royce is, then so be it.

It all comes down to can Lewis learn to be effective again with an outside pitch.  Until he can regularly cause damage,  no one is coming inside unless they miss their spot.  

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Nshore said:

  In a way, the line-up seems almost irrelevant.

  We're already there my guy.

[old nurse]

4 hours ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

I Looked to see what the "average" MLB numbers were and got this - .246/.324/.404 (.728) so you're right, Lee is a below average hitter overall right now. I do think we have to note that he is above average for the last 30 games in OBP and SLG and his average has been coming up recently. This coincides with him moving to his comfortable, preferred position at SS every day so that correlation may in fact be causation. I still have hope for Lee and his OAA over the last 25 games is a positive at SS. I think he's the every day SS next year.  

I went down the rabbit hole and looked at our guys who have been every day players this year and/or likely will or could be so next year absent a trade to see how the rank against average. It was interesting and changed my thinking a little bit. 

Above average in all categories - Buxton, Jeffers, Keashall (SSS). 

Above average in some, below in others - Wallner (good OBP,SLG,OPS, very bad BA).

Average - Larnach almost exactly in everything -  .243/.318/.417 (.725).

Below average in pretty much everything - Clemens (Way below average in BA and OBP, above in SLG, below in OPS at .717), with Lewis, Martin, Julien, Outman, and of course Vasquez below in everything, sometimes way below.  

Leads me to two conclusions, one of which we all already knew, (1) Larnach isn't so bad and may need to stick around at 1B over Clemens or DH, and (2) there's lots of room for new guys. 

League average OPS for a  DH is 773.  League average would be higher except Larnach is at .725 and Pittsburgh is giving McCutchen (OPS .711) a farewell tour since he is the last of their winning teams’ players and they have nothing better to do.

[DocBauer]

That's the OF I've been dreaming of for a couple years now. And it can be for real if Rodriguez can finally get on the "wellness good luck" wagon for a change. 

Jeffers has been in the top 5 OPS producers at catcher for the past 4-5 seasons. We have control of him through 2027, he's not going to be very expensive, and nobody is going to be ready from the system for another 2yrs. So I think he stays.

How do you construct the best INF with Lewis, Lee, Kendall, and Culpepper? You put Lewis at 1B, Keaschall stays at 2B, What I'm not sure is if the left side is better with Lee at SS...at least until Houston potentially arrives...and Culpepper at 3B, or Culpepper at SS and Lee at 3B.

Plenty of time later to be gloomy and pessimistic, but this lineup could be a really good one.

 

 

[Patzky]

4 hours ago, Patzky said:

If you want reunions I love Willi but to be fair he is playing half as much in Chicago as he did here. For 7 million we can have Solano back 🥴 And Bader would be a useful part .

Well Carlos Santana just sent on waivers by the Guards. If you think you might want him for next year you may as well..

[RpR]

1 hour ago, Patzky said:

Well Carlos Santana just sent on waivers by the Guards. If you think you might want him for next year you may as well..

https://www.mlb.com/guardians/news/carlos-santana-placed-on-waivers-guardians

“When you have 15 years in the big leagues, you've earned the right to know what's going on and how we're thinking,” manager Stephen Vogt said on Sunday in Texas. “Right now, we want to give the opportunities to C.J. and Manzo to play a little bit more and get them onto the field. Carlos has still continued to be the best defensive first baseman in baseball. With his track record, he's still going to continue to get opportunities, a lot vs. lefties while a little limited vs. righties right now. But that doesn't mean that can't change."

[Major League Ready]

My guess ... Lewis gets all of 2026 to sink or swim.  Jenkins is in LF.  Buxton is the far superior defender for now.  The curveball would be if Rodriguez is on the team.  I am not sure who plays RF in that scenario.  If not Rodriguez, it's very hard to predict between Roden / GG / Fedko and let's be generous and say Outman has a chance of regaining his rookie form.

We really need Culpepper to significantly surpass Lee's production.  Lee looks like an average player at best to me.  I hope I am wrong but he looks like a good utility INF to me.   My guess is Culpepper is at SS and Lewis at 3B.  My longshot guess ... Keaschall or Fedko end up at 1B.   

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Predicting Twins 2026 lineup

“bad”

[Richie the Rally Goat]

10 hours ago, Nshore said:

"Wallner has been the Twins'  SECOND BEST hitter over the last 2 seasons".  Sit down and meditate upon that for a moment.

He’s been the 6th best hitting outfielder league wide since 2023 at 750 plate appearances.

 

[DocBauer]

27 minutes ago, Major League Ready said:

My guess ... Lewis gets all of 2026 to sink or swim.  Jenkins is in LF.  Buxton is the far superior defender for now.  The curveball would be if Rodriguez is on the team.  I am not sure who plays RF in that scenario.  If not Rodriguez, it's very hard to predict between Roden / GG / Fedko and let's be generous and say Outman has a chance of regaining his rookie form.

We really need Culpepper to significantly surpass Lee's production.  Lee looks like an average player at best to me.  I hope I am wrong but he looks like a good utility INF to me.   My guess is Culpepper is at SS and Lewis at 3B.  My longshot guess ... Keaschall or Fedko end up at 1B.   

A nice post, though I'm willing to give Keaschall the benefit of the doubt at 2B for a while. He's missed a lot of time in the field in '24 and this season while recovering from his TJ and then that broken forearm. 

IF Rodriguez is healthy, I'm still inclined to just give him a job and let him bat lower in the lineup and feel his way. But I agree on who plays what spot between he and Jenkins? But I believe Rodriguez is a little faster, so I'd probably put in LF because there's more ground to cover.

Initially, I thought Lee to 3B and Culpepper at SS. But Lee has been looking pretty solid at SS since he's been there full time. So maybe Culpepper at 3B...again, Lewis at 1B in my scenario...and if Houston can follow with a decent bat over the next couple of years, his superior defense then replaces a solid, not great, Lee at SS?

In the long run, I thing GG will have the better overall BAT than Fedko. But IMO, the older Fedko is still having the better season overall, and is knocking harder on the door for 2026 as the 4th OF.

[Nshore]

18 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

He’s been the 6th best hitting outfielder league wide since 2023 at 750 plate appearances.

 

Statistics today must have been created by players' agents.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

1 minute ago, Nshore said:

Statistics must have been created by players' agents.

Possibly so, but that one was in rank order comparing them against each other.

[DocBauer]

11 hours ago, mluebker said:

No spot for Kody Clemens?

Not entirely sure if you are asking a serious question here or just having a little fun. (Haven't had time yet to read every post). But Clemens has probably earned the right to be on the 40 man going in to next season. 

Even if doesn't improve a lick, but can basically just repeat what he's done with the Twins this season, he could be a solid bench player at 4 spots. That shouldn't be dismissed. He has played some 3B in college, MILB, and 20 some games at the ML level. No clue how well, or poorly, he plays the spot. But it might be worth giving him some run there next ST to see if he can help at a 5th spot once in a while.

As a bonus, he has one of his father's gloves and can "replace" Castro as the "emergency" pitcher if needed. LOL.

*I'm only half kidding as he's done it before.

[DocBauer]

*ADENDUM to any of my previous posts on this OP. If Larnach is indeed moved, as many/most of us expect, the payroll then sits around $90M WITH Lopez, Ryan, and expected arbitration numbers.

Instead of just ASSUMING/HOPING Rodriguez is healthy and ready to go and debut at some point, if not immediately. And generally ASSUMING everyone else will also be healthy the majority of the year and play and debut as expected at some point...May-June-July 1st, whatever...there is still an opportunity to add a solid, veteran such as Josh Naylor to play 1B and DH and provide a quality veteran bat and presence to the lineup and club. He and a decent veteran backstop should cost approximately $18M. Not including a couple pen arms, maybe on the rebound, the total payroll would still be under $120M.

Obviously, a couple decent veteran arms bumps that number somewhat. But a SINGLE solid veteran BAT doesn't create any sort of major payroll change. But it only makes sense if they want to put a competitive team on the field.

[mluebker]

9 hours ago, Patzky said:

Donnie Barrels.

Sounds okay to me!

[S Bart]

9 hours ago, S Bart said:

I fully agree with you about Mickey G. (I like how that name rings with force...good chant in the stands). HE CAN BUNT and play multiple positions. All kidding aside, I do feel bad that the poor guy has been hit with so many attacks on Twins Daily. He looks like  a deer caught in the headlights in the dugout at times. He is hired to play baseball, and was placed on that level by the management. I am cheering that he hits a home run this season to make the naysayers gasp;) C'mon...when the mighty White Sox sweeps the Twins and they give up double digit runs with little hit support.  .....maybe we should cheer for the Bad News Bears player candidates... not much left to cheer about with a month to go . .

....and Gasper did it....HR....

[mluebker]

9 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Kody Clemens has hit .187 / .252 / .369 in his last 219 PAs.

And .215/.284/.446 with 14 home runs and 39 RBI in a Twins uniform. In other words, a little better than Royce Lewis but not quite up to the Matt Wallner level. They could do worse. (And have.)

 

[sstolen]

23 hours ago, Jack207 said:

This team is an absolute JOKE! The only solution is to stop attending games to force a sale.

 

Uh...not going to work. Fans are fans...many...many want the entertainment, probably enoug to debunk your idea. Management will change when current owners are tired of being the owners. So far, they are only "sometime" not intersted. Attendance isnt going to call their cards. If it upsets you that much, find another team. Most middling teams in smaller cities have love/hate relationships with their wealthy citizens. 

[jmlease1]

11 hours ago, DocBauer said:

*ADENDUM to any of my previous posts on this OP. If Larnach is indeed moved, as many/most of us expect, the payroll then sits around $90M WITH Lopez, Ryan, and expected arbitration numbers.

Instead of just ASSUMING/HOPING Rodriguez is healthy and ready to go and debut at some point, if not immediately. And generally ASSUMING everyone else will also be healthy the majority of the year and play and debut as expected at some point...May-June-July 1st, whatever...there is still an opportunity to add a solid, veteran such as Josh Naylor to play 1B and DH and provide a quality veteran bat and presence to the lineup and club. He and a decent veteran backstop should cost approximately $18M. Not including a couple pen arms, maybe on the rebound, the total payroll would still be under $120M.

Obviously, a couple decent veteran arms bumps that number somewhat. But a SINGLE solid veteran BAT doesn't create any sort of major payroll change. But it only makes sense if they want to put a competitive team on the field.

Considering the Pohlads have been leaking that they were losing $40M this season on a $135M payroll (YMMV on whether you believe them; I don't believe they have earned any trust on finances), expecting them to put a payroll of $120M together is...optimistic. It's part of why I expect them to move Pablo in the offseason, not sign any marquee free agents, and have the whole thing sitting at more like $80M, with plenty of excuses related to local tv revenue.

[Hubie29]

22 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Which is why he should be the every day DH.

The alternative is finding a team that likes him and his bat and will trade a significant player to acquire him.

He would definitely set the major league record in strikeouts. And might lead the league in solo homers.

[Hubie29]

9 hours ago, mluebker said:

And .215/.284/.446 with 14 home runs and 39 RBI in a Twins uniform. In other words, a little better than Royce Lewis but not quite up to the Matt Wallner level. They could do worse. (And have.)

 

If you can't match the "Matt Wallner Level", ya you better hang 'em up!

[dogsday]

C: Micky Gasper

1B: D. Falvey. Look, we know it's not ideal since he 'knows more about pitching than hitting or fielding.' But he's already on the payroll and doesn't really have a lot to do.

2B: Luke Keaschall

SS: Brooks Lee

3B: Royce Lewis

LF: Courtney from Marketing. She's an unpaid intern so the price is right. And according to Brian her former boss who we had to let go for harassment, she has great legs.

CF: Byron Buxton

RF: Matt Walner

[Major League Ready]

12 hours ago, DocBauer said:

A nice post, though I'm willing to give Keaschall the benefit of the doubt at 2B for a while. He's missed a lot of time in the field in '24 and this season while recovering from his TJ and then that broken forearm. 

IF Rodriguez is healthy, I'm still inclined to just give him a job and let him bat lower in the lineup and feel his way. But I agree on who plays what spot between he and Jenkins? But I believe Rodriguez is a little faster, so I'd probably put in LF because there's more ground to cover.

Initially, I thought Lee to 3B and Culpepper at SS. But Lee has been looking pretty solid at SS since he's been there full time. So maybe Culpepper at 3B...again, Lewis at 1B in my scenario...and if Houston can follow with a decent bat over the next couple of years, his superior defense then replaces a solid, not great, Lee at SS?

In the long run, I thing GG will have the better overall BAT than Fedko. But IMO, the older Fedko is still having the better season overall, and is knocking harder on the door for 2026 as the 4th OF.

I too have pondered the INF arrangement.  What swayed me is that if Lewis hits well enough to be an asset at 1B, he is even more valuable at 3B given how much his fielding has improved.  Culpepper is also less valuable at 3B and I just don't see Lee being good enough to move these other pieces around in order to keep Lee at SS.   I would love for Lee to take off but right now his most valuable future position looks to be utility INF.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Major League Ready said:

I would love for Lee to take off but right now his most valuable future position looks to be utility INF.

Kyle Farmer seems like a good comp for Brooks Lee.

[RpR]

55 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Kyle Farmer seems like a good comp for Brooks Lee.

Lee's glove is going downhill, it would be nice to have Farmer.