Royce Lewis’ Reemerging Speed Could Unlock Another Level for Him in 2026

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

When Royce Lewis entered the Twins’ system as the number one overall pick in 2017, much of the hype centered on his athleticism. He was a rangy shortstop who could track down anything in the hole, and on the bases, his speed profile nearly mirrored Byron Buxton’s. The thought of two high-octane burners atop Minnesota’s lineup had fans dreaming about endless doubles stretched into triples and pressure-packed stolen bases.

Two ACL tears later, those dreams had to be recalibrated. Lewis’s defensive home shifted to third base, and his legs—once his calling card—had to be preserved, rather than pushed. The Twins didn’t want him risking his long-term health by swiping unnecessary bags, and in 2024, he didn’t attempt any steals. His running game had become a non-factor, because the Twins were worried about keeping him off the injured list. 

Now, late in 2025, Lewis is offering a glimpse of his former self.

Speed on the Rebound
In the first half of 2025, Lewis swiped just two bases. Since the All-Star break, though, he has flipped a switch, going a perfect 10-for-10 on stolen base attempts over the past month. For context, Lewis had only six successful steals in 2023 and didn’t run at all in 2024. The sudden resurgence is both surprising and encouraging, particularly for a player with his injury history.

This isn’t Buxton-level speed anymore, but Lewis looks comfortable choosing his moments, picking up pitchers’ tendencies, and maximizing every opportunity. Early in his career, his sprint speed ranked in the 70th percentile or higher. During the 2025 season, he ranks in the 34th percentile, a far cry from the player he once was. It’s not about raw sprint speed, though; it’s about becoming a smarter base runner.

A Team-Wide Emphasis
The Twins’ post-deadline pivot has been one of the biggest talking points of the second half. After selling off key veterans, Rocco Baldelli and his staff emphasized fundamentals, particularly baserunning, as a way to maximize the current roster’s competitiveness. We’ve seen younger players being given the green light to steal more often, and the team has begun taking extra bases with an aggressiveness not seen in past years. Besides Lewis, other players (such as Luke Keaschall and Austin Martin) have benefited from this approach. 

Arguably, Lewis has been the biggest beneficiary. His 86 OPS+ in 2025 reflects the difficulty he's had in replicating the success he's enjoyed in the past, even when he's been able to stay on the field. No longer just a station-to-station slugger, he’s reintroducing pressure to opposing defenses, partially to make up for his lost thump. The combination of his bat and his legs gives him a more complete profile, and helps the Twins manufacture offense even when the long ball isn’t there.

What It Means for 2026
Lewis is never going to be the pure burner he was as a prospect, but the evidence suggests he can still be a 20-plus stolen base threat. If he maintains his current aggressiveness and efficiency, he could finish 2026 among the team leaders in steals—something few would have predicted after his knee surgeries.

Of course, there are risks. Sliding into second isn’t the same as jogging around the bases after a homer. Aggressive baserunning can lead to awkward landings, collisions, or unnecessary wear on knees that have already been tested. The Twins will need to strike a balance between Lewis’s green light and his health, ensuring he doesn’t push things too far.

Still, the reward outweighs the risk. A healthy Lewis who can hit for power and swipe bags changes the complexion of Minnesota’s offense. Instead of relying solely on his home run stroke, the Twins can pencil him in as a dynamic player who creates havoc in multiple ways.

If this current version of Lewis holds into next season, the Twins may have to adjust their long-term view of their former top prospect. He’s shown improved defensive ability at the hot corner, making him a player capable of impacting games with his bat, glove, and legs. Minnesota may want to be more athletic in 2026, and Lewis has a chance to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

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Can Lewis continue to steal bases at a high rate? Will the Twins focus on more athleticism in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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[LambchoP]

Sure stolen bases are nice, but the Twins need Royce to get his bat right first. If he's going to be our long term third baseman he needs to hit and hit for power.

[NYCTK]

Two straight seasons under a .300 OBP. I don't care that he's stealing more when he's on base as infrequently as he is. 

[jimmiexx]

Lewis has had an interesting season to say the least, obviously he has not been a great hitter (.688 OPS) but is significantly better defensively and base running.

Still, Lewis should not and will not be a defense-speed player although he sure looks like Kebryan Hays this year.

 Would be running if he was actually hitting? 

[jmlease1]

8 minutes ago, NYCTK said:

Two straight seasons under a .300 OBP. I don't care that he's stealing more when he's on base as infrequently as he is. 

It's definitely concerning how often Royce has been getting himself out the last 2 seasons. And even while finishing stronger this year, he's basically hacking at everything. he's got to find a more disciplined approach that keeps him from chasing, and start hammering fastballs again.

But hopefully the fact that he looks like he's got his legs back under him can help improve his base at the plate. He's doing well in the field, showing off very good range, and now he's running the bases better too. An off-season without needing surgery did wonders for Buxton, maybe it makes a difference for Royce too.

He's barely 26, but this is the healthiest season he's had since 2019 (aka, before the knee surgeries) and he's still not cracking 120 games. But if he can finish the season healthy, on a bit of an upswing, and a foundation to build on for next season...the talent is there.

[gman]

Since early June when Lewis got out of Spring Training mode, he has been hitting over 270 on a 30 homer 100 RBI pace. His OPS is around 777, that could be higher and he needs to walk more. Along with his stolen base rate, which I doubt he could keep up for a full season, he'd make a heck of a third baseman.

[RpR]

He said in an interview he IS working hard on defense, that will keep him in the line-up more than his bat.

[NYCTK]

15 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

He's barely 26, but this is the healthiest season he's had since 2019 (aka, before the knee surgeries) and he's still not cracking 120 games. But if he can finish the season healthy, on a bit of an upswing, and a foundation to build on for next season...the talent is there.

He's 26, widely considered a player's peak age, has been and remained relatively healthy, and will finish the year as a massive disappointment with less than 1.5 WAR. 

Any belief he'll ever be a 2+ WAR player again is now wishful thinking instead of any sort of rational thought. I'm happy he's shown some improvement at 3B. But even so, looks like his peak is a .250/.300/.430 player with average defense. No longer looking like a building block but instead just a decent everyday guy or even a role player, a la Kody Clemens.

Every team can use a player like that so I'm not trying to **** on him too much. Just really sad at how his career has gone. 

[NYCTK]

2 minutes ago, gman said:

Since early June when Lewis got out of Spring Training mode, he has been hitting over 270 on a 30 homer 100 RBI pace. His OPS is around 777, that could be higher and he needs to walk more. Along with his stolen base rate, which I doubt he could keep up for a full season, he'd make a heck of a third baseman.

If we're gonna cherry pick, his last 200 PAs he's hit .233/.270/.397, that's a .667 OPS. 

He had a very good month of play in the middle of the season, but otherwise has been downright terrible since his June 17th, 2024. Even with that scorching hot month he's hit .227/.281/.387, a .668 OPS. since then over 658 PAs. 

 

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, NYCTK said:

He's 26, widely considered a player's peak age, has been and remained relatively healthy, and will finish the year as a massive disappointment with less than 1.5 WAR. 

Any belief he'll ever be a 2+ WAR player again is now wishful thinking instead of any sort of rational thought. I'm happy he's shown some improvement at 3B. But even so, looks like his peak is a .250/.300/.430 player with average defense. No longer looking like a building block but instead just a decent everyday guy or even a role player, a la Kody Clemens.

Every team can use a player like that so I'm not trying to **** on him too much. Just really sad at how his career has gone. 

Considering he's at 1.1 bWAR in a season where he's still not close to a full slate of games, I think 2+ bWAR is certainly still achievable even without returning to the all-star level hitting we saw prior to his knee exploding (again), especially with the defense looking stronger. A relatively modest improvement in his hitting and playing 120 games would get him there. But I do agree that counting on him to be a cornerstone with all-star upside is unrealistic. I'd love for it to happen, but until he actually shows he can be that kind of hitter again in a full season, planning for it sets you up for failure.

But with the Twins struggling so much to even get 4-5 guys who can be 2+ bWAR players in the lineup, If Royce gets back there it'd make a real difference in raising the floor. After Buxton and Keaschall the next most likely players to put up a bWAR of 2 or better are Austin Martin (which does require some projection), Jeffers or Wallner (requiring a return to form, but at least they've done it in '23 & '24), or a group of rookies who haven't done anything at all yet (Jenkins, Rodriguez, Fedko, or Gonzalez all could do it...but that's asking a lot for rookies)

Can't really bet on it from Roden, Lee (who I still think can be better, but I will admit to possibly fooling myself), Outman (blech), Larnach (if he's even here), or even Clemens (who in a career season at age 29 is still only a touch ahead of Royce).

Boy the lineup really let the team down this season. probably why we're looking for hope inside of Royce.

[TwinsDr2021]

2 hours ago, gman said:

Since early June when Lewis got out of Spring Training mode, he has been hitting over 270 on a 30 homer 100 RBI pace. His OPS is around 777, that could be higher and he needs to walk more. Along with his stolen base rate, which I doubt he could keep up for a full season, he'd make a heck of a third baseman.

Isn't that what others said about Wallner the last two years. Projections are nice, but actual stats are what matters.

 

[P Meyer]

3 hours ago, NYCTK said:

He's 26, widely considered a player's peak age, has been and remained relatively healthy, and will finish the year as a massive disappointment with less than 1.5 WAR. 

Any belief he'll ever be a 2+ WAR player again is now wishful thinking instead of any sort of rational thought. I'm happy he's shown some improvement at 3B. But even so, looks like his peak is a .250/.300/.430 player with average defense. No longer looking like a building block but instead just a decent everyday guy or even a role player, a la Kody Clemens.

Every team can use a player like that so I'm not trying to **** on him too much. Just really sad at how his career has gone. 

This is another player that you might as well play until you have someone else who beats him out for a spot.

[DocBauer]

Stealing more bases only tells me Royce is feeling GOOD physically. And that's all I care about.

He worked out hard in the offseason with a personal trainer he trusts to work on greater flexibility to avoid all the soft tissue injuries that have plagued him the past couple of seasons. Alas, he couldn't get out of ST without another injury. And while he might have been rushed back, he's remained pretty healthy since he came back, even with disappointing results.

By his own admission earlier this season, he's admitted having issues finding a stance/approach that works for him considering his 2 knee injuries, larger muscle mass, and the various injuries that have slowed him at times.

He doesn't have to be the Superman player he's flashed at times early in his career. He just needs to be healthy and find a BASE at the plate that he feels comfortable with. He doesn't have to hit .300, but I think there's a .270-ish hitter there. There might still be potential for 30HR, but I'd be happy with 22-25.

If he never stole another base in his career but could play a good 3B, hit in the .270's, and crank out 30+ Dbls and 20+ HR I'd be ecstatic. 

He might be capable of more, but that would be a cornerstone type of player. It's all about just staying on the field and finding a stance/base/approach that feels comfortable. 

[tony&rodney]

The Twins will want to hold on to Royce Lewis because they picked him #1-1 in the 2017 draft. The club should be open to conversations from other teams, however, if there are reasonable offers that would benefit the Twins club.

Either way, the increase in speed and a small improvement in defense is hopeful for a better performance going forward for Lewis. Currently, Lewis sells out to pull most pitches which leaves him very susceptible to failure versus good pitchers.

I'm hoping Royce has a great offseason and returns fully healthy and ready to fulfill his potential in 2026.

[stringer bell]

I'm trying really hard not to cherry-pick stats for Lewis, but 11 HRs and 12 SB since the All-Star break (60 games) is a 30-30 pace, something no Twin has ever done. Hitting is the main thing and his numbers for the entire season are poor, but he was obviously not right when he returned to the lineup. He has looked reasonably comfortable since he came back from his second IL stint and as the season has dwindled he's looked more and more comfortable and athletic on the field IMHO. 

I don't think 2 BWAR is his ceiling, but I don't think he is elite either. If he stays healthy, he should put up very good numbers and be an everyday asset. I do believe he has a high-maintenance swing with a lot of moving parts making him slump (and hot streak) prone. 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

The Twins will want to hold on to Royce Lewis because they picked him #1-1 in the 2017 draft. The club should be open to conversations from other teams, however, if there are reasonable offers that would benefit the Twins club.

Either way, the increase in speed and a small improvement in defense is hopeful for a better performance going forward for Lewis. Currently, Lewis sells out to pull most pitches which leaves him very susceptible to failure versus good pitchers.

I'm hoping Royce has a great offseason and returns fully healthy and ready to fulfill his potential in 2026.

I'm hoping next year he doesn't try to pull pitches with every swing.

[Permanent Twins Fan]

Lewis will most likely never get back to the player he was in 2023. If he does however turn into a decent power-speed threat that would still be nice. If he goes 20-15 in 2026 that should be considered a success. I don't know how much he will continue to run next year, but he does seem to be a lot healthier and it shows with his speed.

[Otaknam]

Lewis needs to learn how to hit a sweeper first. He also seems out of balance most of the time as he tries to to pull everything, which leads to missing a sweeper by six inches or more.

[TopGunn#22]

I will agree with those who say it's at a minimum "encouraging" to see him running better and with confidence.  When he was barely jogging to first base after hitting infield grounders I wondered why they even had him out there.

If you can't play the game to the fullest, are you hurting the team?  Or if there is nobody close to you in talent, are you doing what you can for the team by playing through it?  That's always a hard question to answer and I believe it's different for every player.

He had bulked up too much and it was messing with his entire body.  Guys don't have to be body builders to be good baseball players.  He is just 26 years old.  He could still become a cornerstone player.  He could be off the team in 2 years.  He does swing at everything.  A sweeper down and away is his kryptonite.  

On the Twins right now I would listen on a trade for any player except Walker Jenkins.  The Twins don't have an untouchable like Anthony Edwards or Justin Jefferson.  But to trade Royce Lewis would be selling low.  He needs a healthy off season and a fresh start coming into spring training.  I'm not going to get my hopes up too high, but I'm cautiously optimistic for Lewis regarding 2026.  It could very well decide whether he's here in 2027, or elsewhere.

Good health, especially with his lower body, should help him find a better "base" as many have already mentioned and it could be a huge benefit for him going forward.  Having better plate discipline is the next step.  He will probably never be the superstar we all envisioned after his tremendous playoff performance in 2023, but he could become a solid middle of the order bat for future Twins teams.  

[David HK]

33 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

Lewis needs to learn how to hit a sweeper first. He also seems out of balance most of the time as he tries to to pull everything, which leads to missing a sweeper by six inches or more.

Agreed.  Watching him hack especially with anything outside edge or wider, he conjures up painful memories of me trying to learn "The Hustle" back in the disco era.

[David HK]

AND- he needs to move to 1st, Lee sliding over to 3rd.  And cover SS with Fitzy or whomever until Culpepper gets here.  Hurry up, young man!

[gman]

On 9/22/2025 at 12:26 PM, NYCTK said:

If we're gonna cherry pick, his last 200 PAs he's hit .233/.270/.397, that's a .667 OPS. 

He had a very good month of play in the middle of the season, but otherwise has been downright terrible since his June 17th, 2024. Even with that scorching hot month he's hit .227/.281/.387, a .668 OPS. since then over 658 PAs. 

 

If we're going to cherry pick then lets not pick the month following the month of August after half the team was traded away. Had have your favorite Mets been doing/

[gman]

On 9/22/2025 at 2:54 PM, TwinsDr2021 said:

Isn't that what others said about Wallner the last two years. Projections are nice, but actual stats are what matters.

 

I would prefer to be positive then as negative as all the White Sox lovers on this site.

[jkcarew]

Now, if he’d quit trying to pull everything, and get back to the hitter he was, we’d be in business.

[RpR]

3 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

Now, if he’d quit trying to pull everything, and get back to the hitter he was, we’d be in business.

All the early rah, rah, rah for his home runs has him wanting that recognition again.

[Trov]

I am sure he was worried about pulling his hamstring again early when he came back.  I think that affected not only his running but his hitting as well.  If you do not have your legs hitting you have nothing. 

[DJL44]

His defense has been pretty good this season. Throw out his horrible April and he's had an okay year. Not the All-Star we hoped for with a 1-1 pick but a decent major leaguer.