Should the Twins Promote Riley Quick Rapidly in 2026?

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (Photo of Riley Quick)

When the Twins selected right-hander Riley Quick with the 36th overall pick last summer, it was easy to see why there was so much internal excitement. College pitchers with polish, athleticism, and a starter’s arsenal don't linger long on draft night. The question now is not whether Quick belongs in the organization’s long-term plans, but how aggressively Minnesota should move him during the 2026 season.

Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll addressed that idea earlier this offseason, striking a tone that leaned toward patience but left the door open for flexibility.

“Good question,” Zoll replied when asked about the possibility that the Twins would fast-track the 21-year-old right-hander out of the University of Alabama. “We had him throwing down in Fort Myers, post-draft, so we need to get him incorporated into affiliated ball and into a full season.

“But we’re really excited about Riley,” Zoll went on to say. “We were really pumped that he was available at that spot. We weren’t sure he was even going to be there, but we want to let him settle in, and we’ll go from there.”

President of baseball and business operations Derek Falvey echoed that sentiment, while also explaining why the development path for recent college pitchers has shifted.

“I’ll add to that,” interjected Falvey. “With where the draft is now in the calendar year, especially with those college pitchers who have thrown a decent amount, it’s hard for them to ramp back up. So, that first year is kind of an introduction to pro ball. The next year is when we have to see, ‘What does the season look like?’ It’s made the track on that a little different than maybe it’s been before. We’re not going to rush any of those guys. We’re going to make sure they get a good foundation.”

That foundation is essential for Quick, who has not appeared in an official game since signing. His junior season at Alabama was impressive, as he posted a 3.92 ERA, a 3.49 FIP, and a 25.9% strikeout rate while competing in the toughest conference in college baseball. On performance alone, it's easy to see the argument for moving him quickly once he is fully integrated into affiliated ball.

There are clear pros to pushing Quick aggressively in 2026. He's a mature college arm with experience against high-level competition and a clean, coordinated delivery that stood out to Twins evaluators. His fastball, slider, and changeup already give him three legitimate weapons, and Minnesota has a strong track record of helping college pitchers refine or add to their pitch mix. If Quick shows early command and durability, there is little reason to let him stagnate at lower levels simply for the sake of caution.

His athletic background only strengthens that case. Quick was a standout in both baseball and football at Hewitt Trussville High School in Alabama and drew attention from SEC football programs. That athleticism translates to the mound, where his repeatable mechanics and body control suggest a pitcher capable of handling challenges and adjustments quickly.

“I got my first SEC offer during COVID, and I was like, this is probably what I’m going to want to do,” said Quick. “Then COVID summer happened, and baseball started getting fired back up again. I started throwing, and I was throwing really good, and I was like, ‘Okay, I think I like striking people out a little bit more.’”

The cons of a fast-track approach are just as real. Quick underwent Tommy John surgery in February 2024, and while his return to form has been encouraging, the Twins have every reason to prioritize long-term health over short-term gains. A full professional season will be a new workload benchmark for him. Managing innings and ensuring recovery between appearances will matter more than his level assignment.

There is also the developmental side that goes beyond results. Quick is still learning how his stuff plays against professional hitters, and how to sequence his pitches consistently in multiple trips through a lineup. Rushing that process could limit the opportunity for refinement that turns a solid prospect into a reliable major-league starter.

Twins assistant general manager Sean Johnson emphasized that there is still more upside to uncover.

“We had a great combine interview with him, and it kind of synced up with what we saw on the field,” said Johnson. “And he’s a pitcher, we think there’s even more to unlock with the way he uses his pitches and his arsenal. Our pitcher development guys are just so excited to have him on board.”

In the end, the best path for Quick in 2026 likely lives somewhere in the middle. The Twins do not need to artificially slow him down if he proves he's ready for the next challenge, but there is also no benefit to forcing an accelerated timeline simply because the talent is obvious.

Letting performance, health, and development dictate the pace allows Minnesota to balance the upside of a quick mover with the responsibility of protecting a valuable arm. If that balance is struck, Quick’s arrival will feel earned rather than rushed, which is exactly how the Twins want their next wave of pitching to emerge.

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Should the Twins fast-track Quick in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[Linus]

Good grief. He hasn’t thrown a single professional pitch. 

[Fatbat]

21 yo that had tj surgery 23 months ago. Slow the roll on the fast track train. Get him 70-90 innings in iowa and kansas at most this season. 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Patience.  Patience. Patience.  

This is the time of year when everyone assumes that every prospect will be the franchise savior and become a start.  He might be, but it's far too early to worry about how agressively they will push him in the minors.  If he is awesome and healthy, and continues to be awesome and healthy, he will be up quickly.  Unfortunately development is rarely a straight line ascension.  

 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, Linus said:

Good grief. He hasn’t thrown a single professional pitch. 

But he's TC future.

So Yea.

Or.........

[Dman]

Twins have a lot of young pitching hoping to debut this year.  I don't think there is any reason to rush him.  That being said Gallagher easily made it AA his first pro season and he was a 6th round pick.  I don't think AA is out of the question for Quick and that would be a very good first year.

Still as mentioned there is no hurry.  If he dominates keep moving him up.  If not then keep working on stuff.  

Bottom line he has three plus pitches and decent control so it looks like an arm that could move fast if he stays healthy all year. I'm just happy they have at least one arm that looks like a fast mover and difference maker.

[bunsen82]

No and No

I had actually thought this was about Priellip. As to Quick there is no reason to fast track him.  Move him as he is performing.  

[bean5302]

No need to rush him at all. His performance and poise should dictate how fast he moves up the ladder in the system. His build up will probably limit him to 100 IP this year, similar to what we saw with Prielipp, I'm guessing.

[Rhyno006]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

Good grief. He hasn’t thrown a single professional pitch. 

Haha right?! But what else are we supposed to talk about, all the high impact offseason acquisitions the Twins have made? 🫠

[LeatherAntenna]

I don’t understand someone so young needing tj surgery.  How does that happen?

[Doc Lenz]

Quicker the better.

[jkcarew]

Impossible to know until he gets started.

[jkcarew]

5 hours ago, Fatbat said:

21 yo that had tj surgery 23 months ago. Slow the roll on the fast track train. Get him 70-90 innings in iowa and kansas at most this season. 

I would characterize even 1 2026 inning in Wichita as quite fast…even if he wasn’t coming off TJ.

[LyleCole]

I think a player like Quick should be fast tracked but it needs to be a "structured" fast track.   Start him in at least A+ level and move him up levels if he dominates.  The Twins have done this a bit more in recent years but they are still somewhat conservative and I would have no problem moving him up to the big leagues if he dominates in AA this season.  

[Old Twins Hat]

Promote Quick rapidly.   Or quickly I guess.  Yawn.  How many weeks to spring training?  And, will there be Ice.  

[strumdatjag]

4 hours ago, Doc Lenz said:

Quicker the better.

Yes - that promotion would not be RAPIDL; it would be QUICKly.  

[strumdatjag]

19 minutes ago, Old Twins Hat said:

Promote Quick rapidly.   Or quickly I guess.  Yawn.  How many weeks to spring training?  And, will there be Ice.  

Ultimately his career will be a question of whether it is among the QUICK or the DEAD. 

[Doctor Wu]

I'm all for fast-tracking some of these  young prospects, but in Quick's case, I think he needs at least a full year in the minors to make sure he is both healthy and effective. Hey, we all want success for these players ASAP, but I think we need to be patient in this case. 

[old nurse]

How quick he should rise depends on his talent level. If he is the second coming of Skenes, he can rise quickly.  If he is the second coming of Dylan Bundy, it doesn’t matter.  Is there really anything to learn besides throw the ball? If the answer is no, there is rapid rising. If the answer is yes, then there needs to be rapid learning to go with the rising 

[the_brute_squad]

Based on the one pitch X video in the story, I say call him up! 

[miracleb]

Quick will determine how "quickly" he rises thru the ranks.  A 3.92 ERA against college hitters doesn't scream "fast mover."  If he sports a 3.92 ERA in A ball.....he won't be a fast mover!

[bean5302]

16 hours ago, LeatherAntenna said:

I don’t understand someone so young needing tj surgery.  How does that happen?

Arm overuse, intense focus on velocity, less cross training. Even high school kids are seeing UCL replacement surgery happening.

[Otaknam]

This isn’t really a question, as it applies to every player. If Quick pitches really well he gets moved up commensurate with his success. If he has issues work on, such as control, he pitches at a lower level until he improves. Just like very player. And, with the Twins belief in their young pitching depth, there is no reason to hurry him. 

[Whitey333]

Just another in a long line of Twins can't miss prospects and hopefuls.  Just more of the same bs from the Falvey regime.  Hope and hype.  That's all they have to sell to the fans and it isn't much.