Closer Connor Prielipp?

[Cody Schoenmann]

Entering the 2022 MLB regular season, the Minnesota Twins ten-pitcher(!) bullpen was a smorgasbord of different reliever archetypes, ranging from established, veteran arms in Tyler Duffey and Joe Smith to inexperienced, high-upside prospects in Josh Winder and Jhoan Duran. The postseason-missing collective sorted through an abundance of relievers that season, finishing with the 18th-best bullpen in baseball. However, the club unearthed its next closer in the aforementioned Duran, with the hard-throwing righty occupying the role the next two-and-a-half seasons before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during last season’s trade deadline. 

Fast forward four seasons later, Minnesota finds itself in a similar position, anticipated to enter the 2026 regular season with a hodge podge of trustworthy veterans in Justin Topa and Cole Sands and young, high-ceiling arms in John Klein, Marco Raya, and (most notably) Connor Prielipp. Similar to Duran’s breakthrough 2022 campaign, Twins decision-makers would love for the organization’s next star closer to develop internally. Klein, Raya, and Prielipp will likely be the first crop of young arms to receive that opportunity, with Prielipp possessing the stuff and arsenal necessary to quickly develop into the club’s next star closer.  

Drafted in the second round of the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft, Prielipp started two games between Single-A and High-A before needing to undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2023 season. The Alabama product pitched minimally in 2024 before breaking through last season, generating a 4.03 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and a 98-to-31 strikeout to walk ratio over 82 ⅔ innings pitched between Double- and Triple-A. The organization deployed the then-24-year-old almost exclusively as a starting pitcher last season. However, Twins decision-makers alluded that Prielipp could transition into a relief role in 2026, further proving the notion that he could be part of the club’s Opening Day bullpen. 

Prielipp separates himself from Klein, Raya, and other contemporaries by possessing three of the most effective pitches in the Twins system in his four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup. The 25-year-old complements his near-elite three-pitch mix with a sinker, a fastball variant the lefty added to his arsenal last season. A primary reason Duran and (to a lesser degree) Griffin Jax developed into prized high-leverage arms was because they were able to maximize the shape and velocity of their pitches while maintaining the four-to-five pitch arsenal of a starting pitcher. 

Throwing left-handed, Prielipp is functionally a different pitcher than Duran and Jax, making him incomparable to the former high-leverage Twins reliever. Still, Prielipp has the breaking and offspeed pitches necessary to make the same transition as Duran and Jax, even if he struggles more against right-handed hitters. Sitting around 95 MPH as a starter, the lefty’s four-seam fastball is inferior to Jax’s, let alone Duran’s. Once transitioned into a short relief role, he should add extra velocity and improved shape to his four-seam, with it potentially reaching 97 or 98 MPH. Again, the pitch wouldn’t be in the same stratosphere as Duran’s four-seam. Still, if Prielipp can add velocity to his four-seam fastball, continue developing his sinker, and leaning on his elite slider and plus change, he could join the ranks of San Diego’s Adrian Morejon and Seattle’s Jose A. Ferrer, becoming one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball and Minnesota’s next All-Star caliber closer.

View full article

[Cris E]

No, of course not. He has exactly one appearance from the pen since high school, he wasn't all that good in St Paul last year, and even in AA his WHIP was still 1.5 with a 3.65 ERA. He needs time to mature, to add some velocity, to learn to pitch at a higher level.  This is ridiculous.

[jorgenswest]

A closer might be needed three days in a row or not needed for three days. I would use him more like the White Sox used Chris Sale to start his major league career. They had him in relief to manage his arm. His first season (partial) he began by pitching with two days rest between each outing. By the end there were two occasions where he pitched back to back. In his second season he rarely pitched back to back and never three days in a row. Of his 58 appearances 37 were across multiple innings. He did have 8 saves that year and 4 the year before but was never the closer. After that first full year he transitioned to starter.

[bunsen82]

I think Priellip is best to be used as a starter.   My concern is to not getting many other relievers that can legitimately be a closer or have the stuff for the position,  we will transition players like Priellip and Festa out of need rather than what is in the players best interest or potentially even the organizations best interest because they created the hole and didn't fill it.  

[nicksaviking]

Even going back to Guardado and Hawkins, just about all the Twins' relief 'aces' have been guys who were failed starters or turned into a reliever just before to getting called up. But outside of Jhoan Duran, I don't think any of them were looked at as exciting bullpen arms until they actually developed into one. Jax and Sands were after thoughts. Varland had already lost his luster floundering in the rotation longer than he should have. Prior to Varland, May, Duffey and Perkins had pulled the same stunt. Rogers was only converted to relief at the last minute because the Twins had a surprisingly healthy number of veteran starters blocking him (most of whom were terrible).

So I guess my point is, that while Prielipp is similar to Duran, most of the team's other top end relievers were no longer highly regarded, so I'll guess someone from the Festa, Matthews, Bradley, Morris, Adams, Raya, Ohl, Klein group is more likely to be the answer.

Plenty of room for more than one answer though.

[bean5302]

Baseball Savant shows Prielipp was throwing 94-95mph with a 4 seamer (touched 96), 92-95mph with a sinker, 86-89mph with the changeup and 81-87 with the slider.

There was a lot of variance in Prielipp's pitch velo over his last 3 starts in AAA. Could be equipment related or him tiring down a little or just mechanics.

Prielipp's walk rate was too high at AAA, but it was his first full year back after TJ. I expect him to show what he can do this year. In terms of stuff, the elite K rate dropped off in AA/AAA to merely excellent.

Could Prielipp be the answer to a closer need? Sure. He "might" be a legitimate closer, but he has seems to have starter caliber stuff.

A closer at his very best provides the same value as a #4 rotation arm. Prielipp could potentially replace Joe Ryan or Pablo Lopez in the rotation with a small step forward. Or he could be totally exposed against MLB hitters.

Forcing starters into the bullpen because you traded away your entire bullpen isn't a good strategy.

[Parfigliano]

You need to have an offense that can create a lead before worrying who closes out a game.

[mickster]

18 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Even going back to Guardado, and Hawkins, just about all the Twins' relief 'aces' have been guys who were failed starters turned into a reliever just before to getting called up. But outside of Jhoan Duran, I don't think any of them were looked at as exciting bullpen arms until they actually developed into one. Jax and Sands were after thoughts. Varland had already lost his luster floundering in the rotation longer than he should have. Prior to Varland, May, Duffey and Perkins had pulled the same stunt. Rogers was only converted to relief at the last minute because the Twins had a surprisingly healthy number of veteran starters blocking him (most of whom were terrible).

So I guess my point is, that while Prielipp is similar to Duran, most of the team's other top end relievers were no longer highly regarded, so I'll guess someone from the Festa, Matthews, Bradley, Morris, Adams, Raya, Ohl, Klein group is more likely to be the answer.

Plenty of room for more than one answer though.

Nathan, Aguilera, Perkins all proved to be pretty good in the pen

[nicksaviking]

12 minutes ago, mickster said:

Nathan, Aguilera, Perkins all proved to be pretty good in the pen

That was pretty much the whole point of my post. It's the non-exciting starters who lost their luster who turn into relievers that have had the most success with the Twins.

[DJL44]

Quote

Being left-handed, Prielipp is a different pitcher than Duran and Jax

True. How does he compare to past Twins lefties like Glen Perkins, Taylor Rogers and Eddie Guardado?

[weitz41]

I say heck yeah put him in the pen. That way by August 1st he should be settled into his MLB routine and ready to take over one of the starter spots that will be open.

[TJSweens]

I'll get on my Prielipp soap box once again.  I'm dead set against moving him to the pen.

1. He projects as a top of the rotation starter and the focus should be on getting him there. Top starters are more important than closers. They need to build his innings since he has pitched very few. That's hard to do in the pen. 

2. When this regime moves someone to the pen, they almost never move back. Duran was supposed to be a temporary move. He wanted to start again after his first year in the pen. The Twins said no.

3. If the Twins were in position to contend it might be worth moving arguably their best pitching prospect to the pen. They aren't contending. This year is about using place holders until top prospects are ready. There is no point in rushing Prielipp to the majors via the pen.

[bean5302]

58 minutes ago, weitz41 said:

I say heck yeah put him in the pen. That way by August 1st he should be settled into his MLB routine and ready to take over one of the starter spots that will be open.

Falvey never lets a reliever go back to the rotation. Duran and Jax both wanted an opportunity to start again. Jax was highly vocal about it.

If Prielipp goes to the 'pen, that's it. He's a reliever for life with this organization. The aforementioned success stories are about letting a pitcher prove they can't make it as a starter (where they would have dramatically higher value) and move them the 'pen when they can't hold a rotation spot.

Heck, a guy who gets pushed out of the rotation by a slightly better #5 is still worth more in trade value than a fairly high end relief pitcher.

[Brett]

Johan Santana started off in the pen. He turned out OK.

Give him a shot.

[mikelink45]

I have no idea and suspect no one else does until they try.  Then the question is - does a player get put into high leverage right away or get some experience first.

[rv78]

"Twins decision-makers would love for the organization’s next star closer to develop internally."

1. Because they won't spend to keep one or acquire one.

2. Because Falvey isn't able to identify star closer talent available for trade.

3. Because Falvey has this organization stuffed to the gills with AAAA pitchers that will probably never be good enough to be major league starters.

[jorgenswest]

58 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Falvey never lets a reliever go back to the rotation. Duran and Jax both wanted an opportunity to start again. Jax was highly vocal about it.

If Prielipp goes to the 'pen, that's it. He's a reliever for life with this organization. The aforementioned success stories are about letting a pitcher prove they can't make it as a starter (where they would have dramatically higher value) and move them the 'pen when they can't hold a rotation spot.

Heck, a guy who gets pushed out of the rotation by a slightly better #5 is still worth more in trade value than a fairly high end relief pitcher.

The only example I can think of is Varland ending the season with a successful run as a Twins reliever in ‘23 and then returning to starter in ‘24. It is a waste of time to argue whether it is never or almost never though. I do wonder if he is changing his stance on moving back to starter from reliever since they haven’t acquired cheap solutions for the bullpen. I think he is planning on using some of the young starters. The Twins are going to need some of them to start down the road.

I also am not worried about the “never” because I don’t think Falvey is “forever”. If this doesn’t work and the Twins are not buyers at the deadline I think he is gone. Someone new coming in is going to have an open mind to all roster possibilities. They aren’t going to have a fixed mind that a bullpen arm can’t be a starter.

 

[Blyleven2011]

What has happened to the mentality of a relief pitcher  ....

Where are the goose gossages , mad Hungarian  , the nasty boys and many more with a winning mentality  , they did not want to lose and with that mentality they were a better player ...

just like a batter if he gets 3 hits in ten at bats , he is a better player ...

[KirbyDome89]

Ideally they get him some pen time this year and keep the SP door open. He's 25 already, and he doesn't have any sort of history to suggest he can handle a SP workload, even if the "stuff," is there. Maybe there's an Ober-esque injury/availability turnaround in his future, Idk, but he should be on the fast track to the Twins given his age & the obvious need for arms. 

[bean5302]

4 hours ago, jorgenswest said:

...I also am not worried about the “never” because I don’t think Falvey is “forever”...

 

Guy's team has missed the playoffs 4 of the past 5 years in one of the weakest divisions in sports all with declining attendance despite opening day payrolls of the highest in the division. All while being promoted, lol.

3 years ago we heard from former spokesman, Joe Pohlad, how status quo wasn't good enough. Making the playoffs wasn't good enough anymore. Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it.

[Paul Walerius]

8 hours ago, Cris E said:

No, of course not. He has exactly one appearance from the pen since high school, he wasn't all that good in St Paul last year, and even in AA his WHIP was still 1.5 with a 3.65 ERA. He needs time to mature, to add some velocity, to learn to pitch at a higher level.  This is ridiculous.

Typically, the pen (if you have good stuff) leads to lower era for "failed" starters.  Also, he mostly started but didn't normally go 5+ innings so it would be no different than an opener.  I will bring it back to Adams last year, when he was going over 2 innings, he started giving up more hits and runs.   If he can be limited per outing, I think you will see better numbers.  

ERA per inning

1st inning 3.13 ERA

2nd inning 4.70 ERA

3rd inning 4.65 ERA

4th inning 5.06 ERA

5th inning 3 ERA

6th inning 0 ERA

7th inning 0 ERA

8th inning 0 ERA

9th inning 54,55 ERA

Now if you look at first inning of work 3.09 ERA, second IOW 4.5 ERA, third IOW 4.42 ERA and fourth IOW 6.55 ERA.

I don't think you can take the high ERA in the 9th as he can't close games, as he was going into his 3rd(4th) inning of work.  Quite the word salad to say overall he has been pretty good in 1 inning of work in the minors.

[Paul Walerius]

2 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

What has happened to the mentality of a relief pitcher  ....

Where are the goose gossages , mad Hungarian  , the nasty boys and many more with a winning mentality  , they did not want to lose and with that mentality they were a better player ...

just like a batter if he gets 3 hits in ten at bats , he is a better player ...

Not Jose Miranda

[DocBauer]

Here's my honesty as a fan.

I really, really wanted Festa to not just be a good story as a late round selection ,but especially when I saw his potential as a SP at the ML level. 

And I really, really wanted Prielipp to be a good story about a highly regarded LH arm who might be a STEAL for the Twins.

Grudgingly, I have had to adjust my thinking. As I also remembered thinking it would be awesome if Duran were to be the next top of the rotation SP. And I had real hope for Varland as well. And to be 100% honest, I misplaced hope for more than a few past Twins pitchers.

Festa has proven he can do serious damage 1 time through the lineup. Like Duran, his body just seems to suggest this is his best path ML success and profile. A 4th offering, like Duran learned, only means you are growing and adapting. 

And Prielipp really did have a great 2025, and even flashed at times. But he wasn't actually the best MILB pitcher overall. But he's got some great stuff! And the truth is, considering IP from college to MILB, despite not being OLD, where does he fit? I used to argue staying with him and let him develop and become a ML SP at 26. Why not? 

But I'm coming around to the thought that maybe that's just not his career path. I'm not saying he couldn't follow the Santana and Liriano path, but considering his history, maybe his best path to ML success, like Festa, is in the pen.

I don't expect Festa or Prielipp to have immediate success. But Festa HAS ML experience. Prielipp still needs some AAA time to adjust. But he could be an awesome LH setup man relatively soon. Closer? We'll see. I still like Festa in that role.

I HATE seeing dreams of SP not turning out what I WANTED them to be, but I can also see the potential of terrific arms in the bullpen. 

 

 

[rv78]

To date, the only pitcher that Falvey has drafted that has successfully made it to a starting pitcher role is Bailey Ober. Why should Prielipp be any different than the landslide of majority? 

[TJSweens]

16 hours ago, Brett said:

Johan Santana started off in the pen. He turned out OK.

Give him a shot.

The Santana to Prielipp comparison is apples to oranges. Santana was never exclusively in the pen. Even in year 1 when he was only on the roster because they had to keep him or lose him, he got 5 starts. He was then a mix of pen and starts for a couple of years. 

Santana also had good health, unlike Prielipp. At 21, Santana had almost 300 minor league innings. Prielipp at 24, has 112 innings. Move Prielipp to the pen and he is likely 27 if they transition him back and build up his innings. Not likely.

Santana was in the Ryan, Kelly, Gardenhire era when the Twins things like break a pitcher in from the pen and move him to the rotation. Under Falvey, moves to the pen are permanent.

[Jasper]

19 hours ago, Parfigliano said:

You need to have an offense that can create a lead before worrying who closes out a game.

Right on, does Jim P. know spring training is in Feb?

[tony&rodney]

Connor Prielipp would be pleased with reaching the major leagues. He has had to overcome several arm injuries. Prielipp is 25 years old. Putting him in the MLB bullpen now or in the rotation later is just a dream for him. I have watched Prielipp pitch on numerous occasions. He needs a long look in spring Training to determine where he fits.

I'm a little surprised by the comments suggesting Prielipp is a top of the rotation starter. Yes, he has some good pitches, but he is rated pretty commonly as a 50 pitcher. This puts him well outside any Top 100 lists and he doesn't receive mention among top 10 left-handed pitchers. Could he develop into more than what he is? We all hope so, but that is the same for all of Festa, Morris, Abel, etc. The Twins have a handful of young pitchers who might develop their skills to rise to the front of a rotation. They do not currently have anyone who stands out among the masses of minor league hopefuls. 

Joe Ryan developed into a solid MLB pitcher. That seems to be the hope for a gaggle of Twins guys. Until they develop their skills, these guys need opportunity. For more than a few, the minor leagues have served its purpose and the time has come to meet the challenge of MLB bats. Prielipp feels like one of those guys who needs to find his way at the highest level. 

[terrydactyls]

20 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Forcing starters into the bullpen because you traded away your entire bullpen isn't a good strategy.

To be fair, Prielipp was being looked at as a reliever long before the 2025 trade deadline.

[Doube Duty Dave]

18 hours ago, TJSweens said:

I'll get on my Prielipp soap box once again.  I'm dead set against moving him to the pen.

1. He projects as a top of the rotation starter and the focus should be on getting him there. Top starters are more important than closers. They need to build his innings since he has pitched very few. That's hard to do in the pen. 

2. When this regime moves someone to the pen, they almost never move back. Duran was supposed to be a temporary move. He wanted to start again after his first year in the pen. The Twins said no.

3. If the Twins were in position to contend it might be worth moving arguably their best pitching prospect to the pen. They aren't contending. This year is about using place holders until top prospects are ready. There is no point in rushing Prielipp to the majors via the pen.

What do you think about using him like the Twins did with Johan Santana early in his career…as a long reliever and spot starter. This would keep him stretched out and expose him to Big League hitters, essentially easing him into a starting spot. 

[Chembry]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

Connor Prielipp would be pleased with reaching the major leagues. He has had to overcome several arm injuries. Prielipp is 25 years old. Putting him in the MLB bullpen now or in the rotation later is just a dream for him. I have watched Prielipp pitch on numerous occasions. He needs a long look in spring Training to determine where he fits.

I'm a little surprised by the comments suggesting Prielipp is a top of the rotation starter. Yes, he has some good pitches, but he is rated pretty commonly as a 50 pitcher. This puts him well outside any Top 100 lists and he doesn't receive mention among top 10 left-handed pitchers. Could he develop into more than what he is? We all hope so, but that is the same for all of Festa, Morris, Abel, etc. The Twins have a handful of young pitchers who might develop their skills to rise to the front of a rotation. They do not currently have anyone who stands out among the masses of minor league hopefuls. 

Joe Ryan developed into a solid MLB pitcher. That seems to be the hope for a gaggle of Twins guys. Until they develop their skills, these guys need opportunity. For more than a few, the minor leagues have served its purpose and the time has come to meet the challenge of MLB bats. Prielipp feels like one of those guys who needs to find his way at the highest level. 

Like you, I have watched Prielipp a number of times.  To me, your take is spot on. 

At 25, with his injury history and only pitching 140 innings since 2020, it's a big question mark whether he can handle a starters workload.  That question may not be answered until 2027/2028.

Prielipp has some plus pitches, but he needs to learn to pitch against MLB hitters.  The only way to do that is pitch in MLB.  Additionally, Falvey stated Prielipp by name at the GM meetings as a bullpen candidate for 2026, so his move to the BP may already be decided.