Twins Acquire Utility Infielder Tristan Gray in Trade with Red Sox

[old nurse]

3 minutes ago, D.C Twins said:

I'm not sure how any of the offseason 'moves' to date have moved the needle one iota for 2026

Yet every team does these sorts of things. 

[Blyleven2011]

7 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

For the love of all that is holy, will they address the bullpen anytime soon?!

Hello fan in NJ  , 

Though they haven't completely come out and said anything substantial about the bullpen  , my thought is they never spend on arms on the bullpen , so hopefully they are going with our in-house pitchers to fill the bullpen roster , it's a strength in our system right now  ...

I'm sure they will dumpster dive for a few arms but my preference would be to have our prospects fill it out , they're not going to spend more than 3 million on an arm , they've proved it for sometime now  ...

Could coloumbe come back  ? , doubtful , Prielipp and Rojas are our lefthanders plus funderburk  ...

It's definitely a youth movement and hopefully the players play the kind of ball they played after the deadline  , it was exciting but we are going to take our lumps and bumps .. 

[KirbyDome89]

3 hours ago, NYCTK said:

I think you're reading too much into it. It's more so that the Twins youth just isn't that good (or ready) either. Baseball America released their top 100 today, and Jenkins is the only one in the top 55 prospects, sitting at #5 actually, proving once again he's the guy worth getting excited about. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is just under 60 and then Culpepper is I think 74, having also failed to make the MLB pipeline's top 10 SS prospects this morning. 

The Twins minor league system is not bursting with MLB ready talent. 

Careful, the prospect hounds are going to get wound up after reading this...

[AlLagoon]

Dumb dumb dumb

[jkcarew]

The floor for this club is in imminent danger of a violet collision…traveling at a very moderate pace, but about to rear-end the ceiling, seemingly unaware that the ceiling is completely stationary, just sitting in the middle of the road only about one win away, and obscured by a mysterious fog only apparent to the driver.

Looks like it’s all going to go down at about mile-marker 73.89

[arby58]

7 hours ago, 1985Fan said:

Dodgers claimed him off waivers and stashed him on their AAA roster. I’m not saying Fitzgerald is a quality big leaguer, but if he’s good enough to be infield depth for the WS champions, I think he could serve the same role for the Twins. They could have kept Fitz at no cost and devoted their limited resources to somewhere else on the roster. Wasting their time and energy dabbling on the margins when they should be working on major flaws. 

They 'stashed' him after offering him to every other MLB team willing to put in a waiver claim. He's nothing more than AAA filler, regardless of who the team is (or somebody like the Rockies would have taken a flyer on him). It's simply nothing to get worked up about.

[jkcarew]

5 hours ago, NYCTK said:

I think you're reading too much into it. It's more so that the Twins youth just isn't that good (or ready) either. Baseball America released their top 100 today, and Jenkins is the only one in the top 55 prospects, sitting at #5 actually, proving once again he's the guy worth getting excited about. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is just under 60 and then Culpepper is I think 74, having also failed to make the MLB pipeline's top 10 SS prospects this morning. 

The Twins minor league system is not bursting with MLB ready talent. 

The cold hard truth. Rodriguez at 60. Means…on average…each club has TWO prospects of whom BA thinks more than they do Rodriguez.

I do think the Twins have a good share of arms with successful mlb reliever potential that are ready…or close enough given current situation/expectations.

[Permanent Twins Fan]

"Over 2000 AAA Plate Appearances"

"A more Robust .242/.310/.472"

[h2oface]

The paint is still peeling........

[sstolen]

I for one anyway, was NOT "worried" abt "losing" Ryan Fitzgerald. Nice guy...but, come on.

[bunsen82]

16 hours ago, NYCTK said:

I think you're reading too much into it. It's more so that the Twins youth just isn't that good (or ready) either. Baseball America released their top 100 today, and Jenkins is the only one in the top 55 prospects, sitting at #5 actually, proving once again he's the guy worth getting excited about. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is just under 60 and then Culpepper is I think 74, having also failed to make the MLB pipeline's top 10 SS prospects this morning. 

The Twins minor league system is not bursting with MLB ready talent. 

I actually disagree.   Ratings are flawed and heavily biased. All these rankings basically tell you is ceilings and then probabilities of succeeding.   If we are going by stats and defense and positional scarcity,  Culpepper is a top 30 prospect.  Gonzalez would be top 50 to top 60.  Rodriguez probably stays where he is at.   

The Twins have depth in 2 area.   1. We have a lot of players in the 2nd tier of talent below those top 20 MLB prospects.  I don't think there is much variability between #2 Culpepper and #10 Quick, I would also add #15 Soto, and #22 Mendez.  That is 11 players that are ranked in the top 200 prospects in my opinion.   Debarge can easily show he should be rated higher.   Then we have 2 wild cards in Young and Winokur.   I say one of them is a top 5 prospect at this time next year.  Odds are 1 is going to have a heck of a season with the bat.  

We then have legit prospects rated into the 20 to 40 range,  which I cannot recall since following the Twins or prospects list.  Rosario, CJ Culpepper, Amick, Olivares, Olivar, Ellwanger, Reitz, Barr, De Andrade, Fedko, Schobel, Ohl, Adams, Bowen, Beltre, Diaw, Jimenez, Bohorquez, Mendez (already mentioned).     Whether trade bait,  whether we play it out and see who makes it to the big leagues,  there is a lot of talent in that group in a range of prospects that is generally devoid of talent.  

[Whitey333]

Just another in a long list of who cares moves made by the Twins.  Since they are going to be awful, I still think they should trade Lopez and Ryan and probably Jeffers and Buxton too while they can get something quality prospects for them.  

[NYCTK]

48 minutes ago, bunsen82 said:

If we are going by stats and defense and positional scarcity,  Culpepper is a top 30 prospect.  Gonzalez would be top 50 to top 60.  Rodriguez probably stays where he is at.   

This is just cope, man. Are you under the impression that prospect evaluators ignore stats, defense, and positional scarcity? 

People like myself and many others here have been warning people not to get too hyped about people like Culpepper and Gonzalez. Heck, one year ago no one here even liked Gonzalez, and for good reason. A below average defensive corner OF that doesn't project to walk much. His contact skills need to keep trending up, and that power needs to play. 

You're right that it's a weird, biased process. But, ballpark, they tend to get it right. And Baseball America didn't even rank Gonzalez in the Top 100 for those reasons.

I just do not think there's anything special about the Twins farm system, with the exception of Walker Jenkins. Which isn't to say it's bad. It's just fine. 

[bunsen82]

Just now, NYCTK said:

This is just cope, man. Are you under the impression that prospect evaluators ignore stats, defense, and positional scarcity? 

People like myself and many others here have been warning people not to get too hyped about people like Culpepper and Gonzalez. Heck, one year ago no one here even liked Gonzalez, and for good reason. A below average defensive corner OF that doesn't project to walk much. His contact skills need to keep trending up, and that power needs to play. 

You're right that it's a weird, biased process. But, ballpark, they tend to get it right. And Baseball America didn't even rank Gonzalez in the Top 100 for those reasons.

I just do not think there's anything special about the Twins farm system, with the exception of Walker Jenkins. Which isn't to say it's bad. It's just fine. 

Ive liked Gonzalez since we got him.   The swing is legit,  no different than Mendez.  

What rankings are good for is potential ceilings and probabilities of hits - nothing more nothing less.    

Im not hyped I am just saying in a top 10 to 20 prospect is one that is a multi all star ceiling that can lead an organization.  Top 100 prospects generally good ball players could hit all star level.  After that its hit and miss and how much WAR a player can amass.  You can have a player like Arraez that is never rated high that outperforms.  Or a Ryan, Ober ect.    You can have other high rated players that flop.  

[DuluthDuke]

No offense to Mr. Gray who may be the nicest man on earth but I'm just not clear why we'd trade anyone resembling catching depth for a soon to be 30 year old utility infielder. Seems like we could have claimed Fitzgerald back a few days ago for no prospect and received similar value.

22 mlb games played between 3rd and SS and 111 mlb at bats doesn't seem to rate an AA prospect.

[DJL44]

36 minutes ago, DuluthDuke said:

No offense to Mr. Gray who may be the nicest man on earth but I'm just not clear why we'd trade anyone resembling catching depth for a soon to be 30 year old utility infielder. Seems like we could have claimed Fitzgerald back a few days ago for no prospect and received similar value.

22 mlb games played between 3rd and SS and 111 mlb at bats doesn't seem to rate an AA prospect.

If they want another Baez level player they can sign any minor league free agent. He is a non-prospect.

[Hubie29]

21 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

We are all going to feel real silly when Tristan Gray hits the game winning three run homer with two outs in the ninth in game 7 of the World Series knocking in Caratini and Bell. With Joe Ryan giving up 2 runs over 8 innings and Justin Topa shutting the door with the 3 K's in the ninth to close it up as the Pirates fans go home stunned.  

Shelton gets the last laugh.    

This won't even be possible in a strat-o- matic season!

[Riverbrian]

3 minutes ago, Hubie29 said:

This won't even be possible in a strat-o- matic season!

The Twins are going for it.

We must prepare for the possibility. 😉

[Hubie29]

21 hours ago, old nurse said:

So much angst over the bottom of the 40 man roster

I think the angst is more about working on the bottom of the 40 man without working on the top 25 man. I agree, I don't care about the 35-40 spot, but i do care about the 25 man roster.

 

I see this sentiment was already posted, sorry. 

[old nurse]

47 minutes ago, Hubie29 said:

I think the angst is more about working on the bottom of the 40 man without working on the top 25 man. I agree, I don't care about the 35-40 spot, but i do care about the 25 man roster.

The top of the roster has pretty much always been worked on late in winter and spring training. They weren’t going to make the blockbuster trade with Lopez or Ryan  because there likely wasn’t a good enough return. I would speculate they would have wanted a Crochet kind of return, What they have to trade other than those two would not be anybody’s first choice. So there isn’t going to be much movement 

[NYCTK]

13 minutes ago, old nurse said:

The top of the roster has pretty much always been worked on late in winter and spring training. They weren’t going to make the blockbuster trade with Lopez or Ryan  because there likely wasn’t a good enough return. I would speculate they would have wanted a Crochet kind of return, What they have to trade other than those two would not be anybody’s first choice. So there isn’t going to be much movement 

Freddy Peralta isn't that incomparable to Joe Ryan, and the Brewers just got 2 top 100 prospects for him. Twins could have been honest about this team, been on the phones and received 3 or more quality prospects into the system. Instead we're looking at another 90 loss team with no real short or long term hope. 

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, NYCTK said:

Freddy Peralta isn't that incomparable to Joe Ryan, and the Brewers just got 2 top 100 prospects for him. Twins could have been honest about this team, been on the phones and received 3 or more quality prospects into the system. Instead we're looking at another 90 loss team with no real short or long term hope. 

Joe Ryan hasn’t had 3 seasons in a row of 200+ strikeouts and a sub 4 ERA   Peralta is the better pitcher. Not even close. Perrault netted two prospects that have slid in ratings. Milwaukee got 2 prospects for Burness the year before. One ended up a middle reliever, one is a starting shortstop who couldn’t hit.  The fan expectation of a haul for Ryan just wont be there. Falvey can’t trade for 2 unsuccessful prospects 

[FlyingFinn]

Gray cost us the great Brujan, who never made an error his entire time with the Twins. Brujan traded to the Mets for cash.

[jkcarew]

2 hours ago, old nurse said:

Joe Ryan hasn’t had 3 seasons in a row of 200+ strikeouts and a sub 4 ERA   Peralta is the better pitcher. Not even close. Perrault netted two prospects that have slid in ratings. Milwaukee got 2 prospects for Burness the year before. One ended up a middle reliever, one is a starting shortstop who couldn’t hit.  The fan expectation of a haul for Ryan just wont be there. Falvey can’t trade for 2 unsuccessful prospects 

Difference in bWAR last year was 1 game…Ryan’s WHIP actually better. Peralta costs more now and about to become WAY more expensive after this season. Ryan very cheap now, and doesn’t hit free agency until 2028. The returns would be pretty similar. Price will never be higher for Ryan than it is right now, unless we get lucky at this year’s deadline.

[old nurse]

1 hour ago, jkcarew said:

Difference in bWAR last year was 1 game…Ryan’s WHIP actually better. Peralta costs more now and about to become WAY more expensive after this season. Ryan very cheap now, and doesn’t hit free agency until 2028. The returns would be pretty similar. Price will never be higher for Ryan than it is right now, unless we get lucky at this year’s deadline.

One bwar difference makes them dissimilar. 2027, any gm, or owner would know it is unlikely to be a full season. That Covid years showed that not everybody adapts to routines being changed. Price could get higher with injuries on contenders.. on the other hand there are still unsigned pitchers that do not cost a team’s future  

[bunsen82]

He made the team to start the year and this was 1 game and 1 grand slam, but damn does this feel appropriate after re-reading this thread LOL.  For a guy that was seriously considering retirement the day before he was announced to the team with a second child due in the next couple of months and he genuinely seems like a great guy- all I can say is I am really happy for him.  The game is not easy - and opportunities are fickle.    At this point he is making $4,200 for every day he is on the roster.  For someone who has been a career minor leaguer this opportunity is very big.   For one day he played hero.   Keep swinging . . . 

 

[ashbury]

8 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

He made the team to start the year and this was 1 game and 1 grand slam, but damn does this feel appropriate after re-reading this thread LOL.  For a guy that was seriously considering retirement the day before he was announced to the team with a second child due in the next couple of months and he genuinely seems like a great guy- all I can say is I am really happy for him.  The game is not easy - and opportunities are fickle.    At this point he is making $4,200 for every day he is on the roster.  For someone who has been a career minor leaguer this opportunity is very big.   For one day he played hero.   Keep swinging . . . 

 

Was expecting this: