“They Don’t Have a Shortstop”: Baseball America Puts It Bluntly

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (Photo of Marek Houston)

The Twins have spent most of the winter creating problems rather than solving them. A manager was fired. Payroll was cut for a second consecutive offseason. New voices were promoted in the front office with spring training less than two weeks away. None of that inspires confidence, but the biggest issue might be the one that has barely registered in the public conversation so far. Shortstop depth is thin, and the plan behind the plan is murky at best.

Brooks Lee is scheduled to be the Twins' Opening Day shortstop, and that part is fairly straightforward. What happens after that is where things start to unravel. No one expects Lee to log 140-plus games at the position, and the Twins do not have an obvious fallback option on the major league roster. That reality was bluntly summed up on a recent episode of Baseball America’s Prospect Podcast by JJ Cooper and Ian Cundall.

“But I'm just going to say right now, the Minnesota Twins do not have a shortstop right now,” Cooper said. “And I do mean, Brooks Lee is not a shortstop. I'm sorry, but there is no logical path where you say Brooks Lee is going to be defensively what you want to get from an MLB shortstop.”

That is not a fringe take from a hot-take artist. That is an evaluator pointing out a structural issue. Lee can handle the position in stretches, and the Twins hope his bat plays almost anywhere on the infield. The problem is that asking him to be the everyday answer ignores both defensive limitations and the physical reality of a long season. If the Twins want Lee’s bat in the lineup consistently, they may have to accept that it cannot always come from shortstop.

Orlando Arcia is the most obvious name behind Lee, but even that comes with caveats. He arrived on a minor league deal and still has to earn a roster spot in camp. Even if he does, there are legitimate questions about whether he can still handle shortstop at a level that makes the defense workable over extended stretches. He is insurance, not a solution, and the Twins know it.

That pushes the conversation toward the minors, where things get interesting quickly. Kaelen Culpepper is the name most fans will gravitate toward after his breakout 2025 season. The tools are loud, and the confidence is obvious, but the shortstop question has followed him since draft day. Baseball America did not shy away from that concern with Cooper adding, “I don't even think Kaelen Culpepper's a shortstop.”

That assessment does not slam the door completely, but it frames the challenge. Culpepper has the arm and the athleticism. What remains in question is whether his range and actions allow him to stick at the position long term.

Cundall left open the possibility of Culpepper sticking up the middle. “If Culpepper comes out this year and shows improvement at shortstop because he has the arm, it's just a range question and actions question talking to scouts about him, that a lot of them think he can play third base and so if he can stay on the left side of the infield, there's a pathway and I think that he has that drive that he wants to stay at shortstop.”

That pathway matters. If Culpepper shows real progress early in the season, the Twins could be tempted to accelerate his timeline or at least view him as a viable depth option by late summer. If not, the organization may be forced to look elsewhere sooner than planned.

That brings us to Marek Houston, last July’s first-round pick and arguably the cleanest defensive shortstop in the system. The bat is still a question, but the glove is not.

“We could get to Marek Houston, who is, we don't know how much he's going to hit," said Cooper. "But Marek Houston is 100% is a shortstop. He is the best shortstop that the Twins have at this moment. He's so much better defensively than Brooks Lee right now.”

That statement alone should make the Twins pause. Houston is not expected to be in the major league mix this season, but the defensive gap is significant enough to not be ignored.

“It’s a lot easier to push Houston, quicker because the hit tool’s a question, but how much is that going to improve in the minors?” Cundall said. “I’m not sure. So, you might as well just push him more aggressively if you know that he’s MLB-ready at defense.”

Cooper expanded on Houston’s defensive reputation. “I looked at the best plays for every shortstop in our top-100 and then the guys within the range of the top-100. Marek is the best.”

“We’re looking at what guy can make the plays that most shortstops can’t make. Marek Houston makes plays on the other side of second base,” Cooper said. “How did he get to that ball? How is he going to get his body in position to throw? How did he make that throw? He does. Check, check, and check.”

The Twins may not push Houston aggressively, but the contrast highlights how thin the current shortstop plan really is. Lee is the best offensive option. Houston is the best defensive option. Culpepper might be something in between. None of that adds up to short-term stability.

This is why creativity will be required. That could mean more rotation between shortstop and third base for Lee. It could mean quicker hooks for Arcia if the defense slips. It could even mean an uncomfortable midseason decision to test a prospect before the organization feels fully ready.

In a winter defined by uncertainty and cost-cutting, shortstop may end up being the position that exposes just how fragile the roster construction really is. The Twins do not need perfection there, but they do need a plan that extends beyond Opening Day. Right now, that plan feels unfinished.

---

Do you believe Lee can handle shortstop in 2026? How quickly can Houston move through the system? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

 

View full article

[mikelink45]

Good essay, but also depressing.  How many positions are we above average?  Buxton sure, but who relieves him.  Jeffers average at most defensively.  Our defense is really weak - maybe we are above average at DH!!

But what is more important than SS?

[Whitey333]

Defense has been an issue with the Twins.  It looks more questionable than I realized after reading your article.  Just another reason to question the validity of this team.  Looks like a long boring summer for the few Twins fans remaining

[IndyTwinsFan]

Defense, I believe, is likely to be a problem all over the field this season, except for Center when Buxton is playing.  Most of it probably won't even be considered even MLB-average at most positions. 

A pretty sad state of affairs all the way around.

[sweetmusicviola16]

"If the Twins want Lee's bat in the lineup consistently," My question is, why would this be a desire at this point?

[GNess]

The Twins unless they shock us and make a move to upgrade at SS to MLB quality/fully ready they are faced with three options that we all sometimes face: NOT GOOD, BAD and WORST.

Perhaps Spring Training will unexpectedly offer a better option.

[David HK]

They are correct. I've been waiting in the wilderness for a while now about Brooks to 3rd and Royce to 1st. It's the only dam thing that makes sense. They should have given Royce the mitt last fall and told him to learn all he can over the winter. 

[DJL44]

2 minutes ago, David HK said:

They are correct. I've been waiting in the wilderness for a while now about Brooks to 3rd and Royce to 1st. It's the only dam thing that makes sense. They should have given Royce the mitt last fall and told him to learn all he can over the winter. 

Royce is better at 3rd than Brooks. Brooks Lee has the glove for 1B.

[DJL44]

I've been pretty consistently saying this all winter long. They don't have a SS on the 40-man roster. Their pessimistic take on Culpepper is worse than I expected, so that's depressing. When other teams were snapping up minor league free agent SS in November the Twins stood idly by. Their only move was to add Arcia - objectively the worst SS in MLB last season. My worst fear is that Zoll doesn't believe they have a problem - which would mean this doesn't get solved until he gets fired.

They're going to need to trade some of their starting pitching for a SS.

[DJL44]

47 minutes ago, IndyTwinsFan said:

Defense, I believe, is likely to be a problem all over the field this season, except for Center when Buxton is playing.  Most of it probably won't even be considered even MLB-average at most positions. 

A pretty sad state of affairs all the way around.

Royce has worked his way up to MLB average at 3B. The minor league prospects offer some hope in the outfield but they need to dump Larnach and DH Wallner. Keaschall will be below average at 2B, Brooks Lee will be bad at SS, Bell will be bad at 1B.

Kody Clemens is their best fielder on the right side of the infield but he doesn't have the arm for SS. His glove might get him in the lineup every day.

[terrydactyls]

I can see why "no one expects Lee to log 140 games" at SS in 2026.  After all, he only logged 139 games in 2025.  Last year, Lee hit .236 which is one point higher than the MLB average.  

 But because his defense is considered unacceptable, why not stick Houston at SS?  His hitting is a big question mark but his defense is elite.  Mark Belanger played 18 years and had a lifetime BA of .226.  That was 30 points below league average when he played.  In 2025 the average batting average was .235.  If Houston can hit around .200, he should be playing.  Last year, the Twins playing Christian Vasquez hitting .189, Wallner hitting .202, and Clemens hitting .216.  Vasquez is gone, Wallner - who knows - and Clemens probably will play less.  So I think there is room for quality defense at SS.

[NYCTK]

14 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

I can see why "no one expects Lee to log 140 games" at SS in 2026.  After all, he only logged 139 games in 2025.  Last year, Lee hit .236 which is one point higher than the MLB average.  

 But because his defense is considered unacceptable, why not stick Houston at SS?  His hitting is a big question mark but his defense is elite.  Mark Belanger played 18 years and had a lifetime BA of .226.  That was 30 points below league average when he played.  In 2025 the average batting average was .235.  If Houston can hit around .200, he should be playing.  Last year, the Twins playing Christian Vasquez hitting .189, Wallner hitting .202, and Clemens hitting .216.  Vasquez is gone, Wallner - who knows - and Clemens probably will play less.  So I think there is room for quality defense at SS.

I'd be hesitant to agree with you, but Brooks is just so bad on both sides of the game that I think this is the worst idea. 

I think I'd still probably start him in the minors but as long has an ops of 600 (or peripherals suggesting it) I'd keep aggressively promoting him. 

This front office just really ****ing blows man. 

[OregonTwinsFan]

Barring a trade, I'd like to see Culpepper break camp as the starting SS. At least he has a chance to be adequate at SS. Lee is a utility infielder at best and has no chance at being a good regular.

[Patzky]

53 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

I can see why "no one expects Lee to log 140 games" at SS in 2026.  After all, he only logged 139 games in 2025.  Last year, Lee hit .236 which is one point higher than the MLB average.  

 But because his defense is considered unacceptable, why not stick Houston at SS?  His hitting is a big question mark but his defense is elite.  Mark Belanger played 18 years and had a lifetime BA of .226.  That was 30 points below league average when he played.  In 2025 the average batting average was .235.  If Houston can hit around .200, he should be playing.  Last year, the Twins playing Christian Vasquez hitting .189, Wallner hitting .202, and Clemens hitting .216.  Vasquez is gone, Wallner - who knows - and Clemens probably will play less.  So I think there is room for quality defense at SS.

If you don't think any long term damage to Houston's development will happen, let's see what happens. Maybe not April but June? And if so is Culpeper a trade chip, anticipation of a SS in the draft..  a pitcher rushed to the bigs can really suffer, a batter too, but defense .. should be ok

[sweetmusicviola16]

Right now I don't rush Culpepper. He starts in AAA or a little more time in AA. He has played all of 59 games at AA. He doesn't need to be thrown into the 2026 Twins until he is ready, assuming he has some things to still work on. Unless Culpepper is already at Bobby Witt levels he isn't going to turn this team into a contender with the supporting cast he would have. For better or for worse Brooks Lee is the best candidate to be the OD SS. Trading Joe Ryan on the other hand would make more sense to the 2026 Twins than rushing Culpepper would be. 

[HeresWaldo]

Brooks Lee is not a shortstop, Culpepper is probably not a shortstop, and the thing I think is overlooked in this piece is that Marek Houston is probably not a major league shortstop any time soon. Houston could become a quality major leaguer given time, but right now he just doesn't have a major league bat, even by the standards of glove-first guys. Last year (admittedly tiny sample at both levels) he hit .370/.424/.444 at the A level, which sounds awesome except he did it with a .488 BABIP and a .074 ISO which says he got unbelievably lucky while hitting for no power. When they sent him to A+ he hit .152/.220/.239 while still displaying zero power. Right now the question for him isn't if he could clear the Mendoza Line in the majors, it's if he can clear that mark at AA before the end of the year. To be clear, this doesn't mean we should give up on him, but he needs a lot more time to develop if he's going to be a replacement level or better player in the majors. Fangraphs puts his ETA in 2028 which seems about right. Internal help is not coming, the cavalry is not on the way, and if this team is even remotely serious about competing in '26 or '27 they are going to need to make a meaningful trade (the kind that costs a heck of a lot more than Trevor Larnach) to fill this hole.

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, mikelink45 said:

Good essay, but also depressing.  How many positions are we above average?  Buxton sure, but who relieves him.  Jeffers average at most defensively.  Our defense is really weak - maybe we are above average at DH!!

But what is more important than SS?

It's also depressing that we continue to draft shortstops in the draft and we haven't found one to stick at that position in 9 years of falvey  ...

They're shortstop happy when drafting but lousy at developing them into a defensive shortstop and even lousier at developing that athletic shortstop at another position  , the system under falvey was a mess ...

[sweetmusicviola16]

40 minutes ago, HeresWaldo said:

Brooks Lee is not a shortstop, Culpepper is probably not a shortstop, and the thing I think is overlooked in this piece is that Marek Houston is probably not a major league shortstop any time soon. Houston could become a quality major leaguer given time, but right now he just doesn't have a major league bat, even by the standards of glove-first guys. Last year (admittedly tiny sample at both levels) he hit .370/.424/.444 at the A level, which sounds awesome except he did it with a .488 BABIP and a .074 ISO which says he got unbelievably lucky while hitting for no power. When they sent him to A+ he hit .152/.220/.239 while still displaying zero power. Right now the question for him isn't if he could clear the Mendoza Line in the majors, it's if he can clear that mark at AA before the end of the year. To be clear, this doesn't mean we should give up on him, but he needs a lot more time to develop if he's going to be a replacement level or better player in the majors. Fangraphs puts his ETA in 2028 which seems about right. Internal help is not coming, the cavalry is not on the way, and if this team is even remotely serious about competing in '26 or '27 they are going to need to make a meaningful trade (the kind that costs a heck of a lot more than Trevor Larnach) to fill this hole.

This. If Houston has any chance of developing beyond a glove only SS we don't need to risk that development on a team that by all measures doesn't look good. Houston is a guy that we are looking at for 2028 if he doesn't burn out before then. But hitting .145 at the ML level isn't going to help him or even the 2026 Twins. 

[DJL44]

What's truly crazy about this is most contending teams have TWO players on the roster who can play SS - the starter and the utility infield backup. The Twins have ZERO and expect to contend.

Also, you can put together a mediocre pitch-to-contact bullpen if you put a good defense behind them. The Twins are pairing a blah bullpen with bad defense which means they're going to lose a lot in the late innings.

[sweetmusicviola16]

1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

What's truly crazy about this is most contending teams have TWO players on the roster who can play SS - the starter and the utility infield backup. The Twins have ZERO and expect to contend.

Also, you can put together a mediocre pitch-to-contact bullpen if you put a good defense behind them. The Twins are pairing a blah bullpen with bad defense which means they're going to lose a lot in the late innings.

Yep, and you will still have a fair amount of games that the SP just isn't on that day. Winning and bad D isn't the norm. Then you still need to hit the ball.....

[nicksaviking]

Culpepper isn’t a SS now? This is overblown and happens with BA all the time. If a player isn’t upper 90% defensively, they say he can’t cut it at SS.

Brooks Lee isn’t good defensively, but he’s not going to kill the season with his glove. He was better than Correa last year. We’re talking about giving up an extra run once every two or three weeks, this team needs to be concerned with his bat leaving runners on base once every two or three games.

[TJSweens]

3 hours ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

"If the Twins want Lee's bat in the lineup consistently," My question is, why would this be a desire at this point?

Lee was drafted for his bat and it has not lived up to expectations, so far. He was supposed to have a polished swing with a great approach that was supposed to easily transition to the big leagues. With over 700 plate appearances we have yet to see it. This is a major problem, since Lee needs to hit in order to justify his glove in the lineup. All we can do is hope Culpepper gets off to a fast start and earns a call up.

[DJL44]

Where to get a SS? Look at the teams who have top 10 SS prospects with a 2026 ETA. Then trade for their current starter or utility player.

Team - Prospect - Current Starter - utility

1) Pirates - Konnor Griffin - Nick Gonzales - Jared Triolo

A trade for Triolo could happen. Derek Shelton likes him and says he can play anywhere. I think the Twins and Pirates roster surpluses/deficiencies match up well with each other. Both teams want to win now but they have the wrong parts.

2) Tigers - Kevin McGonigle - Zach McKinstry - Javier Baez

If the Twins want Baez, they can have him. He is owed $46M for 2026-27.

4) Athletics - Leo DeVries - Jacob Wilson - Andy Ibanez

I would love if the Twins traded for Wilson, but the price would be really steep (Keaschall plus Rodriguez?).

5) Cardinals - JJ Wetherholt - Masyn Winn - Thomas Saggese

Wetherholt and Winn are the Cardinals plan for their next great infield. Saggese is a decent utility guy.

6) Rangers -  Sebastian Walcott - Corey Seager - Ezequiel Duran

I would take Duran and his 665 career OPS as the Twins starter.

7) Mariners - Colt Emerson - JP Crawford - Leo Rivas

Not much to see here. Rivas is a 2B and Crawford is an expiring contract.

9) Phillies - Aidan Miller - Trea Turner - Edmundo Sosa

The Twins could probably get Miller but it would cost Joe Ryan. I would start Edmundo Sosa at SS for the Twins. He is a free agent after 2026. The Phillies have also have Bryson Stott at 2B. He is a better SS than anyone on the Twins roster which makes them four players deeper than the Twins.

 

There is one other obvious route - trade for CJ Abrams of the Nationals. The Twins have the minor league depth to make that deal and Abrams is easy on the MLB payroll.

 

[DJL44]

23 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Brooks Lee isn’t good defensively, but he’s not going to kill the season with his glove. He was better than Correa last year. 

Lee definitely was NOT better than Correa last season. Less range, less arm, more errors, worse at turning the DP.

[bean5302]

[OregonTwinsFan]

9 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

4) Athletics - Leo DeVries - Jacob Wilson - Andy Ibanez

I would love if the Twins traded for Wilson, but the price would be really steep (Keaschall plus Rodriguez?).

How about Joe Ryan for Leo DeVries. Athletics need pitching.

[rdehring]

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Royce has worked his way up to MLB average at 3B. The minor league prospects offer some hope in the outfield but they need to dump Larnach and DH Wallner. Keaschall will be below average at 2B, Brooks Lee will be bad at SS, Bell will be bad at 1B.

Kody Clemens is their best fielder on the right side of the infield but he doesn't have the arm for SS. His glove might get him in the lineup every day.

Two comments DJL44 that I must disagree with.  Matter of fact, I am getting tired of so many people bashing Keashall's D.  Yes, he wasn't great last year.  If memory serves, he was a DH all/most of 2024 to get his bat in the lineup prior to having TJ surgery late in the year.  Following the surgery, he wasn't able to do much over the winter while rehabbing.  He then was rushed to the Twins in 2025, before breaking his arm and missing a couple months.  The kid played last year with a less than 100% arm.  He also hadn't played hardly any D for nearly two years.  Let's give him the opportunity to have worked out all winter and spring training before we dump him on the scrap heap.

As for Lee, the player I saw was more comfortable at short than other positions last summer.  Was he good a short, no, but to my eye he was better than second or third.  He is another player who was rushed and could have a much better bat in 2026.  At least we can hope so.  If not, then his future probably is as a utility guy. 

[DJL44]

1 minute ago, rdehring said:

Two comments DJL44 that I must disagree with.  Matter of fact, I am getting tired of so many people bashing Keashall's D.  Yes, he wasn't great last year.  If memory serves, he was a DH all/most of 2024 to get his bat in the lineup prior to having TJ surgery late in the year.  Following the surgery, he wasn't able to do much over the winter while rehabbing.  He then was rushed to the Twins in 2025, before breaking his arm and missing a couple months.  The kid played last year with a less than 100% arm.  He also hadn't played hardly any D for nearly two years.  Let's give him the opportunity to have worked out all winter and spring training before we dump him on the scrap heap.

As for Lee, the player I saw was more comfortable at short than other positions last summer.  Was he good a short, no, but to my eye he was better than second or third.  He is another player who was rushed and could have a much better bat in 2026.  At least we can hope so.  If not, then his future probably is as a utility guy. 

Keaschall being below average at 2B is actually a pretty high compliment. MLB average defense at 2B is WAY better than what the Twins have trotted out for about the last decade. Keaschall doesn't have the range to be an above average 2B in MLB. There are too many converted SS playing the position for that to happen.

Brooks Lee looked really bad at SS in 2025. He kept making mental errors that hurt him. He could clean those up but he does not have the foot speed or arm strength to be any better than a standard deviation below average at the position.

The Pirates want a 3B and an OF. I would deal Lee and Larnach to get Triolo but that probably doesn't get it done.

[rdehring]

10 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Keaschall being below average at 2B is actually a pretty high compliment. MLB average defense at 2B is WAY better than what the Twins have trotted out for about the last decade. Keaschall doesn't have the range to be an above average 2B in MLB. There are too many converted SS playing the position for that to happen.

Brooks Lee looked really bad at SS in 2025. He kept making mental errors that hurt him. He could clean those up but he does not have the foot speed or arm strength to be any better than a standard deviation below average at the position.

The Pirates want a 3B and an OF. I would deal Lee and Larnach to get Triolo but that probably doesn't get it done.

Have seen comments elsewhere about Keaschall's range.  He must have excellent speed and quickness, otherwise he wouldn't have been so successful stealing bases.  Someone like that should be able to develop the range necessary to be an above average second baseman.  I believe his problem was more related to not having played anywhere defensively for what, nearly two years?

[Wrongdog2]

Well Im sure Tom "we will be competive" Pohlad  has this all under control......just taking a little longer to find that left handed shortstop that bats .375