Could the Twins Produce Multiple 20-20 Seasons in 2026?

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Major League Baseball has spent the last few seasons trying to bring the stolen base back into the spotlight. The league limited pitchers' pickoff attempts and step-offs as part of the implementation of the pitch timer in 2023. The bases were made larger. It wasn't solely about boosting steals, but that was part of the plan.

The strategy is working. Stolen bases are up across the league, and teams are increasingly willing to push the envelope. The Minnesota Twins joined that trend during the second half of last season. Following the trade deadline, no American League team stole more bases than Minnesota, with 59. During that stretch, Austin Martin and Royce Lewis led the club with 11 steals each. Luke Keaschall swiped nine bags, while Byron Buxton added seven.

The more aggressive approach raises an interesting possibility: Will the Twins have another 20-homer, 20-steal player in 2026?

It's not something that happens often in Twins Territory. The Twins have seen just eight 20-20 seasons, from seven different players. Torii Hunter accomplished the feat twice in 2002 and 2004. The others to reach the milestone include Buxton in 2025, Brian Dozier in 2014, Corey Koskie in 2001, Marty Cordova in 1995, Kirby Puckett in 1986, and Larry Hisle in 1977.

With the current roster construction and the organization encouraging more activity on the bases, Minnesota could have multiple candidates.

Byron Buxton
2025 Totals: 35 home runs, 24 steals
2026 ZiPS Projection: 24 home runs, 14 steals
Buxton cruised to his first career 20-20 season last year, with room to spare. His 35 home runs and 24 stolen bases were career highs. He even stole third base for the first time in his major-league career, an example of the Twins encouraging more aggressive baserunning. It also ended a long drought for the organization. Buxton became the first Twins player to reach the milestone in over a decade.

What is standing in the way of a repeat? The answer has always been health. Buxton has battled injuries throughout his career, but the Twins hope the last two seasons prove to have been a turning point. He has now appeared in more than 100 games in back-to-back years, something that once seemed difficult to imagine. If Buxton stays on the field for another full season, he remains the most obvious candidate to reach the mark again.

Royce Lewis
2025 Totals: 13 home runs, 12 steals
2026 ZiPS Projection: 14 home runs, 9 steals
Early in his career, Lewis was not much of a factor on the bases. From 2022 through 2024, he stole only six total bases. Injuries certainly played a role in that limited production, but it also seemed like his running game had taken a backseat.

That changed in 2025. Lewis swiped 12 bags across 106 games and showed a willingness to run when the opportunity was there. A full healthy season could push that number even higher. Reaching 20 steals is not unrealistic for an athletic infielder who has always possessed above-average speed.

The bigger question is the power. Lewis has hit at least 13 home runs in each of the last three seasons despite never playing more than 106 games in a year. He revamped his swing during the offseason in an effort to create more consistent contact and power output.

What is stopping him from joining the club? Offensive consistency. If the swing adjustments help him tap into more power while staying on the field, Lewis has the athleticism to threaten a 20-20 season.

Luke Keaschall
2025 Totals: 4 home runs, 14 steals
2026 ZiPS Projection: 7 home runs, 17 steals
Keaschall might be the most intriguing player on this list. Across three minor-league seasons, he hit .294 with 125 runs, 19 home runs, 72 RBI, and 49 steals in 585 at-bats. His approach at the plate has always stood out. He walked at a 13.6% clip, while keeping his strikeout rate at a manageable 16.9%.

The Twins promoted him to the majors last season despite only 28 games at Triple-A, because the team had multiple injuries in the infield. Over his final 163 at-bats in the big leagues, Keaschall hit .294 with 21 runs, four home runs, 26 RBI, and nine stolen bases. The speed component of a 20-20 season is clearly within reach. If he plays regularly, 20 steals are well within the range of outcomes.

What’s stopping him from joining the club? The question revolves around his power. Some evaluators believe his swing mechanics may limit his ability to reach 20 home runs. A season in the 12-15 home run range feels more realistic at this point. Still, if Keaschall finds another gear in his power development, he could become a surprising entrant into the conversation.

A New Era of Aggressive Baserunning
For years, the Twins were not known as a particularly aggressive team on the bases. The second half of last season suggested that the mindset may be shifting. With the league encouraging stolen bases and the roster featuring several athletic players, Minnesota has the personnel to take advantage.

Buxton already proved he can reach the milestone. Lewis has the athletic profile to join him if his power continues to develop. Keaschall represents the wild card, a player whose speed is already an asset but whose power ceiling will determine just how high his offensive value can climb.

The 20-20 club remains a rare achievement in franchise history, but the conditions might be lining up for another entry. If the Twins continue pushing the tempo on the basepaths in 2026, more than one player could find himself chasing a place alongside some of the most dynamic seasons the organization has ever seen.

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Will any of this trio reach the 20-20 mark in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[old nurse]

Due to a variety of factors, Wallner is more likely to be 20-20 than Lewis

[rdehring]

Assuming good health, both Buxton and Lewis should hit that mark.  Gotta believe Lewis' bat will be better than we saw last year. 

Expect Keaschall to be a special player.  He can be that without hitting 20 homes runs.  As you stated, 10-15 would be fine to go along with 30 steals.

[IndianaTwin]

Post All-Star Game, Lewis started all but five games and played at a 27 HR/29 SB clip. Of his 12 steals on the year, 11 were after the break. 

If Byron has the Buck Truck, I'm in on the Lewis Lorry.

 

(Cool -- Google just introduced me to a new word, and it has a better flow than the Lewis Pantechnicon!)

[bean5302]

I don't see Keaschall as a legitimate 15+ HR threat right now, though he's got some years left before he hits his prime. He could show some added home run power as just an outcome of natural maturing as a hitter and flip that script. It's just unreasonable to project.

I think we can first view players as the 20HR threat potential. Buxton, Lewis, Clemens, and Wallner are the sure fire bets on 20 HR if they're healthy and get playing time. Both Buxton and Lewis certainly have the skill overall. Wallner and Clemens have enough speed, but neither attempt to steal much.

The less likely 20 HR club are Bell, Lee, and Larnach. None of them are going to approach 20 steals, probably not even 5.

After that, you have guys who aren't going to hit 20 HR because a combination of either less power or playing time. Guys like Keaschall, Outman, Martin, Caratini, Roden.

[NYCTK]

With a new manager in the building, I don't see why the Twins baserunning from last season would be at all indicative of how they will approach baserunning in 2026. 

It's almost not even worth mentioning. 

[Brett]

Not a lot of well rounded athletes on the team, are there?

[IndianaTwin]

20 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I don't see Keaschall as a legitimate 15+ HR threat right now, though he's got some years left before he hits his prime. He could show some added home run power as just an outcome of natural maturing as a hitter and flip that script. It's just unreasonable to project.

I think we can first view players as the 20HR threat potential. Buxton, Lewis, Clemens, and Wallner are the sure fire bets on 20 HR if they're healthy and get playing time. Both Buxton and Lewis certainly have the skill overall. Wallner and Clemens have enough speed, but neither attempt to steal much.

The less likely 20 HR club are Bell, Lee, and Larnach. None of them are going to approach 20 steals, probably not even 5.

After that, you have guys who aren't going to hit 20 HR because a combination of either less power or playing time. Guys like Keaschall, Outman, Martin, Caratini, Roden.

I know that Outman is already persona non grata on TD, but he was actually 23/16 in the 2023 rookie year that created some intrigue. I didn't realize he ran that much, but it probably shouldn't have surprised me given his defensive reputation. Hopefully, if he gets playing time, it's because he's hitting, and if he's hitting enough to get playing time, he could be a candidate for 20/20.   

[Senior Softball Guy]

A lot of 20/20 guys sitting in St.Paul this year. Erod, Jenkins, Gabby, and Fedko have so much potential and will be fun to watch. Oops, I left off Culpepper!

[bean5302]

57 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

I know that Outman is already persona non grata on TD, but he was actually 23/16 in the 2023 rookie year that created some intrigue. I didn't realize he ran that much, but it probably shouldn't have surprised me given his defensive reputation. Hopefully, if he gets playing time, it's because he's hitting, and if he's hitting enough to get playing time, he could be a candidate for 20/20.   

I looked at Outman objectively. His big rookie year did have 23 HR but it required 567 PA, and I just don't see him getting anywhere close to that right now. He's got the raw power to do it.

[IndianaTwin]

1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

I looked at Outman objectively. His big rookie year did have 23 HR but it required 567 PA, and I just don't see him getting anywhere close to that right now. He's got the raw power to do it.

Yep. It would require not only reverting to rookie year form but probably taking a step forward AND grabbing the position early enough to get the plate appearances. Not impossible, but significant challenges for either. 

And that's okay. He could be a significant contributor by reverting to rookie year form in 300 plate appearances and serving as a 4th outfielder behind three others who are flourishing. That only seven guys have done 20/20 (and never two in the same season) speaks to how challenging it is.

(And I loved seeing the Larry Hisle reference. Even as a kid, I knew it would be hard to keep Carew, but having Hisle leave really hurt my 11-year-old spirit.)