Have We Reached the End of the Road for Matt Wallner?

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I could not disagree with the OP more. Wallner sports a career 122 wRC+, has 500 PAs of well above average hitting, 400 PAs of average-ish, and 60 PAs of bad hitting. Yes his fielding sucks, but they're paying 7mil to Bell who has a career wRC+ of 112.

Trade off Bell and promote Wallner to DH. His power will outweigh the Ks if they give him enough leash.

[S Bart]

2 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

First you are seriously going to compare someone who has played 20 games at a position to one who has played over 900 games at the same position.  The irrational dislike for Lewis on this board is really getting to be something.  He was moved to a new position mid-season without complaint which many have said he wouldn't do and has actually looked pretty good over there.  The big things he needs is time and reps over there.  Right now there is no question who should be there defensively.

First off, I am not a Lewis hater. I have actually met him and spoke with the dude via a conversation in Oakland last year...And...spoke with his grandma in Anahiem. My challenge is the Twins placing him in a role and doing these "reps" mid-season. They have a 212 BA player in a position that he has never played before... mid-season in hopes that he will learn and improve his hitting at the major league level. That is not what a major league team does. It is mindboggling to me. Again, I am not a hater...believe me...I want him to succeed... the answer to your point is Clemens.. but he seems to be needed in this jigsaw lineup ...people bashed him also. Nobody would have guessed that keashall would now be an outfielder. Best to wait and see how Lewis does the next few months.. in fielding and hitting...

[Richie the Rally Goat]

mod note - lets keep it to Wallner

[S Bart]

3 minutes ago, Richie the Rally Goat said:

I could not disagree with the OP more. Wallner sports a career 122 wRC+, has 500 PAs of well above average hitting, 400 PAs of average-ish, and 60 PAs of bad hitting. Yes his fielding sucks, but they're paying 7mil to Bell who has a career wRC+ of 112.

Trade off Bell and promote Wallner to DH. His power will outweigh the Ks if they give him enough leash.

Totally disagree. .Wallner does not deserve a promotion. 

[bean5302]

2 hours ago, Eris said:

There is a difference between not willing (lack of effort or poor attitude) and not able (puts in effort but the results are just not enough). 

Average to above average speed and a cannon for an arm. He has all the physical tools he needs.

Keep in mind, I'm a fan of Wallner's, and I think he could be good.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Yes, I believe so.

I also am extremely excited for when he is playing for another team in 2028 and inevitably has a strong 2 week run and an article is written here titled “Did the Twins make a mistake with Matt Wallner?”

The comments on that article are going to be AMAZING! I just hope this article is tagged at that time :)

[Sjoski]

3 hours ago, terrydactyls said:

I can picture an outfield of Wallner in left, Gallo in center, and Sano in right.

Imagine Delmon Young as the backup!

You'll be needing more than a bathroom. 

[S Bart]

1 hour ago, Linus said:

Not to mention several throws. 

Now...let's get that batting average up to par...

[Jacksson]

Let's see:  + Home Town Boy, - Can't Hit for Average, - Can't Field in RF, - FAILED Multiple Opportunities to Produce in the Major Leagues, - Little or Zero Trade Value, - DH Only = Crash and Burn.

[TopGunn#22]

The Twins should have traded Wallner this off season before his value cratered even further.  The power is tantalizing, but despite the fleeting week here or there of production, the droughts are so consistent and so long (Sahara Desert-Like) that it's just time the close the book.

At best, he's a throw-in for some other teams disappointment/throw-in.  There are just far too many LH hitting OF who can at least play defense stacking up ahead of him.  Wallner has certainly been shown more than enough patience to this point point.  But 40-man roster spots are precious.  

[Jacksson]

An OF with a "cannon for an arm" only has value if: he can motor to where the ball is hit, cleanly field the ball, throw to the proper player/position, ACCURATELY throw the ball.

[Linus]

I know for sure his only possible role is DH. If they trade Bell I suppose you could let him DH the rest of the year but he is likely another player to add to the Falvey all bat - no glove pile. In other words there are several other players I would rather see getting mlb at bats. 

[LewFordLives]

5 hours ago, Heiny said:

I hate to say it, but he feels like a poor man's Joey Gallo. 

"You speak harshly, but you speak the truth."

[darin617]

Who? He's clearly a AAAA player.  Maybe they could send him to a team out of contention for a lottery ticket near the deadline.

[tony&rodney]

4 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

I wouldn't trade him unless you get an upside guy for the future.
I certainly wouldn't DFA him. 
Frustrating at times? Sure.
But can carry a time at times too. 

What about a relief pitcher from San Diego? Bradgley Rodriguez?

I'm being redundant but Big Matt can be a solid DH, but not an outfielder.

[HerbieFan]

Good (ironic?) timing on this one....Buck leaves today's game early and Fedko clearly can't handle mlb pitching at this point.  I'd bet Buck goes to 10-day IL and Fedko is sent down.  That would/will open two spots.  Roden likely gets one.  The other??

[Steve J]

His stock is at it's lowest, but it's not like there isn't other dead weight on the 40 so I see no reason to trade him, as if one-tool players have value anyway.  Twins are one four game losing streak away from calling it a season and he'll get another opportunity to play, I'm sure.  However, he's in a position where he'll have to work his way back into the Team's plans else he's a likely cut in spring.  No decisions have to be made now.  

[twinstalker]

9 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Keaschall is an outfielder now, which means one fewer spot. They put Fedko on the 40-man roster as well.

 

Do you actually believe Fedko is an obstacle to anything?

[twinstalker]

7 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

I generally agree with your assessment of Wallner.  The same could be said of Royce  lewis.  And Jenkins, Gonzales, Mendez, are certainly not guarantees of major league success.  The only thing they have shown so far is how to land on the injury list.  It's time, pat time, to see if they can play major league baseball.  Lewis should also be on a very short lease.  The organization has been very patient with him as well.  They have also been patient with Buxton who took nearly a decade to play full time and produce.  It is time though for Wallner to put up.  I can easily see where both Wallner and Lewis tenure with the Twins may be coming to an end.

I wouldn't put Jenkins in with anybody else on the Twins, except Buxton.

[gman]

To sum it up, it seems he is definitely  not a major league fielder and not a very good major league hitter. He is 28 and playing at 3A with a high strikeout rate and low walk rate. The Twins have 7 other outfielders for then spot he plays. I think I got it.

[weitz41]

Unfortunately, His inability to play league average defense leaves him on the outside looking in. Almost every player you mentioned plays better D and strikes out less. They may not hit 480-foot homers, but as a part of the whole they end up being a better fit. If only the Twins could find his Ron Washington... (Luis Arraez) But outside of that...He's, our Jame Outman. THIS guy is amazing to what happen??? 

He likely needs a change of scenery. 

[bean5302]

5 hours ago, Jacksson said:

An OF with a "cannon for an arm" only has value if: he can motor to where the ball is hit, cleanly field the ball, throw to the proper player/position, ACCURATELY throw the ball.

Accuracy is important. The rest is not necessary for a strong arm to have value in Right Field. The reason strong arms are valued in right field has to do with controlling the advancement of runners from 1st to 3rd on singles or from 2nd to third on fly outs.

The rest of your post has to do with whether a fielder is a RF or a CF.

[Dman]

You don't throw away .800 OPS bats.  There are so few players that can hit that mark.  I get it we all saw him be a rally killer for this offense early in the season with his strike outs and uncompetitive at bats.  Still that .850 OPS bat is in there somewhere.  Those are the bats that can carry a team.  Move on from him and it might be Rooker part two.

The Twins do have a problem though.  With Rodriguez out of options and Roden closing in as a hot bat and good defender there isn't gonna be room for both Wallner and Larnach.  One of those two has to go.  I don't know which one as I love the consistently good at bats Trevor has, but with Lewis pretty solidly at first base there is only gonna be room for one DH spot so one of those two needs to move on.

[DocBauer]

I've been a huge fan and believer in Wallner for some time now. He proved me right in '23 and '24, and was still above league average in '25 overall in regard to OPS. MY PLAN as an amateur GM was for him to be the DH here in '26, occasionally play OF, and Roden and Gonzalez were going to be the primary starting corner OF. OBVIOUSLY, the opening day roster didn't come close to that.

IF Buxton goes on the IL for a rest, Roden is the next man up, not Wallner. His K's and lack of BB is still an issue for a ML ballplayer who's not rehabbing...where a lot of numbers don't really matter...but is instead trying to "reset" himself. And is he still missing on anything above 95mph?

I don't like selling Wallner at a low point. And he's maybe the most disappointing Twin for me this season. But as the OP points out...and we all know the names already...at some point the prospects need their opportunity. And now with Keaschall in the OF...though he still might end up as a 5 position utility player...the OF is getting even more crowded. 

If Wallner keeps up his AAA numbers, maybe improves them some, I can see him possibly getting a call up after the deadline. But even then, what about the prospects?

I still believe there's a pretty good ballplayer, or least a good BAT, in Wallner. But while it pains me, I think if another team is willing to give up ANYTHING of any sort of decent value for his services because THEY see potential in him, it's time to move on. Let the prospects play. Hope Wallner still has a solid career, for his own sake, just not against the Twins, and LIVE with it if he does well elsewhere.

[David Maro]

Comparing Bell to Wallner as the DH is a bad idea. Bell is able to stay in the lineup with a LH pitching change and Wallner can't. Both are really bad defensively,but until this team falls out of the division Bell is far better at DH. Both are not good trade chips because of age and with Wallner also in AAA because of his K-rate. After today's game watching Fedko hit was absolutely unwatchable and needs to be in St Paul. If Buxton can't play bring Roden up because his bat plays and Fedko's doesn't.

[lecroy24fan]

5 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

Good (ironic?) timing on this one....Buck leaves today's game early and Fedko clearly can't handle mlb pitching at this point.  I'd bet Buck goes to 10-day IL and Fedko is sent down.  That would/will open two spots.  Roden likely gets one.  The other??

Jeffers off the IL. Jackson 100% gets claimed in he is DFA'd. If they're going to trade Jeffers by the deadline you have to keep Jackson. With the positional flexibility right now they can roll with 3 catchers. 

As far as Wallner goes I think it might be best to trade him for an A ball lottery ticket. He likely has almost no value, even with the bomba blast potential he shows. If he isn't traded then he sits in AAA. And I am a guy who likes him. Get Culpepper and Jenkins up before considering Wallner again.

 

[Twins GFP]

Wallner fits the mold of a change-of-scenery candidate. For whatever reason, he just can't seem to put it all together on a consistent basis in MN.  

[jimbo92107]

Matt Wallner is a good ballplayer, just not a great one, and teams never stop looking for the next great one. I thought Wallner had a chance to be a fine Right Fielder because he supposedly had a real gun of an arm. But I never really saw him cut down guys trying to stretch a single into a double, the way Mike Cuddyer used to do. Been a while since I've seen a Twin with a serious gun in the outfield. 

[Connor Gould]

He was so good in 2023 and 2024, 2025 was okay but playable. I get that this year was so unplayably bad that he had to go down, but I definitely think his track record was long enough to get one more chance now that he's been crushing it at AAA. And I'm not worried about him having a 28% AAA K rate while producing, he's a kind of guy that can be good while striking out in the low 30s percent of the time, just can't be 39 like it was this year. I don't know who I'd bump from the lineup, but I'd have him as the next guy up if someone gets injured, if not him then Roden. Gotta have a final eval on these guys so that we know what the plan is with Jenkins and Mendez.

[JADBP]

17 hours ago, S Bart said:

Lewis is not much different...

Not really.  Lewis has a cannon for an arm.  He can throw just fine.  

I love Lewis, but far too much muscles for an MLBer.  He needs to lean out and learn FAST, Twitchy moves instead of all this monster power.  Love the home runs but they don't plan in the field.  But...he DOES throw better than most on the team!