It's Time for the Twins to Promote Alan Roden

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins have reached the point where waiting on Alan Roden simply doesn't make much sense anymore.

When the Twins acquired Roden and Kendry Rojas from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year's trade deadline in exchange for Louis Varland, the move was viewed as one that could help both the present and the future. Rojas arrived as a talented young starting pitching prospect with plenty of upside, but Roden was the more polished, major league ready player. The Twins didn't trade for him because they thought he needed another full season in Triple-A. They traded for him because they believed he was close to helping them win games in Minnesota.

Unfortunately, Twins fans barely got to see him after the trade. Roden appeared in only 12 games before suffering a thumb injury that ended his season, putting his Twins debut on hold almost as soon as it began.

That momentum carried into spring training, where it became increasingly apparent that Roden deserved a spot on the Opening Day roster. He spent camp competing with James Outman for the final outfield job, and it was hard to argue that Roden hadn't outperformed him. Instead, the Twins opted for roster flexibility. Because Roden still had minor league options remaining while Outman did not, Roden was sent to St. Paul despite looking like the better baseball choice.

The decision was understandable from a roster management perspective, but it always felt temporary. Roden appeared to be first in line whenever the Twins needed another outfielder, and that opportunity looked like it was only days away before another injury derailed his season. In April, Roden tore the labrum in his right shoulder, forcing him back to the injured list just as the door to the majors was beginning to open.

Now he is healthy again, and he is reminding everyone exactly why the Twins wanted him in the first place.

Since returning from injury on June 6, Roden has been one of the most productive hitters in Triple-A, batting .333 with six home runs. Just as encouraging has been his approach at the plate. He has drawn 14 walks while striking out only 12 times, continuing to show the advanced strike zone awareness that has defined his professional career. He has also spent a significant amount of time playing center field, giving the Twins another layer of defensive flexibility.

The timing could not be better because this lineup desperately needs another hitter capable of getting on base. Since the start of June, Trevor Larnach and Luke Keaschall are the only Twins with an on-base percentage above .350. Too often this offense has struggled to sustain rallies because hitters are expanding the strike zone instead of forcing pitchers to work. Roden has built his entire offensive profile around doing exactly that. He consistently puts together competitive at-bats, works deep counts and reaches base, skills that translate regardless of whether he is hitting home runs.

At 26 years old with nearly 1,500 career minor league plate appearances, Roden has nothing left to prove in Triple-A. The Twins acquired him because they believed he was major league ready. Every additional week he spends dominating minor league pitching feels like a week that accomplishes very little for either Roden or the organization. If anything, keeping him in St. Paul now seems to contradict the very reason they targeted him at the trade deadline.

His fit also extends well beyond the batter's box. Byron Buxton returned to center field on Saturday after missing the entire Houston series because of another hip aggravation. While Buxton remains one of the best players in baseball when healthy, the Twins also need to acknowledge that they cannot expect him to play every day for the remainder of the season.

Right now, their backup plan has been moving Ryan Kreidler from shortstop to center field whenever Buxton is unavailable. Kreidler is more than capable of handling center, but that move creates another problem by forcing Tristan Gray into the lineup at shortstop. Gray owns just a 67 OPS+ this season, and his defense has left plenty to be desired. Instead of weakening two positions at once, the Twins could leave Kreidler where he is strongest defensively while allowing Roden to handle center field against right-handed pitching and on days when Buxton serves as the designated hitter.

It is a move that strengthens both the lineup and the defense while giving Buxton the flexibility to stay healthy over the final three months of the season. Roden's left-handed bat makes him a natural platoon partner in center field, and his disciplined offensive approach fills one of the biggest holes currently on the roster.

The Twins traded for Alan Roden because they believed he was ready to contribute in the major leagues. Injuries delayed that opportunity, but they should not delay it any longer. He is healthy, he is producing, and he has already proven everything there is to prove in Triple-A.

The Twins need another quality hitter, another capable center fielder and another reliable way to keep Byron Buxton fresh. Alan Roden checks every one of those boxes.

Do you think the Twins should finally call up Alan Roden, or would you make a different roster move? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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[mikelink45]

Jenkins first!  We have an abundance of OF options in the minors - thats what made Outman such a bad decision.  Gray, Martin, Fedko can all be replaced. 

[DJL44]

It is time to play him or trade him. He is not going to develop any further in AAA.

[DJL44]

3 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

Jenkins first!  We have an abundance of OF options in the minors - thats what made Outman such a bad decision.  Gray, Martin, Fedko can all be replaced. 

Jenkins isn’t hitting as well as Roden in AAA.

[mickster]

2 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Jenkins isn’t hitting as well as Roden in AAA.

Jenkins can wait until 2027.   Roden is needed to replace Fedko now

[Jack207]

They need to replace Fedko with Roden.

[HrbieFan]

We have too many average bats in Minneapolis and St Paul. Fedko is an easy swap out right now for Roden. Jeffers should be called up shortly and they can't move Jackson without risk of losing him on wakvers and we will need him when Jeffers is traded in a few weeks. 

[mikelink45]

3 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Jenkins isn’t hitting as well as Roden in AAA.

I like the potential for Jenkins to succeed over the 55 games Roden has played in the majors so far.  I am not against Roden having another chance but I am ready to see what Jenkins can do.  

[Jeff K]

The Twins spring training decision to keep Outman was, and remains, frustrating.  It's hard to imagine any team claiming Outman had he been waived.  And if they did, so what?  That said, I would like to see both Jenkins and Roden called up.  Fedko and Martin sent down although I don't recall if Martin has options remaining.

[Bangkok Twins Fan]

17 minutes ago, mickster said:

Jenkins can wait until 2027.   Roden is needed to replace Fedko now

I think that's the best move for now. 

[jmlease1]

Would like to see Roden up; it'll make the team more LH, but they're not really using Fedko anyways so what difference does it make? Would also like to see Culpepper up ASAP and to end the Tristin Gray experiment, sliding Kreidler into the role he's best suited for: defensive minded utility guy who can crank a homer if a pitcher hangs one/doesn't take him seriously at the plate.

Need to find out what we have in him, but also need to have guys that we are actually going to play in every roster spot, and Fedko doesn't seem to have much trust from Shelton.

[bean5302]

51 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I like the potential for Jenkins to succeed over the 55 games Roden has played in the majors so far.  I am not against Roden having another chance but I am ready to see what Jenkins can do.  

Exactly what is it about Jenkins' SSS of "above average" production in AAA which has you so enamored? He ranks 78th of 265 International League hitters with 100+ plate appearances this year with a wRC+ 117.

Any explanation other than Hype-a-saurus Rex, please.

[Blyleven2011]

As usual the organization is slow to demote and to promote ...

[twinstalker]

Spring training 2025 I thought Roden was a decent prospect.  He homered a lot to get my attention, then I looked at his minor league history.  Decent prospect, chance of platooning in MLB.

My guess now is that he's a AAAA guy, because this just shouldn't be so difficult.  Perhaps he's someone who can't hit vs high velocity.  There are a lot out there who can't.  But before we put that nail in his coffin...for gawd's sake, give him his final chance before he's too old to get out of his chair.

[CRF]

Dump Gray and get Roden up here. 

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

I like the potential for Jenkins to succeed over the 55 games Roden has played in the majors so far.  I am not against Roden having another chance but I am ready to see what Jenkins can do.  

That’s fine, but it is in direct contrast to the statistical record where Roden has 100 points more OPS in AAA.

[Casey Anderson]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

Jenkins first!  We have an abundance of OF options in the minors - thats what made Outman such a bad decision.  Gray, Martin, Fedko can all be replaced. 

I believe Jenkins would have to be added to the 40 man where Roden is already on there. It would be seamless to add Roden if Buxton goes on the IL. Jenkins would require moving someone off. Zoll has shown he is hesitant to move someone off the 40 man unless it's 100% necessary.

[greglw333]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Jenkins isn’t hitting as well as Roden in AAA.

 

23 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Exactly what is it about Jenkins' SSS of "above average" production in AAA which has you so enamored? He ranks 78th of 265 International League hitters with 100+ plate appearances this year with a wRC+ 117.

Any explanation other than Hype-a-saurus Rex, please.

Jenkins has, in about a third of a season, a .385 on base percentage. Most people would be enamored with that.

He’s stolen 7 bases in 8 attempts. That projects to 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts. Most people would be enamored with that.

And is hitting .272. However, that .272 includes a strong trajectory that has him hitting .314 since he came back from his injury including back to back games with 3 hits (when he fell a homer short of the cycle) and 2 hits. He’s trending well.

His .440 slugging percentage is not superb but respectable. All in all, if he could replicate those stats in the majors, he would arguably have the best statistical set on the Twins, besting Larnach with the stolen bases and a near standoff with the avg. and obp.

 

[greglw333]

3 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

That’s fine, but it is in direct contrast to the statistical record where Roden has 100 points more OPS in AAA.

Roden's OBP at St. Paul this year is .397 and Jenkins’s is .385. That’s 12 points, not 100! They both have a .272 average.

Roden is out slugging Jenkins but Jenkins has hit .314 since returning from injury and Roden’s average of .272 represent a fairly precipitous recent drop.

[greglw333]

9 minutes ago, Casey Anderson said:

I believe Jenkins would have to be added to the 40 man where Roden is already on there. It would be seamless to add Roden if Buxton goes on the IL. Jenkins would require moving someone off. Zoll has shown he is hesitant to move someone off the 40 man unless it's 100% necessary.

Travis Adams, please!