Hunter Greene Is Worth Hunting. Here's What It Would Cost

[MGX]

If the Twins use a comp trade, why not use the Skubal trade since it just happened. Skubal is much more valuable than Greene, so based on that the Twins wouldn't need to offer as much for Greene since he carries a lot of risk with him. Even Crochet at the time he was traded would have carried more value than Greene.

The bottom line is I hope the Twins make a difference making trade (I'm actually hoping for a bat), but the offer needs to match the value coming back in the trade.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, MGX said:

If the Twins use a comp trade, why not use the Skubal trade since it just happened. Skubal is much more valuable than Greene, so based on that the Twins wouldn't need to offer as much for Greene since he carries a lot of risk with him. Even Crochet at the time he was traded would have carried more value than Greene.

The bottom line is I hope the Twins make a difference making trade (I'm actually hoping for a bat), but the offer needs to match the value coming back in the trade.

Skubal is not more valuable than a guy with three years of control. 

[LyleCole]

I would do Rodriguez, Tait, and Winokur.   

[MGX]

7 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Skubal is not more valuable than a guy with three years of control. 

Point taken, but Greene is a risky player signed for - 15, 16 & 21 million per season. How much value do those years of control add? At any rate, I prefer other options out there.

[Mike Sixel]

16 minutes ago, LyleCole said:

I would do Rodriguez, Tait, and Winokur.   

So fast my head would spin. 

[Paul Walerius]

2 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

If Culpepper is your 2b instead of your SS, and you are getting Greene for the next 3 years, I would. I wouldn’t send Jenkins in this deal and Houston is the superior defender. Love Culpepper, but I would move him for someone with Greenes talent 

A guy who is injured every year and doesnt have ace numbers you are giving up Culpepper so you can keep watching Kriedler?

[Cory Engelhardt]

12 minutes ago, Paul Walerius said:

A guy who is injured every year and doesnt have ace numbers you are giving up Culpepper so you can keep watching Kriedler?

How far away do you think Marek Houston is from the majors?

And truly, for his part, Kreidler hasn’t been bad at all

[twinstalker]

That's not a massive price to pay.  Twins get rid of Rodriguez, as they should.  Diaw and Gallagher are ubiquitous.  To me it comes down to Culpepper, and I'd try to trade anyone else there instead of him not named Jenkins or Lackey.  I'm not a big Culpepper fan, but the Twins don't have much.  Perhaps they could trade Tinney as a PTBNL (he, like Lackey, can't be traded until after WS).  To me, this is Culpepper for Greene, and while that's fair, maybe like a lot of Twins fans the Reds could be fooled into thinking EmRod is far better than he'll be.

The problem with the Twins is they can't ever pull triggers when they should.  They wait too long on players because they're doing well or think the fans have connections with them.  The Twins should make such a deal, trade Joe Ryan in the offseason, then trade Hunter Greene at his peak performance with them.  They make a profit on Greene.  But the Twins would probably be only three games behind in the division and not want to stir up negativity in the fanbase by doing the right thing.

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, twinstalker said:

That's not a massive price to pay.  Twins get rid of Rodriguez, as they should.  Diaw and Gallagher are ubiquitous.  To me it comes down to Culpepper, and I'd try to trade anyone else there instead of him not named Jenkins or Lackey.  I'm not a big Culpepper fan, but the Twins don't have much.  Perhaps they could trade Tinney as a PTBNL (he, like Lackey, can't be traded until after WS).  To me, this is Culpepper for Greene, and while that's fair, maybe like a lot of Twins fans the Reds could be fooled into thinking EmRod is far better than he'll be.

The problem with the Twins is they can't ever pull triggers when they should.  They wait too long on players because they're doing well or think the fans have connections with them.  The Twins should make such a deal, trade Joe Ryan in the offseason, then trade Hunter Greene at his peak performance with them.  They make a profit on Greene.  But the Twins would probably be only three games behind in the division and not want to stir up negativity in the fanbase by doing the right thing.

Can't name a recent pick as ptbnl.

[TopGunn#22]

I dropped Hunter Greene's name in a thread a couple of days ago about the Twins possibly talking to the Angels about a couple of players.  I'm glad to see this as a stand alone topic and to join the conversation.  I realize a lot of people are very attached to Kaelen Culpepper.  I like him a lot too.

But when you have Marek Houston on track to replace Culpepper at SS within a year of Culpepper's promotion, and you have Brooks Lee very capable of playing 2B or 3B (and you've got Clemens for another season or two) and Culpepper is the key to bringing in a young Ace who's affordable (even by TWINS standards) for the next 3 years AND your latest Pohlad brother saying "Go BIG or GO Home" THIS is a deal worth pursuing.  

Others have laid out what the potential Twins rotation would be for a playoff run as well as 2027 and beyond.  It's enticing.  Even if Joe Ryan wasn't a part of it in 2027, whatever is received back in return for Ryan would certainly bring a "Culpepper-like" talent back.  This is why I emphatically advocate for a move like this.

Somebody always has to suggest the initial trade proposal.  Mathew Taylor did, and it spurred further discussion.  I think it was a reasonable suggestion but others have made good suggestions as well.  I wholeheartedly agree that it will need to be a GOOD package to get it done.  The Reds aren't giving Greene away.   

I'd start by saying Culpepper is the cornerstone.  De La Cruz is the Reds SS.  So Culpepper is being moved to either 2B or 3B right away.  Neither Hayes (3B) and Mclain (2B) have set the world on fire.  The Reds would be interested by this. 

Not knowing the current state of the Reds farm system, if it was the Twins in a reversal of circumstances, I'd want TWO pitchers to hedge my bets on eventually having a replacement for Greene.  Let's say Quick and maybe spinning Bailey Ober for an immediate replacement.  I'm including Em-Rod.  He's still an excellent piece and with our glut of outfielders we could withstand the parting.

It's a very fluid situation.  The pieces the Twins could give up are many.  Jenkins, Houston, Lackey.  Those 3 are not available.  But the Twins should be willing to talk about just about everybody else.  If we were trading Joe Ryan, we would be expecting an overpay.  This is the kind of move where the Twins should expect to overpay as well. 

But the return would set up a Twins pitching staff for the next 3 years minimum.  Greene in the rotation allows for a good starting pitching arm like Matthews to move to the bullpen.  It would not need to be a permanent move (witness Griffin Jax).  But Matthews in the pen brings a pretty good arsenal.  If Greene misses starts, someone like Matthews, Abel or Prielipp would be poised to fill in.

The Twins don't have to make a move for Greene.  But he checks a LOT of boxes for the kind of "Go BIG or Go Home" kind of move current ownership is claiming they will make.  Greene would be a big addition for 2026 and for 3 years beyond.  I say Go For It !! 

[darin617]

3 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

If Culpepper is your 2b instead of your SS, and you are getting Greene for the next 3 years, I would. I wouldn’t send Jenkins in this deal and Houston is the superior defender. Love Culpepper, but I would move him for someone with Greenes talent 

Culpepper will be the second baseman when Marek Houston comes up...

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, darin617 said:

Culpepper will be the second baseman when Marek Houston comes up...

Agreed. And that will be good.

[TopGunn#22]

I agree that Culpepper at 2B with Houston at SS and Lee at 3B would make a very good IF.  But Hunter Greene in the Twins rotation would be better.  

[Cory Engelhardt]

17 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Agreed. And that will be good.

I do think if they can get a player like Greene, then finding a good solid defensive 2b will be easier than finding a SS. So if it isn't Culpepper at 2b in that scenario, maybe it's someone else they trade for or sign? I guess we'll see.

[Paul Walerius]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

How far away do you think Marek Houston is from the majors?

And truly, for his part, Kreidler hasn’t been bad at all

Defensively Kriedler is fine.   Culpepper is playing SS and at AAA.  

[Cory Engelhardt]

4 minutes ago, Paul Walerius said:

Defensively Kriedler is fine.   Culpepper is playing SS and at AAA.  

I know that. And if a hypothetical trade for Hunter Greene never happens, I will absolutely LOVE seeing Culpepper in a Twins uniform. There aren't many players that are both potentially available AND I'd move Culpepper for. 

Houston is killing it at AA too. Good problem to have.

[Otaknam]

4 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'm not trading Culpeper. Or Houston. Or Jenkins. 

Totally agree! Nor Culpepper either!😱🤣

[TwinsWyoming]

Try include a third team? Seems to be a lot of interest in Ryan Jeffries? Trade him and get a young asset that nobody is connected to. Trade Luke K with him and a young controlable player and you can keep Culpepper and Houston. You would have to include a young pitcher or outfielder. Depending on what you get for Jeffries.

[Mike Sixel]

Zebby, EmRod, Tait. I'm not sure I love that deal, but it's very fair. Might even be an overpay by Minnesota. 

[saviking]

Greene is worth the risk due to his contract and high upside at a time we will need to replace Ryan at least in 2028. And we should and would have to give them a fair deal in return.

I say give them JJ McCarthy - Jordan Addison and next years #2 

 

[Derojo]

This team is at best a Wild Card team. We finally have a top ten (5?) farm system to work toward the World Series. BUT it's going to be at least two more years. How about building toward that? We don't need more rounds of Joe Mauer Wild Card purgatory. That's no knock on Joe, but if your goal is Wild Card playoffs, that's what you get. The Twins were fortunate in 87/91. The American Leagu is much more competitive at present. Making the playoffs means nothing, if that is your goal.

[Drtwins]

I think the offer in the article is about right, especially since many here think it’s too much. Id be alright giving up culpepper or tait as the centerpiece in a Greene trade. Jenkins, Lackey, and Houston would be my untouchables. In addition to culpepper or tait, OF and pitching would likely be what cincy is looking for, one of e-rod, gabby, Mendez, wallner and one of cj culpepper, Hill, Soto, Zebby

[TopGunn#22]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

Zebby, EmRod, Tait. I'm not sure I love that deal, but it's very fair. Might even be an overpay by Minnesota. 

I think the Twins have to overpay to some degree.  There should certainly be competition to land an arm like Greene.  We would expect an overpay for Joe Ryan. But I think the deal you've proposed above would be more than fair Mike.  I would certainly do it to preserve a Lee-3B, Houston-SS and Culpepper-2B infield for a potential future rotation of Greene, Lopez, Ryan, Bradley and Abel/Prielipp.  (Look at that potential rotation)!!!  That could more than compete in the A.L. Central, especially with Skubal heading to the Dodgers).  

If Ryan is not part of this rotation in 2027 it means he's been traded.  Then you have to consider the rich return a Ryan trade would bring.  Also not factored in (because it's purely a hypothetical at this point) is what the Twins could be adding with trades of Jeffers and Larnach.  

But with a 2026 rotation containing Ryan, Greene and Bradley, and with the potential rotation in 2027 (with or without Ryan) the infield talent and the OF talent with an imminent arrival of Walker Jenkins and in a year or 2 the arrival of Vahn Lackey behind the plate and in the lineup...and that's a pretty exciting future for the Twins...whether the Pohlad family sells or not.  

[TL]

They could potentially be interested in Lewis for 1B/3B or Keaschall if they believe he can stick in CF. Keaschall is going to be good for a long time but I think I’d rather give him than Culpepper based on this team’s needs. However, if they had interest in Lewis perhaps Emma, Lewis, Quick, Gallagher could get it done. I’d consider putting Abel in for Quick if they liked him better despite the injury. Whatever it is, will cost a lot. 

[Rufus]

6 hours ago, laloesch said:

 

 

You got to be kidding with this trade....Are you trying for Tyler Mahle 2.0 on steroids?  

 

[terrydactyls]

4 hours ago, MGX said:

If the Twins use a comp trade, why not use the Skubal trade since it just happened. Skubal is much more valuable than Greene, so based on that the Twins wouldn't need to offer as much for Greene since he carries a lot of risk with him. Even Crochet at the time he was traded would have carried more value than Greene.

The bottom line is I hope the Twins make a difference making trade (I'm actually hoping for a bat), but the offer needs to match the value coming back in the trade.

Skubel is a free agent after the World Series.  That drops his value significantly.    

[bean5302]

4 hours ago, MGX said:

Point taken, but Greene is a risky player signed for - 15, 16 & 21 million per season. How much value do those years of control add? At any rate, I prefer other options out there.

If Greene didn't have risks associated with him, you'd have to look at Chris Sale trade.

#1 overall MLB prospect. 
#30 overall MLB prospect.
#8 org in probably the best farm system in baseball.
fast rising swing start/reliever

Equivalent for Twins
Vahn Lackey
Walker Jenkins
Dasan Hill
Adrian Bohorquez

[Rufus]

7 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

He's missed half the season the last two years....

Tyler Mahle look a like.  Just what the Twins need another sore armed pitcher

[LA Vikes Fan]

For what it's worth, I put into Baseball Trade Values Simulator a trade of Greene for Culpeper, Erod, Diaw and Gallagher and it matched almost perfectly. When I took out Culpepper for GG, it became a moderate overpay by the Reds. Just food for thought. 

[Mike Sixel]

4 minutes ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

For what it's worth, I put into Baseball Trade Values Simulator a trade of Greene for Culpeper, Erod, Diaw and Gallagher and it matched almost perfectly. When I took out Culpepper for GG, it became a moderate overpay by the Reds. Just food for thought. 

It's fair for me to pay 2 million for a great house in an expensive city, doesn't mean I should.