Twins Must Change the Balance Between Luke Keaschall's Bat and His Glove

[gman]

Keaschall hasn't had a lot of game time experience at any position in the minors or majors. He was drafted in '23 and played 24 games at second base. In '24 he played 39 games in the field while he was held out or playing dh until he had arm surgery. In '25 he got 41 games at 2nd and no outfield time. 26 became the first year that he has gotten time as a professional in the field. The team needs to figure out where they want him to play and get him time in that spot(s). I think based on nothing that his best position turns out to be left field. If they can train pitchers why can't they train others to throw better?

[Mike Sixel]

35 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Josh Bell: .735 OPS.  Luke Keaschall: .734 OPS.

Lefty/righty, Bell is .730/.737

Lefty/right, Keaschall is .733/.735.

Neither player can help you win games with the glove and they'll hurt you if you let them try.

One of these players is redundant at DH.  For me it's the guy earning $5.75M, plus the $1.25M buyout to not let him exercise his option for next year.  

One million percent true. 

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

What a brilliant suggestion. Practices. I don’t know why nobody thought of that before.

What do you think the team does every day before the game begins. Do you think they’re sitting in the clubhouse playing PlayStation?

Taking naps...

[rdehring]

2 hours ago, shimrod said:

"In just two months as an outfielder,..."

Says it all. If he's still a bad defender after an offseason of outfield focused work we can revisit this. 

Great comment, shimrod.  After reading that quote, I kept wondering why this post was written/

[LA Vikes Fan]

3 hours ago, PuckettPond said:

This time next year he will be an above average outfielder with a great bat. He needs patience from Twin fans. Buxton's constant injuries forcing him to be in CF when not ready. We need Luke as Buxton will play less than 50% next year because of self induced injuries caused by poor technique & playing out of control.

 

 

This. Geez, the guy has played a total of 43 games in the OF in 2026 after playing all of 16 games there in the Minors. Add to that he's all of 23 years old in this first full season in the Bigs. Yet now we're able to say with certainty that he will always be a defensive liability, and seems "overmatched" at every position? Wow, I'm glad you guys were never my supervisor doing my evaluation. I guess perfection from game 1 is the standard.  We all need to chill and give the guy a chance for Chrissakes. The eye test ells me that he is plenty athletic enough to be an above average corner OF. with LF the best because he's had TJ surgery and now has an average arm at best. We all talk about developing players. This is what developing players looks like, guys. Don't say you want to develop talent and then complain that it actually takes time to develop. Give him time to learn how to play the position.

I completely agree with you on his position in the BA. Keaschall is our best hitter when you factor in his speed and baserunning. Not one of our best, our best. Hitting him 6 or 7 makes no sense to me. I understand Shelton when he says that they put too much on him by hitting him 3 early and he has produced better towards the back of the lineup. All true, but that was then and this is now. He's comfortable now. He has a .400 OBP since May.  Move him up. My preferred spot would be 1 or 2 depending on where you want to put Buxton, with Lewis, Bell, Larnach, and Jeffers in the 3 -6 spots depending on who's hot and who isn't. Lee and Clemens (if we must play him every day, get Ross up and see if he can play) hold down the 7 and 8 spots depending on the handedness of the starter, and Culpepper hits 9. If Martin plays, he hits 9 and everyone moves up one. If Martin's hurt, then Roden and Jenkins hit 8 or 9 with Culpepper unless they break out and show they should move up.    

The season is getting away from us. The offense is in the tank. Shake it up and shake it up TODAY. Move Keaschall up. That's the easy move and it should actually help. Remember, he has a .400 OBP since May, has hit .301/.420/.452 OPS in his last 30 games (who says he has no power), and he had a .909 OPS in July, 1.017 so far in August. Why the heck is he hitting 6 or 7???? There may be other smart moves, like moving Buck down to 5 or 6 or permanently installing Lewis at 4, but let's at least grab the low hanging fruit. Keaschall should hit in the 1 or 2 hole starting NOW.  

[MikeNC]

Step back a second folks.  A complete MLB player has 4 key attributes: 1. Hit (vs both LHP and RHP), 2. Defense 3. Baserunning 4. Durability.  Of the current Twins who checks all 4 boxes?  Brooks Lee, maybe Clemens, maybe Caratini.  All the others are platoon hitters, can't play D, or can't stay on the field.  Why are we clamoring to bring up the young guys?  Because you have 6 holes in the lineup.

[bjorks]

4 hours ago, DJL44 said:

“There's little value in carrying a full-time DH who is merely a good (as opposed to very good, or great) hitter”

This is why Bell needs to go.

Not exactly learning anew position as he spent plenty of time there at USF and ASU. While it's been rough, it's not like he's not going to be working on the position in the offseason/spring. I think Grady Sizemore has done an amazing job taking some guys not exactly comfortable in the OF and made them "serviceable". 

[LA Vikes Fan]

10 minutes ago, MikeNC said:

Step back a second folks.  A complete MLB player has 4 key attributes: 1. Hit (vs both LHP and RHP), 2. Defense 3. Baserunning 4. Durability.  Of the current Twins who checks all 4 boxes?  Brooks Lee, maybe Clemens, maybe Caratini.  All the others are platoon hitters, can't play D, or can't stay on the field.  Why are we clamoring to bring up the young guys?  Because you have 6 holes in the lineup.

I agree except I wouldn't put those 3 as checking all 4 boxes either. Lee can't hit RH, Clemens is "up" to .230 this year so I wouldn't say he's mastered the hit category, same for Caratini. I would say the one guy who meets the criteria you gave is actually the guy we are going to lose - Jeffers. He's missed part of this year but pretty durable before then at a demanding position. 

Your point is well taken. We do not have any position that couldn't be upgraded. 

[Coach]

Immediately after his wedding (Nov. 14) he and his new bride should pack to start their honeymoon in one of the winter leagues to get real time outfield experience.

[howeda7]

Put him back at 2B. His defensive stats are not nearly as bad there as in the OF, and he won't be competing with Jenkins and E-Rod for playing time in 2027 the way he will if you leave him in the OF.

For 2027, I would play him ~80 games at 2B and 60 at DH. I envision the DH starts as something like:

70 Larnach

60 Keaschall

15 Lewis

15 Buxton

Clemons starts ~70 at 2B and 40 at 1B.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

It doesn’t hurt to hang on to Keaschall, but he’s way down on my pecking order. He doesn’t hit enough to not field well, and doesn’t hit lefties well enough (or field) to beat out Martin as the platoon mate for Larnach.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, EGFTShaw said:

What about Matt Wallner as DH next year.  Eliminates his D liabilities, which could be worked on per my other post, for the near term.

He just hit his 22BHR, a St Paul season Team Record.

I know he stunk this year, but he hadn't stunk so much offensively in the past years.

I expect they will try Wallner at DH to start 2027. He’s out of options and this franchise hates giving players away.

[Cris E]

56 minutes ago, MikeNC said:

Step back a second folks.  A complete MLB player has 4 key attributes: 1. Hit (vs both LHP and RHP), 2. Defense 3. Baserunning 4. Durability.  Of the current Twins who checks all 4 boxes?  Brooks Lee, maybe Clemens, maybe Caratini.  All the others are platoon hitters, can't play D, or can't stay on the field.  Why are we clamoring to bring up the young guys?  Because you have 6 holes in the lineup.

So how many dozen complete MLB players are there? 

[Linus]

Here is the absurd part. When asked why they don’t play Keaschall in LF Shelton said they didn’t want to mess with Larnach. So now we are catering to a 30 year old journeyman OF who isn’t good in the field over a good young hitter struggling to find a home in the field?  This has the old Falvey I’m smarter than anyone else in the room written all over it. Apparently Zoll has the same problem. 

[HarmonK03]

2 minutes ago, Linus said:

Here is the absurd part. When asked why they don’t play Keaschall in LF Shelton said they didn’t want to mess with Larnach. So now we are catering to a 30 year old journeyman OF who isn’t good in the field over a good young hitter struggling to find a home in the field?  This has the old Falvey I’m smarter than anyone else in the room written all over it. Apparently Zoll has the same problem. 

This organization has not changed, Falvey wasn't making all these decisions himself.  He was being advised by people who agree with this nonsense of how to do things. And his top advisor was Zoll for probably the last 5 years, I don't why people thought things would change.  Nothing will change until Tom P. shows real leadership and brings a baseball executive that knows how to run an operation and uses analytics as a tool.  And he can clean house with anybody who doesn't agree.

[LyleCole]

Players who are defensive liabilities but can produce offensively just slide to the left of the defensive spectrum.   

This offseason I would suggest they continue his OF development as best they can and then buy him a first baseman's glove.   

 

Is there enough power for him to be at that end of the spectrum?   I think the really, really slow start impacted him in the power area and he is not a true power hitter.  But there is still a lot of pop in his bat.   Get him 50 games in LF,  60 games at first, 10 games at 2B and 25 as the DH.  As his defense improves then slide him more to left, if not slide him to first.   

But make sure that his defense is a priority in offseason work.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

I expect they will try Wallner at DH to start 2027. He’s out of options and this franchise hates giving players away.

They didn't even call him up now, to replace Martin. Why would they play him next year?

[RpR]

4 hours ago, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

His only legitimate spot is 2nd base.  His lack of an arm is a bigger detriment in the outfield.    Either that or he better get the 1st base mitt.  

Iron glove, no way should he ever be at 2nd again.

[RpR]

44 minutes ago, Linus said:

So now we are catering to a 30 year old journeyman OF who isn’t good in the field over a good young hitter struggling to find a home in the field? 

Catering to a journeyman, in your opinion, who has a decent glove over a rookie who is abysmal with a glove.

Twins made the right decision.

[Cris E]

47 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

This organization has not changed, Falvey wasn't making all these decisions himself.  He was being advised by people who agree with this nonsense of how to do things. And his top advisor was Zoll for probably the last 5 years, I don't why people thought things would change.  Nothing will change until Tom P. shows real leadership and brings a baseball executive that knows how to run an operation and uses analytics as a tool.  And he can clean house with anybody who doesn't agree.

Well this is a ridiculous strawman.  "Falvey only wanted single-dimensional players. They need to only hire  front office people who think complete hitters who can also field well should be acquired."  

Dude, everyone wants good young hitters who can field their position.  Everyone drafts CF and SS and slowly drifts them down to positions they can handle (unless it happened in college too, where a bunch of the high school SS and CF were moved to 2B and 3b once already.)  If the Twins started signing guys at their appropriate positions you'd be complaining about the 3B from college who was too slow for the MLB game and had to go to 1B or DH. Every level is faster than the one below it, and at each step some of the fringiest fielders have to leave their spot and do something easier.

Zoll and Falvey were not espousing some toxic ideology, they are playing the exact same game everyone plays.  The big difference in MN was not putting a pure glove in the first hole and sliding everyone down a spot to help them out.  That's essentially what the 2026 team has done to improve the fielding, at least in the IF. Injuries have derailed a similar evolution in the OF where Buxton being out and ERod not being available to promote left Keaschall holding some important roles. 

[HarmonK03]

2 minutes ago, Cris E said:

Well this is a ridiculous strawman.  "Falvey only wanted single-dimensional players. They need to only hire  front office people who think complete hitters who can also field well should be acquired."  

Dude, everyone wants good young hitters who can field their position.  Everyone drafts CF and SS and slowly drifts them down to positions they can handle (unless it happened in college too, where a bunch of the high school SS and CF were moved to 2B and 3b once already.)  If the Twins started signing guys at their appropriate positions you'd be complaining about the 3B from college who was too slow for the MLB game and had to go to 1B or DH. Every level is faster than the one below it, and at each step some of the fringiest fielders have to leave their spot and do something easier.

Zoll and Falvey were not espousing some toxic ideology, they are playing the exact same game everyone plays.  The big difference in MN was not putting a pure glove in the first hole and sliding everyone down a spot to help them out.  That's essentially what the 2026 team has done to improve the fielding, at least in the IF. Injuries have derailed a similar evolution in the OF where Buxton being out and ERod not being available to promote left Keaschall holding some important roles. 

This team relies on 1 year fringe guys and can not develop players, that is the culture set up by Falvey and continues with Zoll.  They use analytics as the guiding principal not as a tool.   This organizational structure has produced a .500 record over the last 10 years.  I personally as a fan am not satisfied with that.  Calling up Jackson today is just another example of no plan and no trust in the players they develop.

This is what I am referring to when I talk about the front office and what the thought processes are.  I for one am done with Zoll, this organization needs a top to bottom review of what's working and what's not and that won't happen until you get someone in from the outside.