Emmanuel Rodriguez Has Waited Long Enough

[Sam Caulder]

Image courtesy of © Mike Watters-Imagn Images

It’s been a long time coming for Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez. He's been in the system since 2021 and has been a top-100 prospect across baseball since 2023. Had it not been for a litany of injuries throughout his professional career, there’s a good chance we would have already seen him make his major-league debut. Instead, he has appeared in just 339 games over his six years in the Twins organization, and because of that, there’s some prospect fatigue surrounding his name. But he’s currently healthy; he’s swinging an extremely hot bat; and, in my opinion, now is as good a time as any to give him his major-league promotion.

Rodriguez got off to a slightly slow start after returning to the St. Paul Saints’ lineup, which was understandable, considering how much time he had missed. That slow start, however, has burned off like August dew, because he's looking like the hitter the Twins have been waiting to see for years. Of his last four games, Rodriguez has homered in three. He's drawn five walks compared to just four strikeouts during that stretch, while adding a stolen base for good measure. That recent production has pushed his season OPS in St. Paul to .910. As far as his individual performance is concerned, it certainly appears as though he’s ready for the next level.

What makes that recent stretch particularly noteworthy is that Rodriguez has showcased everything that makes him such a high-profile prospect. His ability to work counts, draw walks and make an impact on the bases gives the Twins a more complete offensive profile than just another hitter who can run into a few home runs. If he can carry that approach into the majors, there’s a chance his bat could immediately give the Twins another dimension.

There are a couple of other reasons why I think Rodriguez should be called up in the very near future. One of the biggest is his roster situation. Rodriguez is already on the Twins’ 40-man roster and will be out of minor-league options next spring. That means this isn’t a situation like that of Walker Jenkins, where the Twins can keep him in the minors to get playing time while things get sorted out. If the Twins plan on keeping him around beyond this season, he’s going to have to be a major leaguer. Given that reality, they might as well get him some major-league at-bats before the year comes to an end. Let him get his feet wet, give him a taste of what major-league pitching looks like, and allow him to spend the offseason adjusting to that level. That way, he isn’t being thrown directly into the fire when Opening Day 2027 rolls around.

There’s also the roster construction side of this equation, especially with September call-ups right around the corner. Rodriguez could very easily be one of the two players the Twins add to their roster, and because he’s already on the 40-man, there wouldn’t be any additional roster maneuvering required to make it happen. That's assuming that Rodriguez isn't called up to replace Byron Buxton, who seems likely to land on the injured list Friday.

The Twins may have already given themselves a little extra flexibility in the outfield, too. When Austin Martin was placed on the injured list, the Twins recalled Alex Jackson instead of replacing him with another outfielder. By doing so, they left themselves room to add another outfielder when rosters expand on September 1. Regardless of whether Martin is activated soon (he probably will be), his recent performance before the injury wasn’t exactly impressive. He shouldn't stand in Rodriguez's way.

If I’m the Twins, calling up Rodriguez is a no-brainer. I know a lot of people want to see Walker Jenkins, but if Rodriguez is going to be part of the Twins’ plans beyond this season (a big "if", I grant you), getting his feet wet in the majors this year feels like a must. The Twins have spent years waiting to see what Rodriguez can do when he’s healthy, and right now, they are finally getting that opportunity. More importantly, Rodriguez is showing exactly why he has been so highly regarded for so long.

He’s healthy, he’s producing, and he has plenty of experience in the minor leagues. At some point, there’s nothing left to prove in St. Paul, and with how Rodriguez is currently swinging the bat, the Twins might not just be calling up a long-awaited prospect. They could be adding an immediate difference-maker to their lineup.

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[thelanges5]

Too late to make an impact as this season slips away. They need to get him up to see what he’s got in the MLB. Focus on learning for 2027. 

[Whitey333]

The Twins performances on this 1-5 road trip should finally putting the "contender" Twins into play for next year mode, if there is one.  Catering to Buxton and his inability to play needs to stop.  Again, the wheels seem to stop when is comes to Buxton.  Fact is he is unplayable anyway.  Call up a couple of younger players and let's them play.  Its time to see if these players can help in the future ok just add to the hype.

[chpettit19]

Twins off day today. Put Buxton on the IL. Bring Jenkins to Target Field to get comfortable with his new clubhouse and get some swings in. Put him in the lineup in CF to start the homestand tomorrow.

Emma up on 9/1 with roster expansion.

Bring Buxton back if Cleveland hasn't finally put the sub-.500 teams to bed. If they've pulled away and the playoff field is essentially set, let him get surgery if it's needed or just a few extra weeks of rest heading into the offseason while the kids get some experience for 2027 and beyond.

[saviking]

I mainly watch the Twins now to see Culpepper play. Bring up E-Rod so I have someone else to entertain me. 

[bean5302]

He wouldn't have needed to wait so long if he wasn't an absolute moron who refused to learn his lesson about using his thumb as a braking mechanism every time he slides into a base. 

If there's space on the roster, sure, Emma should be called up so the Twins can confirm his game will play at the MLB level or if the K rate will approach or exceed 50%. I expect the latter, but I think Emma's either an All Star caliber player (early Gallo) or a bust (later Gallo). I don't think there's much in between.

[Nashvilletwin]

I’ve harped incessantly on how the ineptitude of the FO and ownership has meant that the Twins will likely get zippo for four of their biggest assets - Jeffers, Ryan, Lopez and Buxton - when all could have been moved (yes, maybe even Buxton if they had tried hard enough) at or near peak value.

I apologize.  I was wrong about that. The way this franchise operates,  I should’ve included ERod as well.  Wait and see - we probably will get zippo for him when he is claimed off waivers after spring training next season (whenever that may be).  And that may happen without him ever seeing one MLB AB in a Twins uniform.

Bring him up and play him. Next season he and Jenkins start in RF and CF.  Keaschall and Buxton can switch off playing LF and DH depending on Buxton’s health and rest needs.

[MMBoys93]

Saw someone on X claiming the Twins will likely DFA Erod next year

Can’t fix stupid 

[90stwinskid]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

Twins off day today. Put Buxton on the IL. Bring Jenkins to Target Field to get comfortable with his new clubhouse and get some swings in. Put him in the lineup in CF to start the homestand tomorrow.

Emma up on 9/1 with roster expansion.

Bring Buxton back if Cleveland hasn't finally put the sub-.500 teams to bed. If they've pulled away and the playoff field is essentially set, let him get surgery if it's needed or just a few extra weeks of rest heading into the offseason while the kids get some experience for 2027 and beyond.

ERod and Jenkins might be interchangeable for me in terms of when they're called up, but I agree with all the sentiments. Let the kids play.

[chpettit19]

3 minutes ago, 90stwinskid said:

ERod and Jenkins might be interchangeable for me in terms of when they're called up, but I agree with all the sentiments. Let the kids play.

I'm not really worried about which order they come in, especially because it's only a 4-day difference, but Jenkins is the bigger name and the better PR move. No reason to give fans another thing to point and yell at when it's easy enough to just bring Jenkins up now and Emma next Tuesday.

[umterp23]

Controlling Jenkins on HOPE of winning rookie of the year and getting an extra draft pick in 2028 and calling up Jackson when he didn’t need to be called up to replace an outfielder (Martin) shows continued incompetence. So many things that should have could have been done differently is what Front Office continues to do. Until major changes of flushing out front office people who aren’t remotely good at what they do, this type of inaction will continue. 

[SteveLV]

Unfortunately, those of us who advocated trading the Vets at the deadline (or sooner) largely because we felt the Twins' playoff viability was a mirage were, indeed, correct absent some miracle.

That water is now over the dam.

Time to make the best decisions possible at this point in time, and clearly it is time to clean house and bring up and give playing time to players that can be part of the future for this team.  And I don't mean one player, either. 5 weeks left in the season, so make the most of that "early Spring Training".

[PuckettPond]

Twins Nation has been very very patient waiting for Erod to mature & figure things out. He is wanted & needed. A lot of questions will be answered when Buxton goes on the IL & who replaces him. We want him to succeed.

[1985Fan]

After watching Keaschall in last nights game, I’m ready to see ERod play CF. Even if they play him in RF or LF and put Kreidler in CF, that’s ok too. Whichever position they want to play him in, it’s time. I’m a little apprehensive that he hasn’t learned the basic fundamentals, but it’s worth finding out. Keaschall needs to be optioned to AAA to learn how to play defense. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

1 hour ago, chpettit19 said:

Twins off day today. Put Buxton on the IL. Bring Jenkins to Target Field to get comfortable with his new clubhouse and get some swings in. Put him in the lineup in CF to start the homestand tomorrow.

Emma up on 9/1 with roster expansion.

Bring Buxton back if Cleveland hasn't finally put the sub-.500 teams to bed. If they've pulled away and the playoff field is essentially set, let him get surgery if it's needed or just a few extra weeks of rest heading into the offseason while the kids get some experience for 2027 and beyond.

Right on, brother. It's time to see if Jenkins and ERod can play. I sort of understood waiting until the brutal 9 game stretch aginst NL playoff teams and road trip was over to see if we were in contention and didn't want to mess with the lineup. Well, we aren't. We went 4-8 over the three tough series and the Sacramento stop. And, Buxton got hurt again. In the "what if" category we easily could and probably should have won 3 of those losses and gone 7-5. We didn't and that tells you as much as you need to know about this year's team. We're toast. Full stop. 

IL Buxton and keep him there for at least 2 weeks if not the rest of the season. He probably needs surgery. Have him get it if he does. Call up Jenkins today to play CF and ERod on 9/1. Play them both 5 days a week with Keaschall in either RF or LF. Mix in Roden 2-3 days a week. See if that's next year's OF along with Buxton. Decide what you're going to do with Bell next year. If he's gone, either drop him to 3-4 days a week or waive him to get the ABs for the 4 OFs.  Replace Adams with Acton. Adams has had his shot, let's see if Acton can help lengthen the BP. Find a kind way to get Rogers on the IL or retired and replace him with Anderson for the same reason. Call up Raya on 9/1.  DFA Jackson again in the hope he'll sneak through waivers once more and call up Ross. Get him 2-3 days a week at 2B or at 3B since Lee can't hit LH pitching anyway. Find out if there's anything there or if Ross will strike out 40% of the time at the MLB level. 

Go to full tryout mode. These last 5 weeks should be to see what we have for 2027. 2026 is done. 

[MikeNC]

20 minutes ago, SteveLV said:

Unfortunately, those of us who advocated trading the Vets at the deadline (or sooner) largely because we felt the Twins' playoff viability was a mirage were, indeed, correct absent some miracle.

That water is now over the dam.

Time to make the best decisions possible at this point in time, and clearly it is time to clean house and bring up and give playing time to players that can be part of the future for this team.  And I don't mean one player, either. 5 weeks left in the season, so make the most of that "early Spring Training".

There is a part of me that wonders if the Twins, (after somehow actually sensing the fans ballistic negative reactions to LY trade deadline debacle), decided something like "gee we don't want that again" and so were buyers this year, buying into the mirage of "contention".  News Flash:  The fans were not upset at the Twins for being sellers, we were/are upset at the Twins being STUPID sellers.

[laloesch]

48 minutes ago, SteveLV said:

Unfortunately, those of us who advocated trading the Vets at the deadline (or sooner) largely because we felt the Twins' playoff viability was a mirage were, indeed, correct absent some miracle.

That water is now over the dam.

Time to make the best decisions possible at this point in time, and clearly it is time to clean house and bring up and give playing time to players that can be part of the future for this team.  And I don't mean one player, either. 5 weeks left in the season, so make the most of that "early Spring Training".

Unfortunately, their stubborn behavior will cost them potential good prospects.  Jeffers and Ryan should have both been traded at the deadline for prospects to load up the farm system.  Stubbornly clinging to them both like they did, claiming they were going to go for it and try and make the playoffs was utter foolishness considering how many holes this team has on offense and the bullpen, not to mention being down Lopez in the rotation.  Now they will get nothing for Jeffers besides a compensation pick (if they even make him a qualifying offer).  Ryan's value also diminishes because they held onto him.  He will be a free agent at the end of next season (if there is one) and instead of bringing back a haul of prospects for him they might get a compensation pick for him.  Ryan is not resigning with the Twins and neither is Jeffers.    

Just utter stupidity.   

[rdehring]

Agree with everything you said Sam, well almost everything.  You point out what EmRod has done over the past four games.  But four games isn't very long.  By comparison, Jenkins has been as hot or hotter over what, a month?  Based on performance, I see Jenkins as being the logical callup should Buxton go on the IL, which I hope happens.  

You mention all the other considerations such as EmRod's 2027 contract status and Jenkins not needing to be on the 40-man this November.  That could flip the decision to EmRod should only one get the call, Hopefully, the Twins will see bringing them both up as the shot in the arm both the team and fans need for the next month.  Would enjoy watching a lineup with Jenkins, EmRod and Culpepper all playing almost every night.

We also need to remember in defense of the front office, way too much of the time EmRod has been waiting, he has been waiting while on the injured list.

[killercarewoliva]

1 hour ago, umterp23 said:

Controlling Jenkins on HOPE of winning rookie of the year and getting an extra draft pick in 2028 and calling up Jackson when he didn’t need to be called up to replace an outfielder (Martin) shows continued incompetence. So many things that should have could have been done differently is what Front Office continues to do. Until major changes of flushing out front office people who aren’t remotely good at what they do, this type of inaction will continue. 

without Jeffers next year we need to keep Jackson. I think he's a great teammate and has batted 300 and not that bad behind the plate to be with caratini because no one else is ready. most guys sit on the bench that much and still hit 300 that's something to be aware of people. Rodriguez can get MLB experience coming up after the first day of September when two players can be added to see if he's going to be good for a spot next year. Jenkins can come up now. just don't play him more than 130 times at bat if he looks like potential rookie of the year. most likely Buxton will go on the IL but if he doesn't who you going to send down? I would say Roden. Martin is a favorite of mine but maybe he goes to AAA or something. of course, if Rodriguez is brought up after the 1st, he would not be eligible for the postseason, but it doesn't look probable being four games behind Cleveland. we can't even beat Oakland, especially when Mr. Keaschell simply keeps proving he can't play the defense. both of those balls last night were catchable by most outfielters. The one that went over his head look like me and a slow pitch Church softball League. That's why I took the ball at pitcher. we are overwhelmed with left-handed hitters that can actually play really well. pitching if any sentence is true in this life, you can't get too much pitching so doing that a little more when picking all those outfielders. and also the first two pics were catchers and I was was going to be okay with the guy that got picked. fifth he was pitching lights out baseball but this catcher is very needed and the second catcher might be good too. but I would have gone with pitching. maybe that's why I'm not running things. since we have so many great outfielters that's going to have to be some trades actually to do these gentlemen Justice. very few matter. league players make the major league level and when you have them down there ready to play and you have no place for them. get them a place by trading for where you most need is, but definitely don't trade Jenkins good gosh and Rodriguez might be worth holding on to if he can learn how to not hurt himself.

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

The question on Jenkins, do you want to have him locked out at the beginning of 2027, or have him actually in spring training and playing games?

If they call him up, he is on the 40-man, and gets locked out.

If they keep him in St. Paul and off the 40-man, they have him in spring and at St. Paul until the CBA is signed and them they move him onto the 40-man and call him up.

[mickster]

If Jenkins is called up, who is gone from the 40 man?  Fedko

[LastOnePicked]

3 minutes ago, Ski U Mah Gopher said:

The question on Jenkins, do you want to have him locked out at the beginning of 2027, or have him actually in spring training and playing games?

The real question was this: "Are we actually in a WC hunt? Are we putting our best players on the field in order to capitalize on this opportunity?"

Imagine being a top prospect, doing everything you can to break down the door at AAA, and then being held down because your team's owner/FO is frightened of a work stoppage the next year.

I wouldn't stay in that organization once my obligations were fulfilled. Not for any amount of money.