Which Twins Youngsters Have Earned a 2027 Job?

[Cory Engelhardt]

10 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

No team in baseball would allow one of their top 5 prospect to be claimed by DFA'ing them. It would be grounds for an immediate dismissal of the GM.

The fact the Twins have never given Rodriguez a single plate appearance and he's still on the roster speaks volumes about the level of ineptness this front office has already.

Or injuries. 
But are we sure he is still one of the top 5 prospects in the system?

[weitz41]

7 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

So now sample sizes don't matter anymore? Also, out hitting one of the worst hitters in the history of MLB isn't impressive. 

You got me there! But comparing them to Kreidler kind of forces the small sample size.

Kreidler last 7 games

7 AB .000/.300/000

GG last 7 games

8 AB .250/.455/.250

Ross last 7 games

4 AB .000/.000/.000

 

 

[HarmonK03]

3 minutes ago, MeleMouth said:

Four weeks of excellence at AAA should not guarantee a permanent starting job in the majors. It guarantees an opportunity, but Jenkins still needs to show, on an extended basis, that he's better than three other outfielders.

Of course, if next year is to be a rebuilding year, then, sure, have him take further lumps. He could crash, which could be a big set-back, but maybe the Twins and fans like you are OK with that risk.

My opinion could of course change if he shows more over the next few weeks.  

A player like Jenkins you take the risk, he is not a fringe prospect quit treating him like one.  

[MeleMouth]

Just now, Mike Sixel said:

You can't earn or lose a job in one month. He's the best prospect they've had since Buxton. He's already up. I'm not sure how this is debatable by anyone who watches how Milwaukee and Cleveland and Tampa win. 

By saying it's because he's their best prospect since Buxton, I interpret that you're basing your opinion on his pedigree and not his performance. Fair enough, although I'm a big performance over pedigree person.

Somewhat personal note: many years ago, in a successful company, we learned it was best to ignore the opinion of the guy who said "there is no debate!"

The only people who are certain about the right decision and how the future will unfold are those who know everything and those who know nothing. You can decide where you stand.

[MeleMouth]

3 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

A player like Jenkins you take the risk, he is not a fringe prospect quit treating him like one.  

About 25-30 years ago, a Vikings coach said, "No more scholarships." Since then, I've always thought that was a good approach. There may be different tiers of how coaches treat players, but most good coaches require players to prove themselves everyday, particularly rookies.

P.S. I can "treat" a player however I want. Who are you to make up rules for me?

[DJL44]

21 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

Ross and Kreidler are redundant, move on from Kreidler before he hurts someone on a pop up.

Kreidler starts in the majors on the bench. Ross starts in AAA. The Twins have very few players who can competently play SS. They can’t afford to throw any away.

[TheLeviathan]

2027 should be the year the team lets the kids play.  

Rojas-Bradley-Zebby-Prielipp-Abel in the rotation

Keaschall (1B)-Jenkins (RF)-Buxton (CF)-Jeffers on a QO (C)- Erod (LF) - Lee (3B ) Culpepper (SS) Gonzalez/Roden/Buxton/Royce/Mendez (DH)- go find a 2B who can field.   Worst case you go Clemons but I'd prefer some guy similar to our Royce Lewis but with a glove who can play MIF.  Try to buy low.

[HarmonK03]

6 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

Kreidler starts in the majors on the bench. Ross starts in AAA. The Twins have very few players who can competently play SS. They can’t afford to throw any away.

I agree but I would like to see an upgrade over Kreidler for the backup SS position.  He just can't hit, it would be nice to have more possibility of getting a hit at that position.

[MeleMouth]

25 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

No team in baseball would allow one of their top 5 prospect to be claimed by DFA'ing them. It would be grounds for an immediate dismissal of the GM.

The fact the Twins have never given Rodriguez a single plate appearance and he's still on the roster speaks volumes about the level of ineptness this front office has already.

One of the things that has scared me over the years about the Twins is repeated errors in assessing their own prospects and non-established players.

Perhaps the biggest error any team made in the 21st Century was when the Twins cut David Ortiz. Another blunder was trading Wilson Ramos for Matt Capps.

Just in the last 10 years, this is a team that made wrong decisions about LaMonte Wade, Tyler Wells, Yennier Cano, Jeff Hoffman, Danny Coulombe, Brent Rooker, Nick Anderson, and Zach Littell, all of whom were basically let go for nothing or a poor return and went on to become valuable major leaguers. (Note: whoever was responsible for identifying raw talent did a good job.)

Of course, even good teams make these errors - CLE with Junior Caminero, TBR with Cristopher Sanchez, for example - but the Twins seem to make these errors often, while many of the prospects they decided to keep quickly flamed out.

Net-net: if they let ERod go and it turns out to be a wrong decision, it will not be their first.

[Mike Sixel]

Manny Rodriguez getting hurt was a disaster for this team. But so was not starting him in Minnesota, to keep Larnach and Outman.....

[MeleMouth]

11 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

2027 should be the year the team lets the kids play.  

Rojas-Bradley-Zebby-Prielipp-Abel in the rotation

Keaschall (1B)-Jenkins (RF)-Buxton (CF)-Jeffers on a QO (C)- Erod (LF) - Lee (3B ) Culpepper (SS) Gonzalez/Roden/Buxton/Royce/Mendez (DH)- go find a 2B who can field.   Worst case you go Clemons but I'd prefer some guy similar to our Royce Lewis but with a glove who can play MIF.  Try to buy low.

This would be better than what they did the last couple of years, because even if they lose more games, it's a plan that leads somewhere, instead of to a repetition of 70-80 win "competitive rebuild" seasons.

It would also be easier on Pohlad's budget. Further, if this roster is competitive, it would be much easier to add the salary of real talent at the deadline.

[HarmonK03]

4 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Manny Rodriguez getting hurt was a disaster for this team. But so was not starting him in Minnesota, to keep Larnach and Outman.....

This was also the downside of the Bell signing.  I truly believe Emma would have been starting in LF on opening day and Larnach would have been the DH if Bell wasn't signed.  At least we would have an idea of who he is even if we missed the playoffs.  Instead barring a miracle we are going to miss the playoffs and we have no idea what he can do up here.

[RpR]

1 hour ago, rdehring said:

Considering he is out of options, EmRod will be with the Twins in '27 unless he is traded over the winter.  That's assuming when/if there is a season.  Add me to those who don't understand why he isn't with the Twins today.  Culpepper will be the Twins shortstop until Houston arrives.

If we look at Jenkins track record, memory reminds me he starts slowly after every promotion or return from the IL.  This is the final and biggest step.  Expect he will be hitting better over the last two weeks. Assuming Buxton is healthy, Jenkins will be the starting left fielder for the Twins come spring.

Keaschall should be the Twins lead-off hitter for many years.  Defensively, the Twins need to put him in one outfield position and keep him there, probably right field.  There have been way too many comments/articles bashing his D.  I went back and looked at how many games he played in the outfield prior to the move earlier this summer.  Since being drafted, he played 20 games in the outfield in MiLB.  Heck most young outfielders played more than that when they were a freshman in high school.  You can't compare someone with 20 games to those having hundreds of games in the outfield. The kid is fast and athletic; he will improve and be a solid in the future.   

 

 

Yes, the spirit of Willie Norwood returns.

[Brandon]

1 hour ago, weitz41 said:

🤷‍♂️ was meant as IDK. That he isn't up now with Buxton and Martin on the IL make me wonder what the plan is or if there even is one. It's a head scratcher to me.

He can get everyday AB after missing so much time in AAA.  I bet he comes up after AAA season ends. 

[HarmonK03]

17 minutes ago, Brandon said:

He can get everyday AB after missing so much time in AAA.  I bet he comes up after AAA season ends. 

He could get every day AB's up here as well, they choose not to give those to him but they are available.

[jkcarew]

Which veterans, who’ve had multiple chances to establish themselves as valuable members of a good team…and haven’t, have earned a job in ‘27? This is the first question to ask.

[MeleMouth]

9 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

He could get every day AB's up here as well, they choose not to give those to him but they are available.

This is one we agree strongly on. It makes no sense to give ABs to players who aren't doing much to make your present better and have no place in your future. The only exception would be if you think you don't have anyone ready for the chance, but ERod is smacking balls in AAA, with a K rate of 21% and SLG over .550 over the last three weeks, and they really should want to see what he can do in his last option year.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, HarmonK03 said:

I agree but I would like to see an upgrade over Kreidler for the backup SS position.  He just can't hit, it would be nice to have more possibility of getting a hit at that position.

That’s fine, but they still need Ross to begin 2027 in AAA as depth.

[LastOnePicked]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Yep losing embarrassasingly with with rookies is better than average with the current team.

It is, actually. Being stuck in sub-.500s with middling placeholder vets is the worst possible outcome for an MLB team. 

[jkcarew]

1 hour ago, RpR said:

Yep losing embarrassasingly with with rookies is better than average with the current team.

1000% Yes. Because the rookies and young guys have a chance of being ABOVE average someday. Average doesn’t mean anything. Nobody cares about average. It’s totally and completely irrelevant, even in provincial Minnesota where the average-ish Twins are 12th of 15 in AL attendance. And that’s what you’ll always be if you make it a worthy goal.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, weitz41 said:

You got me there! But comparing them to Kreidler kind of forces the small sample size.

Kreidler last 7 games

7 AB .000/.300/000

GG last 7 games

8 AB .250/.455/.250

Ross last 7 games

4 AB .000/.000/.000

You didn’t understand me. Kreidler had 113 PA in St Paul with a 889 OPS. Ross had 418 PA with a 810 OPS. Gonzalez has 444 PA with a really bad 741 OPS. I don’t understand why either is on the MLB roster. I don’t understand why the Twins want to fill the bench with bad players who they refuse to play under any circumstance.

[jimbo92107]

Keashall needs to work his ass off learning to optimize his play in Right Field. His arm may never get much better, but the clumsy plays on bank shots off the wall have got to stop. 

Jenkins...well, shoot. He's the future in Center, so just keep playing him. 

E-Rod should be brought up immediately. What team needs a great young outfielder more than the Twins?

This Twins team isn't ready to make a serious run, but they are on the verge of opening a new window. If an when they fall out of contention, then it's time to trade Buck, Larnach and Jeffers. Let them go join serious teams. Meanwhile, it is time, once again, to see what the new kids have to offer.

[Wedman13]

2 hours ago, Fatbat said:

Soto has been injured and he is still super young. The Twins should start several rookies next April!

Soto  is not young.  If you cannot throw15  IP a year at 19,29,21 , ur damaged.  Hope I wrong 

[TheLeviathan]

29 minutes ago, LastOnePicked said:

It is, actually. Being stuck in sub-.500s with middling placeholder vets is the worst possible outcome for an MLB team. 

Honestly....why is this so difficult for Minnesota fans in general?

It probably explains why every potluck has generic, bland hotdishes and nothing that is spicy.  (Read: contains minor particles of pepper)

We gotta stop letting that terrorism win.

[chpettit19]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

You can't earn or lose a job in one month. He's the best prospect they've had since Buxton. He's already up. I'm not sure how this is debatable by anyone who watches how Milwaukee and Cleveland and Tampa win. 

If he ends the season with a sub-.600 OPS and doesn't absolutely destroy spring training, I'd have no problem sending him to AAA to start the year. Get Emma the ABs in the majors and bring Jenkins back when he's got his groove going. Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Tampa all send guys back to the minors if they're putting up sub-.600 OPS numbers for a month plus. 

[chpettit19]

2 hours ago, HarmonK03 said:

A player like Jenkins you take the risk, he is not a fringe prospect quit treating him like one.  

Neither was Mike Trout and they sent him back to the minors when he was performing better than Jenkins is right now.

Neither was Byron Buxton when he kept going back to the minors because he wasn't performing.

Sending struggling players with options back to the minors isn't "treating them like a fringe prospect." It's normal roster management for MLB teams.

[MeleMouth]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

He's the best prospect they've had since Buxton. 

I guess Royce Lewis #1 overall draft pick was never a thing.

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, MeleMouth said:

This would be better than what they did the last couple of years, because even if they lose more games, it's a plan that leads somewhere, instead of to a repetition of 70-80 win "competitive rebuild" seasons.

It would also be easier on Pohlad's budget. Further, if this roster is competitive, it would be much easier to add the salary of real talent at the deadline.

Unfortunately, Pohlad has sold the "we care about winning and are done rebuilding" message since he took over. Going with the youth movement (that should've been done this year) would be a complete 180 from what they've been preaching. Not spending would be a complete 180 from what he's been preaching. They've put themselves in a place to have to keep going down the "compete" path because they wanted their PR points.

[HarmonK03]

5 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Neither was Mike Trout and they sent him back to the minors when he was performing better than Jenkins is right now.

Neither was Byron Buxton when he kept going back to the minors because he wasn't performing.

Sending struggling players with options back to the minors isn't "treating them like a fringe prospect." It's normal roster management for MLB teams.

Or you let them work thru it like Chourio and Merrill were allowed.  I get there is a balance, but I am not in favor of sending him back after one month.  He is taking good at bats and is not taking his struggles into the field.

[HarmonK03]

16 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

If he ends the season with a sub-.600 OPS and doesn't absolutely destroy spring training, I'd have no problem sending him to AAA to start the year. Get Emma the ABs in the majors and bring Jenkins back when he's got his groove going. Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Tampa all send guys back to the minors if they're putting up sub-.600 OPS numbers for a month plus. 

Actually Chourio was putting up sub .600 OPS and he was not sent down, that is the comp to me for Jenkins.