The '27 Twins are gonna need hitters! But who?

[TNtwins85]

27 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The free agent market has depth at 2B and not at other positions. Based on supply and demand, that’s the best thing to purchase. The Twins have very little middle infield depth so it is a good fit for team needs. Clemens can move to several other positions and contribute. I would add a second baseman to the team.

A good premise for sure. Which 2B are you going for and which of Lee/Culpepper/Houston do you trade to upgrade other areas?

[Cory Engelhardt]

40 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The free agent market has depth at 2B and not at other positions. Based on supply and demand, that’s the best thing to purchase. The Twins have very little middle infield depth so it is a good fit for team needs. Clemens can move to several other positions and contribute. I would add a second baseman to the team.

Do you have a favorite?

[DJL44]

9 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

A good premise for sure. Which 2B are you going for and which of Lee/Culpepper/Houston do you trade to upgrade other areas?

I am buying the fourth or fifth guy on the list (Gleyber?) because he will be the best bargain and I am not trading any of those guys. They need more infield depth.

[DJL44]

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Do you have a favorite?

I like Lowe but he will cost too much.

[Chembry]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

The free agent market has depth at 2B and not at other positions. Based on supply and demand, that’s the best thing to purchase. The Twins have very little middle infield depth so it is a good fit for team needs. Clemens can move to several other positions and contribute. I would add a second baseman to the team.

The FA market is decent at 2B.  Jazz Chisholm, Brandon Lowe, and Gleyber Torres will all be available.  Ozzie Albies has a $7M club option and the Braves will exercise that.  Jeff McNeil has a club option for $15.75M, with a $2M buyout, so that option will probably be declined.

Out of those options, Gleyber Torres isn't eligible for a QO, but Lowe will probably have the QO attached.  MLBTR viewed his QO as likely (same boat as Jeffers).  Jazz Chisholm is unlikely to receive the QO.  

Lowe and Torres would be good additions.  Both are "ok" defensively, but above average hitters.  Lowe is on back to back 30HR seasons.  I like Lowe the best, but he will have the QO attached. Torres is pretty good as well and 3 years younger.

46 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

A good premise for sure. Which 2B are you going for and which of Lee/Culpepper/Houston do you trade to upgrade other areas?

You don't need to trade any of them.  Lee is still at 3B, for which he is +9 DRS since moving.  Culpepper stays at SS.  The newly signed FA stays at 2B.  You don't want to rely on Houston coming up mid year or late 2027.  By signing a FA 2B, you allow Houston to "force" his way up.  Once that happens, you address the issue, but these have a way of working themselves out.

[Cory Engelhardt]

52 minutes ago, Chembry said:

The FA market is decent at 2B.  Jazz Chisholm, Brandon Lowe, and Gleyber Torres will all be available.  Ozzie Albies has a $7M club option and the Braves will exercise that.  Jeff McNeil has a club option for $15.75M, with a $2M buyout, so that option will probably be declined.

Out of those options, Gleyber Torres isn't eligible for a QO, but Lowe will probably have the QO attached.  MLBTR viewed his QO as likely (same boat as Jeffers).  Jazz Chisholm is unlikely to receive the QO.  

Lowe and Torres would be good additions.  Both are "ok" defensively, but above average hitters.  Lowe is on back to back 30HR seasons.  I like Lowe the best, but he will have the QO attached. Torres is pretty good as well and 3 years younger.

You don't need to trade any of them.  Lee is still at 3B, for which he is +9 DRS since moving.  Culpepper stays at SS.  The newly signed FA stays at 2B.  You don't want to rely on Houston coming up mid year or late 2027.  By signing a FA 2B, you allow Houston to "force" his way up.  Once that happens, you address the issue, but these have a way of working themselves out.

I like all of this. I still would do this AND then upgrade at 1B too. I don't know what the 1B upgrade would look like, but I think they COULD move on from Royce and be fine there.

How about Jeffers at 1B? Is that crazy? 

[MMBoys93]

 A year ago we were boycotting and bringing signs to games and chanting Sell and now we’re calling this competitive?

 

23rd in MLB in record.

pacing for a 76-86 record.

 

[Chembry]

1 minute ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I like all of this. I still would do this AND then upgrade at 1B too. I don't know what the 1B upgrade would look like, but I think they COULD move on from Royce and be fine there.

How about Jeffers at 1B? Is that crazy? 

I don't think Jeffers is a crazy idea at 1B, but it would be weird to have your best catcher at 1B...LOL!!  And that is if the Twins either resign him or he accepts a QO.

The FA list at 1B is horrendous.  Here is the list: Ryan Mountcastle, Andrew Vaughn, Carlos Santana, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Bell (mutual option), and Christopher Morel.  Yandy Diaz was included on this list, but he reached his vesting option.  

Andrew Vaughn wasn't very good until he was demoted by the CWS and traded to MIL.  Mountcastle hasn't been very good since 2024 and only played in 8g in 2026.  Goldschmidt continues to destroy LHP with a 1.012 OPS against LHP in 174 PA for 2026, but was horrendous against RHP.  He is also 39.   

If we want to upgrade at 1B, it would likely come via trade and there are too many options to consider.  I think it might be best to move Clemens to 1B.  I am also ok moving on from Royce. 

[TNtwins85]

54 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I like all of this. I still would do this AND then upgrade at 1B too. I don't know what the 1B upgrade would look like, but I think they COULD move on from Royce and be fine there.

How about Jeffers at 1B? Is that crazy? 

If you bring back Jeffers why not leave him at catcher?

[TNtwins85]

24 minutes ago, MMBoys93 said:

 A year ago we were boycotting and bringing signs to games and chanting Sell and now we’re calling this competitive?

 

23rd in MLB in record.

pacing for a 76-86 record.

 

???

[ashbury]

None of this matters.  The '27 Twins will have the '27 Yankees standing in their way.  Ruth, Gehrig, Combs, Lazzeri, Meusel  - a real murderer's row and there's no way to compete with that.

[Cory Engelhardt]

54 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

If you bring back Jeffers why not leave him at catcher?

Because they can bring in a decent defensive option and keep Jeffers' legs fresher longer term while keeping his bat in the lineup. That was my thought process. 

Like, I take Jeffers bat over any of the free agent 1B options. That was the entire thought process there.

[laloesch]

On 9/14/2026 at 1:58 PM, Hawkeye Bean Counter said:

If I am paying for a hitter its Arraez.  

Otherwise - we are counting on development of Culpepper, Rodriguez, and Jenkins.  Add in Keaschall, Lee, Clemens and and improved Lewis.;  The issue in adding Arraez is he would probably be blocking Buxton from DH'ing.   Arraez wants a significant long term contract and I don't see it occurring with us.  

Lewis?  Sighs. How long do we continue to play that record over and over again, same time every-time, he has no eye at the plate and swings at every breaking ball down and away. 

[strumdatjag]

This is going to be unpopular, but I’d rather see the Twins use internal options.   Jenkins/Buxton/Rodriguez/Keaschall for the outfield and DH options.  Then there should be a further competition in Spring Training between Martin, Wallner, Sabato, Gonzalez, Larnach, Roden and anyone else that isn’t traded.  Royce Lewis also has to “prove it” in Spring Training.   
Maybe the Twins could sign a placeholder at 2B.   Kody Clemons should man 2B until Marek Houston (if he does) arrives (expecting Houston at SS and Culpepper moving to 2B).   Caratini and a cheap backup should cover catcher until Lackey and/or Diaw and/or Tait arrive.   

[TNtwins85]

8 hours ago, laloesch said:

Lewis?  Sighs. How long do we continue to play that record over and over again, same time every-time, he has no eye at the plate and swings at every breaking ball down and away. 

I would tend to agree. I’ve become disillusioned with Lewis but there’s not many options that are clear upgrades unless they go on the trade market. Might as well run him back out there and see. Maybe a platoon with Hendry Mendez does him some good?

[Cory Engelhardt]

21 hours ago, strumdatjag said:

This is going to be unpopular, but I’d rather see the Twins use internal options.   Jenkins/Buxton/Rodriguez/Keaschall for the outfield and DH options.  Then there should be a further competition in Spring Training between Martin, Wallner, Sabato, Gonzalez, Larnach, Roden and anyone else that isn’t traded.  Royce Lewis also has to “prove it” in Spring Training.   
Maybe the Twins could sign a placeholder at 2B.   Kody Clemons should man 2B until Marek Houston (if he does) arrives (expecting Houston at SS and Culpepper moving to 2B).   Caratini and a cheap backup should cover catcher until Lackey and/or Diaw and/or Tait arrive.   

Gotta say, I don't think this is a feasible option completely. 

I have hope that the potential of our young guys will be good. I also don't think you can have a roster completely made of JUST young guys and do well.

I do think the outfield/DH you listed is feasible. I think another outfield, probably one that's right handed, should be brought in. Mostly for a bench guy against lefties, but guys get hurt and need days off.

I don't think you can truly rely on Royce anymore. I wish I was wrong, but I do think they have to do something to truly upgrade 1B. I really like Isaac Paredes as an option from Houston, but I haven't spent a lot of time researching who else might be out there at 1B. I mean, maybe we find out that Royce has been playing with some injury the last few months, but to me it looks like he just chases any offspeed pitch the way that Javy Baez used to, so when he is getting sliders and curveballs in the dirt, he is swinging away. I think they have to bring in someone from the outside there.

I also agree with others that 2B is probably the best option to upgrade our offense via the free agent route. I very much hope they bring in an outside player here who can stabilize the lineup in some fashion. I don't know who that is, but adding another hitter means that they aren't just waiting for Houston to be ready at some point, and/or that every other player gets to the point that Houston is ready and is also healthy.

And really, Buxton needs to get his hip ready to go. IF he is healthy and his hip isn't bothering him, then everything else can sort of fall into place. IF he isn't (and that is a BIG if) then so many young guys have to learn and take more lumps on their own. 

I do hope the coaching staff and front office we have in place are up to the challenge. Because if they aren't, I don't know that I trust Tom Pohlad to hire the right people. 

And really, mostly, I hope there is a season next year.