Breaking: Twins Calling Up Former First-Round Pick Aaron Sabato

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

It's been a long journey for Aaron Sabato. There were probably plenty of moments over the last six years when the former first-round pick wondered if this day would ever come. Now, after grinding through the minor leagues and putting together the best season of his professional career, Sabato is finally getting the call.

The Minnesota Twins are calling up Sabato, giving the 27th overall pick from the 2020 MLB Draft his first opportunity to play in the big leagues. Sabato's journey began during the strangest draft in baseball history. The event was shortened to just five rounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Twins used their first selection on a massive first baseman from the University of North Carolina.

There was never much mystery about Sabato's calling card. It was his bat—and, specifically, his power. He entered professional baseball with significant raw power and a strong offensive track record. As a freshman at UNC, Sabato hit .343/.453/.696, with 18 home runs and 25 doubles in 64 games. The Twins believed his offensive ceiling could make him a middle-of-the-order threat.

There was a catch. Sabato was always going to have to hit at a high level. He was primarily a first baseman and didn't have the defensive versatility that would have provided another avenue to playing time. The equation was relatively simple: The bat needed to carry the profile.

For years, that equation didn't quite balance. Sabato eventually reached Triple-A, but his progression was slower than many expected from a first-round selection. The power was still there, but the overall offensive production wasn't consistent enough to force his way into the Twins' plans. His prospect stock didn't fade; it cratered. He fell off the radar of all but the most indomitable Twins fans.

Then came 2026. Sabato turned his best tools into his best professional season. He established a new St. Paul Saints Triple-A franchise record with 25 home runs, while adding 25 doubles. Earlier this week, the Saints named him their 2026 Most Valuable Player. He finished his season with a .273/.349/.528 slash line, good for an .877 OPS and a 121 wRC+. Sabato also posted an 8.7% walk rate and a 25.3% strikeout rate over 113 games.

Those numbers don't erase the questions that followed him throughout his professional career. They do, however, show why the Twins continued to give him opportunities. The power is legitimate, and that power could give Minnesota something it has been searching for.

A Right-Handed Power Bat

The Twins have needed more right-handed power for quite some time. That makes Sabato's opportunity particularly interesting. Minnesota doesn't need him to suddenly become the next superstar. He doesn't need to carry the offense. The Twins just need to determine whether the bat that made him a first-round pick can play against big-league pitching.

The challenge will be making enough contact and controlling the strike zone against more formidable opponents. His strikeout rate shows there's still some swing-and-miss in his game. That's nothing new for a player whose offensive value is built around doing damage. But the Twins will get a chance to see whether his improved overall production can carry over.

The timing makes sense. At this point in the season, the Twins have an opportunity to evaluate players who could factor into their future plans. Sabato has already spent years in the organization. There isn't much left for him to prove in Triple-A. He probably doesn't factor into the team's future, either, but bringing him to the majors is a feel-good story that also serves as an audition.

For a former first-round pick who has spent most of his professional career waiting for this opportunity, that's more than enough. Sabato is finally a big leaguer. The long journey is over. Now the real test begins.

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What can the Twins expect from Sabato? Can he be a piece of the 2027 Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[IndianaTwin]

For whom? 

[Tibs]

Good for him. Hopefully he can get some hits and give the Twins something to think about over the offseason.

[Parfigliano]

Play him the 6 remaining games.  LHP or RHP doesn't matter.  Play him.

[bjorks]

About time. 

[jmlease1]

Hey, good for him. I don't know that a handful of games will tell us that much or that this is a real change in how the Twins are thinking about him, but it's a nice reward for a guy who has ground his way up the ranks and worked hard to shed the "bust" label.

Maybe he shows something. Maybe it's a bit of a showcase to see if there's a trade out there. Maybe it's just a reward to a guy who had a very good minor league season and has been in the system for quite a while.  Probably a combo of all three?

Regardless, I'm happy for him. With Royce mired in another terrible slump, Clemens being better suited to 2B, Bell being a DH (and likely gone in the offseason), there's an opportunity at 1B and for a RH power hitter. Why not take a peek at Sabato?

My expectations aren't high, but I'd much rather give him the look than not.

[Twins GFP]

Aaron,

Thank you for the fantastic year in St. Paul. Your six years of service has not gone unnoticed.

As a thank you for everything you have done, we are promoting you to the Twins for the remaining 6 games of the season. Please note that this does not mean that you are in our future plans (if you were, you would have been promoted at any number of times during the season). This is why we waited to call you up until after we were eliminated from playoff contention.

Please enjoy your time with the Twins this season. We look forward to seeing you back in St. Paul next spring.

Sincerely,

The Minnesota Twins

[Woof Bronzer]

1 minute ago, Twins GFP said:

Aaron,

Thank you for the fantastic year in St. Paul. Your six years of service has not gone unnoticed.

As a thank you for everything you have done, we are promoting you to the Twins for the remaining 6 games of the season. Please note that this does not mean that you are in our future plans (if you were, you would have been promoted at any number of times during the season). We waited to call you up until after we were eliminated from playoff contention to promote you.

Please enjoy your time with the Twins this season. We look forward to seeing you back in St. Paul next spring.

Sincerely,

The Minnesota Twins

Jeez, a bit of a downer are we? 

Good for Sabato, kid gets to make his lifelong dream come true.  Who knows what the future holds but I hope he plays this last week and I hope he rakes.  

[bean5302]

I guess this is an opportunity to give guys a chance to step up to the plate in the big show for the sake of memories or something.

[Patzky]

14 minutes ago, Twins GFP said:

Aaron,

Thank you for the fantastic year in St. Paul. Your six years of service has not gone unnoticed.

As a thank you for everything you have done, we are promoting you to the Twins for the remaining 6 games of the season. Please note that this does not mean that you are in our future plans (if you were, you would have been promoted at any number of times during the season). This is why we waited to call you up until after we were eliminated from playoff contention.

Please enjoy your time with the Twins this season. We look forward to seeing you back in St. Paul next spring.

Sincerely,

The Minnesota Twins

Too many Xmas presents under the tree! How will we ever be able to open them all...

[High heat]

He honestly can’t be worse than Lewis the last 6 weeks.

[Vanimal46]

41 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

For whom? 

I would give Royce Lewis an early vacation personally. It's pretty evident to me that Lewis is checked out on the season and has been for a while. 

[DJL44]

4 minutes ago, High heat said:

He honestly can’t be worse than Lewis the last 6 weeks.

He definitely could be worse than Lewis the last 6 weeks.

[DJL44]

Is Lewis going on the IL? The only other moves that make sense would be to cut Jeffers or Bell.

[rv78]

Kind of sounds like he is in a no win situation. If he plays and does fantastic, is he just trade bait? The article points to that direction. If he doesn't then what happens? He gets demoted back to AAA? It's like the Twins are so loaded at 1st base there isn't room for him. That's a laugh. Show us what you got in a week and then we'll decide. Really? If the chosen one, Lewis, would have been treated the same way, he'd have been gone a long time ago. He got to start at SS, that didn't work, then he got to try 3B, that didn't work, then they move him to 1B, that didn't work. Sabato gets to play 1B over Lewis? Hell must have frozen over.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

And there was much rejoicing.

[IndianaTwin]

7 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

I would give Royce Lewis an early vacation personally. It's pretty evident to me that Lewis is checked out on the season and has been for a while. 

From MLB Trade Rumors: "(Royce) Lewis has been playing through a shoulder issue for a few weeks now and has mustered only a .151/.179/.189 slash through his past 56 trips to the plate."

My journalism profs would have docked me for not having something like this as paragraph two in the OP: "The Twins have not yet announced whose place on the roster active Sabato will take. They also have not yet announced the corresponding 40-man roster move, though a spot could be cleared up by moving Byron Buxton to the 60-day IL." 

[Saxophone Joe]

8 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The only other moves that make sense would be to cut Bell.

Is there a precedent to a team making a move like that in the final week, cutting a guy with 90+ RBI? They would be doing JB a solid to give him a chance to join a playoff team, knowing it's not likely he's coming back to the Twins. 

[bean5302]

9 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

He definitely could be worse than Lewis the last 6 weeks.

Lewis has been very bad. I think folks are right that Lewis is totally checked out. I'd be surprised to see him on the Twins next year. Both Lewis and Wallner are likely to ask for a trade I'd imagine.

.190/.225/.256 OPS .481 wRC+ 31.

[DJL44]

1 minute ago, IndianaTwin said:

From MLB Trade Rumors: "(Royce) Lewis has been playing through a shoulder issue for a few weeks now and has mustered only a .151/.179/.189 slash through his past 56 trips to the plate."

My journalism profs would have docked me for not having something like this as paragraph two: "The Twins have not yet announced whose place on the roster active Sabato will take. They also have not yet announced the corresponding 40-man roster move, though a spot could be cleared up by moving Byron Buxton to the 60-day IL." 

Anyone going on the IL can pretty much go on the 60-day at this point.

Did he do enough at AAA to earn a 40-man spot this winter? They carried Wagaman last winter, so maybe. Sabato has all 3 options remaining. If they don’t want to carry him all winter and intend to make him a free agent this is still a nice gesture, though I don’t care if he gets any playing time in that scenario.

[Vanimal46]

5 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

From MLB Trade Rumors: "(Royce) Lewis has been playing through a shoulder issue for a few weeks now and has mustered only a .151/.179/.189 slash through his past 56 trips to the plate."

My journalism profs would have docked me for not having something like this as paragraph two in the OP: "The Twins have not yet announced whose place on the roster active Sabato will take. They also have not yet announced the corresponding 40-man roster move, though a spot could be cleared up by moving Byron Buxton to the 60-day IL." 

If he's dealing with a shoulder issue, even more reason to give him an early vacation. I think you sniffed out the arrangement - Sabato up, Royce to IL, Buxton moved to the 60 day

[Whammy]

52 minutes ago, IndianaTwin said:

For whom? 

Option 1: Royce Lewis. There was some question about him going on the IL last week with his lingering shoulder issue. Positionally this makes a ton of sense.

Option 2: Taxi Squad until Wednesday. Do something with Taj roster-wise after he makes his final start of the season on Tuesday and add Sabato to the roster to face the lefty SP on Wednesday.

Option 3: One of the relievers is certainly dealing with enough of something to go on the IL (YoGo?)

[DJL44]

1 minute ago, bean5302 said:

Lewis has been very bad. I think folks are right that Lewis is totally checked out. I'd be surprised to see him on the Twins next year. Both Lewis and Wallner are likely to ask for a trade I'd imagine.

.190/.225/.256 OPS .481 wRC+ 31.

What leverage does Lewis have to demand a trade? I can’t imagine any other club would give him as much playing time as he has received this season with the Twins. Does he want to see the league bouncing around the waiver wire?

[Saxophone Joe]

8 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Lewis has been very bad. I think folks are right that Lewis is totally checked out. I'd be surprised to see him on the Twins next year. Both Lewis and Wallner are likely to ask for a trade I'd imagine.

.190/.225/.256 OPS .481 wRC+ 31.

1 homer in the past 30 games is wild. He has looked lost at the plate and probably is still in his head thinking the organization is "waiting for the me to struggle so .. they can get out me out here." 

Royce has definitely been a better first baseman than expected though, imo. I can't remember when he's missed a scoop. 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

11 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

Lewis has been very bad. I think folks are right that Lewis is totally checked out. I'd be surprised to see him on the Twins next year. Both Lewis and Wallner are likely to ask for a trade I'd imagine.

.190/.225/.256 OPS .481 wRC+ 31.

They can ask, but someone has to want to trade for them.  I can't imagine that both of their values are pretty far gone at this point.  As for bringing up Sabato, why not?  He won't be worse that Lewis right now.

[1985Fan]

Good to see. Put Lewis on the IL, 60 day to make room and let Sabato play 1B. They need a RH power bat in the lineup. Interesting to hear Lewis shoulder is still a problem. Might explain his slump. 

[old nurse]

17 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

What leverage does Lewis have to demand a trade? I can’t imagine any other club would give him as much playing time as he has received this season with the Twins. Does he want to see the league bouncing around the waiver wire?

What leverage does he have to not want to trade him? Third season in a row with less than average results

[PuckettPond]

About time. Will he wear #7 as it is the Twins 1st base number. Sabato accepts coaching Lewis does not.

[bean5302]

31 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

What leverage does Lewis have to demand a trade? I can’t imagine any other club would give him as much playing time as he has received this season with the Twins. Does he want to see the league bouncing around the waiver wire?

Neither player has any leverage. Neither player has a good fit on the team next year.

[jmlease1]

14 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

If he's dealing with a shoulder issue, even more reason to give him an early vacation. I think you sniffed out the arrangement - Sabato up, Royce to IL, Buxton moved to the 60 day

That would cover it. Give Lewis some cover for his dreadful slump (and I know that's going to make some people mad, who will be all "screw that guy, he sucks!" but this is part of the man-management good organizations do, even if they're done with Royce and ready to move on from him. Having a track record of treating vets with respect matters when you're signing guys).

I'll be interested to watch how Sabato plays at 1B; he's never had a particularly good defensive reputation, but I've rarely seen him play the field so would be fun to see what he looks like out there.

I'm rooting for Sabato! My expectations are low, but I'm rooting for the dude.

(it does occasionally feel like some people are rooting against him simply because they want another Falvey pick to fail because they hate Falvey just that much; I hope people don't take it out on Sabato based on who drafted him...)