Which Top Twins Prospects Could Reach the Majors in 2027?

[Sam Caulder]

Image courtesy of USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While the Twins’ 2026 season didn’t end the way they, or we as fans, wanted it to, it did offer us a glimpse into the future. Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper and Emmanuel Rodriguez, who entered the year as three of the top four prospects in the Twins’ system, all made their debuts and flashed their upside. We also got to see several other young players (including Connor Prielipp, Gabriel Gonzalez, Kendry Rojas and Andrew Morris) get their first tastes of the majors.

Because there’s not going to be any playoff baseball in Minnesota this year, the focus now turns to 2027. With that comes a chance to take a way-too-early look at which of the Twins’ top prospects could make their major-league debuts next season.

Vahn Lackey

We’ll start with the highest-rated name on this list, and possibly the spiciest prediction: Vahn Lackey. Lackey ranks as the Twins’ No. 2 prospect and was just selected third overall in the 2026 MLB Draft. Well-rounded catchers are extremely difficult to find, but that’s exactly what he has the potential to be.

We got to see that skill set on display during his first taste of professional baseball this summer. Lackey slashed .250/.435/.424 in 25 games between Low-A and High-A. He collected eight extra-base hits, went 13-for-15 on stolen base attempts and drew four more walks than he had strikeouts. We also got to see his impressive arm strength behind the plate. It’s hard not to be excited about his long-term outlook.

The question is whether he’ll be ready next season. I think it’s entirely possible. With Ryan Jeffers headed out the door, there will be available playing time behind the plate for Lackey at some point in 2027. Of course, we’ll need to see him produce at the upper levels of the minors first. But if he makes quick work of that challenge, don’t be surprised if he gets to Target Field sooner than expected.

Marek Houston

Marek Houston is Minnesota’s No. 4 prospect and is widely regarded as the organization’s best defensive prospect. But while the glove has always been the calling card, his bat exploded in 2026. He hit .312 with a .392 on-base percentage and an .847 OPS in 116 games between High-A and Double-A. He logged 42 extra-base hits and stole an impressive 50 bases. So far, Houston is on a very similar track offensively to Culpepper, who made his debut this season. Defensively, the consensus is that Houston is the better, more polished infielder.

That combination makes it pretty easy to see why a major-league debut could be in the cards next season. If Houston can keep swinging the bat the way he did in 2026, we should see him at some point in 2027.

Riley Quick

Hard-throwing mountain-of-a-man Riley Quick went just 20 picks after Houston last summer. Of the five names on this list, I’m the least confident that Quick will make his debut next year. That’s not because he doesn’t have the ability to do it, though. He struck out 110 batters over 81 2/3 innings this season between Low-A, High-A and Double-A, which comes out to a 30.6% strikeout rate. The swing-and-miss stuff is undoubtedly there, but more development is needed before Quick is ready to face major-league hitters.

His walk rate this season was 13.4%, and he finished the year at Double-A with a 6.68 ERA. Those numbers obviously aren’t ideal, but they also aren’t necessarily representative of where Quick can be after another full offseason of development. With some time to fine-tune his command and overall approach, it’s fair to expect a jump forward next season. Depending on how big that jump is, Quick could find his way to Target Field in 2027.

Hendry Mendez

Hendry Mendez is the Twins’ No. 7 prospect, and his bat looks ready for a major-league opportunity. He slashed .281/.374/.430 between Double-A and Triple-A this year. Mendez is more of a hit-for-contact bat than a slugger, but he’s very capable of hitting the ball hard. The fact that he spent the majority of the season in Triple-A also puts him in a different position than some of the other names on this list.

The bigger question is where he’ll play, defensively. He's developed as a corner outfielder, but if he has a future as a fielder in the big leagues, it's probably at first base. Regardless of where the Twins decide to use him, his offensive profile should give him a chance to compete for a major-league role. He’s already on the 40-man roster, which would make it considerably easier for the Twins to add him to the big-league club. Of these five players, Mendez feels like the safest bet to see the majors in 2027.

Ryan Gallagher

After coming over from the Cubs at the 2025 trade deadline in the Willi Castro deal, Ryan Gallagher has been good enough to ensconce himself in the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects list, at No. 15. Unlike Quick, he isn’t going to overpower hitters with an upper-90s fastball. He’s more reliant on deception and good secondary pitches, but he’s still shown the ability to generate plenty of swing-and-miss. His 6.44 ERA at Triple-A certainly doesn’t speak well for him, but the process was better than that number suggests. Both his expected ERA and FIP sat in the high-4.00s, giving us a little more context for his overall performance.

Like Quick, Gallagher will need to clean up the walks if he wants to become a useful major-league pitcher. But the tools are there, and with more refinement, Gallagher could very easily earn a major-league callup at some point next season.

There’s obviously a lot that can change between now and Opening Day. Some of these players could struggle, while others could force the Twins’ hand with dominant performances in the minors. But after watching several of the organization’s top prospects make their debuts in 2026, there’s plenty of reason to believe the next wave isn’t far behind.

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[Road trip]

If the Twins are going to turn Mendez into a 1B man, they perhaps ought to play him there in the minors?  He's only played there 2 games.  I wonder if this is only speculation?  I get that Mendez is somewhat blocked by the plethora of corner outfielders the Twins already have on the 40-man, but if they are going to move him to 1B he should have gotten a lot more in-game action there this year.

Beyond that minor quibble, this is a nice report.

[LastOnePicked]

So our top pitching prospects on the cusp of the big leagues both have ERAs well above 6.00? Oh brother.

And, just out of curiosity, why are they having Vahn Lackey steal so many bags? Seems like a great way for a promising catcher to get a busted thumb or some torn hand ligaments. Seriously. So he's got speed on the basepaths, so what? Not what we need from a backstop.

[PuckettPond]

Lackey is athletic enough if catching does not work out can play corner infield & corner outfield. Which makes him a great draft pick & prospect. Looking forward to watching his career. He is exciting, talented & over here. He will bring positive news to Minnesota instead of negative news now. Win Win.

[wesnewy]

39 minutes ago, Road trip said:

If the Twins are going to turn Mendez into a 1B man, they perhaps ought to play him there in the minors?  He's only played there 2 games.  I wonder if this is only speculation?  I get that Mendez is somewhat blocked by the plethora of corner outfielders the Twins already have on the 40-man, but if they are going to move him to 1B he should have gotten a lot more in-game action there this year.

Beyond that minor quibble, this is a nice report.

twins obviously don't care about defensive development! They will just throw you out there and let ya learn.

[Road trip]

31 minutes ago, wesnewy said:

twins obviously don't care about defensive development! They will just throw you out there and let ya learn.

It almost seems that way sometimes, doesn't it?  The last plus defensive player produced by the Twins minor league system was....  maybe Buxton?  (It certainly wasn't Larnach, Lee, Jeffers, Garver, Wallner, Martin, Arraez, Julien, Kiriloff, Miranda, Lewis, Keaschall, or the legendary Tortuga).  I might be forgetting someone, but that is a damning list.  

I saw they let long-time scout Derron Johnson go yesterday.  I don't know if this has been a scouting problem, or more likely, a minor-league development/philosophy problem.

[Coach]

I can't wait for spring training to see how everything plays out!