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!

[SE23]

I love Mendez, but will he eventually profile as a 1B? He only hit 12 homers this year and his OPS was .804 at AA and AAA. But he's just 22 years old. He's 6'3" and 175 lbs. He could be a very different player at age 25.

[um_stevenel]

2 hours 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.

I think the front office said he would get time there last offseason, then seem to have abandoned that plan after two games. I don’t know why. If they thought he could do it, they shouldn’t have given him only two games before giving up. One of the more frustrating things to see this season given their lack of major league options at first base (and in the minors).

[Steve Lein]

I have the impression the Twins have worked Mendez out at 1B a bit, and came to the conclusion it's not really an option. Happy to be wrong, but he should be playing there by now if it is an option, and they simply haven't done it. Love his bat, but the power probably needs to show up more based on where he can play on defense.

My expectation is Lackey will start next season in Double-A. If everything goes well or great, there's the opportunity for promotion mid-summer, and then just a phone call away from taking over in the bigs. I'd put the odds on him debuting in 2027 at about 50/50. Outside of Drew Burress, he had the best brief debut of high 1st rounders in this years draft.

I'm a believer in Houston after his season. For all the accolades Kaelen Culpepper received last year and in making it to the majors this season, Houston was just as good with the bat at the same stops in 2026 as Culpepper was in 2025. Just with a better average and less HR power driving the OPS.

Quick looked the part, even if the results didn't necessarily show it. I chalk this solely up to the fact he's thrown so few innings since reaching college. Improvement next season puts him on the MLB radar very quickly.

I also expect Gallagher to contribute, just not sure which role. It's a back-end starter or perhaps another bullpen convert. Think a poor-mans Griffin Jax as long as he keeps developing as far as them working themselves up the MiLB ladder.

[thelanges5]

The pitching pipeline… 

[Nashvilletwin]

31 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

The pitching pipeline… 

The Twins will be very pitcher heavy in the ‘27 draft.

Just think where we’d be if we had accepted the BoSox offer for Ryan at the ‘25 deadline (Payton Tolle and Franklin Arias) and traded Jeffers to the BoSox for Anthony Eyanson.

Tolle (LHP) is a 23 year old starter who in his first year in the majors went 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA and 171 Ks and only 40 BBs.  In other words, he’s already way better than Ryan and he’s nearly seven years younger (and way cheaper with five or more years of control).

Arias (SS) is the #3 MLB overall prospect.  Our starting infield at some point next year would be Arias (3B), Houston (SS), Culpepper (2B) and Lee (1B).  Wow!

Eyanson (RHP) is a consensus top 50 MLB overall prospect with a #2 or #3 (at worst) starter potential.  He’d be our #1 pitching prospect probably coming up in ‘28.

[Mike Sixel]

51 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

The pitching pipeline… 

Is that really true? Abel and Matthews could be in AAA to start the year.......that's better than, I'd guess, 90% of teams. 

This idea the pipeline is only "valid" if it comes from draft picks is silliness, imo. 

[Mike Sixel]

I'll be shocked if Lackey is a Twin next year, but also happy. 

[thelanges5]

14 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Is that really true? Abel and Matthews could be in AAA to start the year.......that's better than, I'd guess, 90% of teams. 

This idea the pipeline is only "valid" if it comes from draft picks is silliness, imo. 

We’ve used 10 starters this season and thinking that Gallagher/Quick are next up is a little scary. We use 8-10 guys every year. 

[Mike Sixel]

24 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

We’ve used 10 starters this season and thinking that Gallagher/Quick are next up is a little scary. We use 8-10 guys every year. 

How many teams have even 5 good starters? I think people need to adjust their expectations.....but to each their own. 

[LastOnePicked]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many teams have even 5 good starters? I think people need to adjust their expectations.....but to each their own. 

I think the reverse is more true. We tend to think our young hurlers are better than they really are. Abel is a major health question mark. Matthews is wildly inconsistent. Prielipp is developing but is still a #4 starter.

Other team's rotations stack up just fine.

This team's starting pitching was a major weakness in 2026. All that we know is being added next year is a veteran coming off of a second major arm surgery.

[mikelink45]

I am not excited by this list.  I think Lackey needs another year.

[SE23]

I would definitely add Diaw, Kendle and Winokur to this list. 

[sthpstm]

5 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I'll be shocked if Lackey is a Twin next year, but also happy. 

I've seen other comments since the draft about how low the chances of Lackey debuting in 2027 are. Bth the recent drafts have all produced college players towards the top of the draft who debuted the following season. Granted, he's a catcher, but knowing that historically 2-3 players from the prior draft are likely to debut the next year, I don't think we should be shocked. In fact, he is about as likely as any of them?

[SE23]

5 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many teams have even 5 good starters? I think people need to adjust their expectations.....but to each their own. 

We'll have Pablo, Ryan, Taj, Kremer, Prielipp, Zebby, Ober, Paredes, Rojas, Abel and maybe Festa as possible starters in the spring. That's 10 or 11 guys. Add 1-2 more through trades or FA

In the pen, we'll have Banda, Fundy, Orze, Hoffman, Sands, Anderson, Gomez, Morris, Adams, Nance, Acton, Raya and maybe Minter. That's 12 or 13 guys. Add 1-2 more through trades or FA

The big challenge is going to be scoring enough runs and playing enough defense to adequately support the pitching staff.

[DocBauer]

51 minutes ago, SE23 said:

We'll have Pablo, Ryan, Taj, Kremer, Prielipp, Zebby, Ober, Paredes, Rojas, Abel and maybe Festa as possible starters in the spring. That's 10 or 11 guys. Add 1-2 more through trades or FA

In the pen, we'll have Banda, Fundy, Orze, Hoffman, Sands, Anderson, Gomez, Morris, Adams, Nance, Acton, Raya and maybe Minter. That's 12 or 13 guys. Add 1-2 more through trades or FA

The big challenge is going to be scoring enough runs and playing enough defense to adequately support the pitching staff.

Generally agree with your lists, but I would bet that when Festa is cleared to play...knocking on wood...that he goes to the pen.

Minter will be a FA, but I think they should pursue him for a possible resign. Personally, I don't have a problem with 3 LH options in the pen: Minter, Banda, and Funderburk. Some teams have a hard time finding a single solid lefty for their pen.

If they go out and get themselves a quality 1B from somewhere to hit in the middle of the lineup, I feel relatively good about the offense. 

[darin617]

None, we will lose the entire season due to the lockout.

[DocBauer]

I feel good about the list in the OP. But despite all his talent, I just don't feel comfortable about Lackey until 2028. I just feel there's a difference being a really talented backstop, and a ML backstop. I just think there are subtitles for him to learn to learn. But I'd be happy if he surprised and made it. I'm just betting he's handed the job in 2028.

Quick really threw very little in college. He's got a hell of an arm, and there are some underlying successes to his season, as mentioned, that go beyond a poor ERA. A little better control/command, and maybe a little more refinement of his pitches, he could really impress in 2027. But I sort of hope he doesn't debut next season. To me that means the rotation stays relatively healthy, and the 6-7-8 guys are solid enough Quick doesn't have to be rushed in any way.

How much fun could it be to see Houston ready about midseason to take over SS, move K-Pepper to 2B, and Clemens becomes a LH power bat utility player?

Does Mendez get moved in a trade i wonder? My gut tells me one of Mendez, Gonzalez, or Rosario is moved as part of a deal for a 1B.

I don't know that he's considered a TOP prospect as I feel he's been forgotten a bit by some, but with a full season under his belt, and a partial season at AAA, I'd add CJ Culpepper to the list to debut in the bullpen in 2027.

[arby58]

12 hours ago, LastOnePicked said:

 

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.

Just out of curiosity, why do they have any promising player steal any bags? It isn’t just catchers  who could get a busted thumb or torn hand ligaments. 

Maybe because it’s a part of baseball? Joe Mauer was a comparative advantage catcher because he hit for a high average. A catcher who can run and steal a base is a similar advantage.

[TNtwins85]

19 hours ago, SE23 said:

I love Mendez, but will he eventually profile as a 1B? He only hit 12 homers this year and his OPS was .804 at AA and AAA. But he's just 22 years old. He's 6'3" and 175 lbs. He could be a very different player at age 25.

Yes, for essentially being a low on the ladder number 24 ranked prospect in a weak but top heavy Phillies system in ‘25 he’s become a very solid prospect. The dude just hits. Not necessarily a fast riser but yeah, by age 25 what will we be looking at? A 1B who hits .265-.275 with 20-25 homer power? If he can get to that it’s a win for sure!

[Whitey333]

Just another story about Twins prospects.  Its the same thing every year.  Only the names change.  

 

[Twins GFP]

19 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

How many teams have even 5 good starters? I think people need to adjust their expectations.....but to each their own. 

And yet everyone is quick to throw Baily Ober out the window...

[Ricky Vaughn]

12 hours ago, darin617 said:

None, we will lose the entire season due to the lockout.

If that becomes true I wont care who makes their debut or when. Been an avid Twins fan for 60+ years and if this happens I'll be done. Billionaires fighting with millionaires makes me sick. If the players were fighting for the minor league and fringe players to get a better deal I wouldn't be turned off so much. But they seem to fighting for the stars. Same with the owners They already have more money than they can spend or even give away in a lifetime. But they want more.  I know its a business, but its also entertainment, so its not a necessity, people have a choice. Baseball is dying a slow death, and players and owners both seem to be trying to grab the most they can before the well runs dry. I think affordability is a big part of the problem. I used to take my daughter and one of her friends up to a game 7-8 times a year and it wasn't a strain on finances. Now a trip like that would cost more than $300.00. I rarely make it up to a game more than once or twice a year. Didn't even go this year. First time in a long time. Sorry for the rant but I needed to get it off my chest.

[Sam Caulder]

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

Just another story about Twins prospects.  Its the same thing every year.  Only the names change.  

 

That is how prospects work, after all