3 Bold Predictions for Minnesota Twins’ Offseason

[Cody Christie]

The Twins enter the offseason with plenty of questions and an opportunity to change the narrative surrounding the franchise. After several seasons of declining payroll and disappointing results, chairman Tom Pohlad has promised to invest meaningfully in the 2027 roster. He hasn't provided a specific payroll target, but he has acknowledged that a payroll near $100 million is not enough to consistently compete for postseason success.

That commitment is only the beginning. Jeremy Zoll will oversee his first full offseason leading baseball operations, following Derek Falvey's departure in January. He must determine which veterans belong in the team's future plans, where additional spending will have the biggest impact, and how aggressively to pursue outside talent.

There are reasons for optimism. Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez , and Kaelen Culpepper give Minnesota an exciting group of young players to build around. However, a promising collection of prospects does not automatically translate to a playoff contender. The Twins need established major-league talent to complement that group.

The bullpen is an obvious area of concern, after they finished 26th in MLB with a 4.74 ERA. Ryan Jeffers is also a prominent pending free agent, and the roster still has several questions that cannot be answered by prospect development alone. With those challenges in mind, here are three bold predictions for the Twins' offseason.

Bold Prediction 1: The Twins Will Give a Reliever a Multi-Year Contract

For years, the Twins have preferred to build their bullpen through internal development, inexpensive additions, and shorter-term commitments, rather than making substantial investments in established relievers. That approach has occasionally worked, but it also leaves the team vulnerable when several bullpen arms struggle simultaneously.

Minnesota cannot afford to repeat that strategy this winter. The Twins lost too many games early in the 2026 season when a reliable late-inning reliever could have helped protect a lead. A bullpen doesn't need to be filled with expensive veterans to be successful, but it does need dependable options who can handle high-leverage situations. Even after the front office added pitching help at the trade deadline, the bullpen needs more reliable arms if Minnesota hopes to contend in 2027.

Tom Pohlad's payroll pledge creates an opportunity for Zoll to change the organization's approach. Rather than limiting the search to pitchers looking for an opportunity to rebuild their value on one-year contracts, the Twins should pursue a proven reliever who can become a fixture in the late innings.

A two-year or three-year contract would represent a meaningful change in philosophy. It would also give the coaching staff another pitcher it could trust in close games instead of relying on favorable matchups and hoping an unproven arm emerges.

The Twins don't necessarily need to pursue the most expensive closer on the market. They do need to identify a reliever whose stuff, command, and track record justify a multi-year investment. With payroll expected to rise, this is precisely the type of addition that would demonstrate the organization is serious about competing.

Bold Prediction 2: Royce Lewis Will Be Traded

Trading Lewis would be a difficult decision for a franchise that once viewed him as a centerpiece of its future. The former first overall pick has delivered some memorable moments in a Twins uniform, and his offensive ceiling remains appealing. However, the organization may be reaching a point where moving him makes more sense than continuing to search for the right role.

Lewis endured another frustrating season in 2026. He finished with a .227/.287/.380 batting line, 15 home runs, 57 RBI, and 16 stolen bases in 463 at-bats. His .667 OPS was well below the level Minnesota needs from a player who has previously been viewed as a potential middle-of-the-order presence.

The season also included a demotion to Triple-A in May. Lewis was struggling badly enough that the Twins sent him to St. Paul to work through his issues. He returned in June after producing an impressive .340/.417/.868 line with the Saints, but the overall results in the majors never developed into the consistent production the organization wanted.

His role has also become less straightforward. The Twins have moved him around the diamond as they have attempted to find the best way to keep his bat in the lineup. With Brooks Lee establishing himself at third base, Culpepper arriving at shortstop, and other infield options like Kody Clemens, Minnesota has more competition for playing time.

There are still reasons another team could be interested. Lewis is only 27, has demonstrated significant offensive upside, and remains under team control for multiple seasons. A change of scenery could appeal to a club that believes it can help him rediscover the production he has shown during his best stretches.

For Minnesota, the question is whether Lewis remains the best use of a roster spot and potential trade value. The Twins could retain him and hope for a rebound, but doing so might mean carrying another season of uncertainty at a time when the organization needs more reliable production.

Bold Prediction 3: The Twins Will Trade Multiple Top-30 Prospects

The Twins have spent years assembling one of baseball's more interesting farm systems. Jenkins, Rodríguez, and Culpepper headline a group that gives the organization legitimate hope for the future. There are also other prospects who could eventually become valuable contributors in Minnesota. But a strong farm system is most useful when the front office knows when to turn its potential into major league production.

If the Twins are serious about returning to the playoffs, they cannot rely exclusively on free agency to address every weakness. Even with an increased payroll, the best available free agents might not fit Minnesota's needs, and competition for proven talent could push prices beyond what the organization is comfortable paying.

That is where Zoll should consider the trade market. Minnesota has the prospect depth to pursue established players who can make an immediate impact. A veteran starting pitcher, an established middle-of-the-order bat, or another proven player at a position of need could help the Twins become more competitive while their young core develops.

The key is identifying the right targets. Trading prospects merely to acquire recognizable names would accomplish very little. Zoll needs to focus on players who offer dependable production, fit the roster, and can contribute throughout a meaningful portion of the team's competitive window.

That could require packaging multiple prospects from the organization's top 30. One prospect might not be enough to acquire the type of established player Minnesota wants, but a package of two or three players could make a deal more appealing to a rebuilding club.

This prediction does not mean the Twins should make Jenkins or Culpepper available without considerable thought. Those players could become foundational pieces for the next successful Minnesota team. Instead, the organization should recognize that prospects outside its very top tier can still have considerable trade value.

The timing matters, too. The Twins have an opportunity to surround their emerging young talent with established players rather than waiting for every prospect to reach the majors before addressing the team's weaknesses. That strategy would give Minnesota a better chance to capitalize on the development of its young core.

Pohlad's payroll commitment should give Zoll more flexibility, but financial investment and prospect trades should complement each other. The Twins can spend money on the right free agents while using their farm system to pursue players who might not be available through free agency.

Bold Predictions or Wishful Thinking?

The Twins have reached an important point in their roster construction. The young talent is arriving, the owner has promised additional financial support, and Zoll has an opportunity to reshape the roster during his first full offseason leading baseball operations.

That does not mean every decision will be easy. Committing multiple years to a reliever carries risk. Trading Lewis could mean watching a talented player flourish elsewhere. Dealing prospects could cost Minnesota a future contributor who eventually becomes a major league regular.

However, playing it safe carries risks of its own. A talented young core can only take the Twins so far if the supporting roster remains inconsistent. Minnesota needs dependable bullpen arms, clearer answers in its position-player group, and established talent that can help turn potential into wins.

These three predictions would represent a more aggressive approach than Twins fans have grown accustomed to seeing in recent offseasons. More importantly, they would show that the organization is willing to make uncomfortable decisions in pursuit of a better team.

Pohlad has said the Twins intend to invest meaningfully in 2027. The challenge now is turning that promise into a roster capable of delivering results. Zoll's decisions this winter will go a long way toward determining whether Minnesota takes a genuine step forward or simply enters another season hoping its young players can carry the load.

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Do you agree with these predictions? What predictions do you have about the Twins this winter? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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[DJL44]

Hate all of these suggestions. Terrible advice for a small market team.

[Andy MacPhail]

I like all your predictions. They should trade, Lewis, unfortunately, but not this offseason, he's not worth much right now. I'd wait at the deadline, IMO, he could put up some #s the 1st half. I'd also trade Ryan. I'd trade both of them even if we happen to be in contention for young players that can impact the team now.

[D.C Twins]

Unfortunately, Lewis is not going to be worth much in trade value. 

They will keep him and if he faulters in the first half of next season, he will be DFAed

[strumdatjag]

Trading Top 30 prospects is a bad idea, unless it is to trade for other equally (or better) talented prospects.  They can trade a position of strength (catchers and left-handed corner outfielders for pitchers, for example).  

[Dawgzilla]

Mediocrity, meaning the goal is .500.

 

Trouble is, I do like some of the young studs brought up in September..something is there.  If they keep.these players....and actually add players that can contribute...not retreads or coming off TJ surgery (again....payroll has to rise significantly..which will be mandatory for them, if MLB institutes floor and ceiling for spending).  This division is always winnable, just try and give fans a reason to actually go to games and support you!

[Nashvilletwin]

Two very unbold suggestions (#1 and #2) and one (#3) ridiculously stupid.
 

Signing a single reliever to a multi year contract is bold?  Probably over half the league does that every year.

Trading a decidedly and proven mediocre at best Lewis is not bold; instead, keeping him to take innings and ABs from any player who potentially could be our 1B of the future would be the bold (and stupid) decision.

We should not trade any young, controllable asset who is likely or probable to play an important role on this team starting in ‘28.  To do so would be boldly idiotic.

You want three bold moves the Twins should/could make this off-season.

1. Sign Jeffers to a four year deal to play catcher and ultimately 1B and DH.

2, Sign Arraez to a two year deal to play 1B and DH with an option for year three.

3. Given the off season may last until June, trade Ryan before the season starts and re-sign Lopez to a three year hometown deal.

Here’s a fourth: fire JZ and hire a GM who knows how to build a young team.

 

 

[MeleMouth]

Jake Bauers (past teams Tampa and Cleveland) in his age 27 season had 9.9 BB% and 34.9 K% in 272 plate appearances with an 88 wRC+ and -1 outs above average at first base. 

Royce Lewis in his age 27 season had 7.5 BB% and 25.5 K% in 509 PAs with an 85 wRC+ and -3 OAA at first base.

In each of the last three years with Milwaukee, he increased his walks and decreased his Ks, although it didn't come together until this year. Now, after years of disappointment, Bauers led Milwaukee in wRC+ and could get at least $15M/year for multiple years for his age 31-34 seasons.

Note that Milwaukee's second highest wRC+ this year came from Andrew Vaughn, after years of disappointment, whom they got for Aaron Civale (past teams Cleveland and Tampa).

Lewis, after a few years of disappointment, will probably get about $4 or $5 million for his age 28 season, with basically a team option for his age 29 season.

If the Twins sign someone like Bauers and let Lewis go, it is likely that a team like Milwaukee or Tampa will be happy to sign Lewis, after his years of disappointment. Lewis will be a free agent for his age 30 season, and there probably won't be many players more motivated to put it together before reaching free agency. 

Milwaukee and Tampa find lower-cost players who need one or two changes to thrive, but the plan for the Twins seems to be (besides sourcing talented relievers whose full value they can't figure out how to unlock before they become All-Stars or go to the playoffs and World Series elsewhere) to find higher-cost players whose skills were unlocked by another system, instead of unlocking those skills themselves.

[SE23]

1 hour ago, strumdatjag said:

Trading Top 30 prospects is a bad idea, unless it is to trade for other equally (or better) talented prospects.  They can trade a position of strength (catchers and left-handed corner outfielders for pitchers, for example).  

One could defend a package deal involving Diaw, Tait or Jiminez bundled with Mendez, Gonzalez or Mercedes IF and only IF the return makes us a better team. Our big problem is we can't accurately evaluate talent -- ours or theirs!

On the other hand, the very act of trading Lewis away from our roster will make us a better team immediately.

 

[Whammy]

2 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Hate all of these suggestions. Terrible advice for a small market team.

Care to share any of your predictions?

[Whammy]

- Twins trade for either Campusano or Fermin from the Padres, or Wong from the Red Sox

- Twins sign two or more contract extensions for existing players

- Twins commit over $12M of 2027 money to free agent relief pitchers

[HerbieFan]

2 hours ago, D.C Twins said:

Unfortunately, Lewis is not going to be worth much in trade value. 

They will keep him and if he faulters in the first half of next season, he will be DFAed

Might be as good an option as "take what you can get" in a trade

[tony&rodney]

Suffice it to say that Twins fans want some change and desire a winning club. Everything after that is open to discussion. Reading the comments, which I do but I'm not sure who else does, there are people who want to see the club bring the gang back, folks who are done with the front office, and people who throw out non specific ideas.  Chaos has arrived at Twins Daily.

The article is guilty of suggesting bold moves but keeping the ideas as vague as is possible. It seems likely that the Twins sign a fellow for the bullpen. Who? A number of people throw out names like Bednar or others but they draw ridicule from the experts who never offer their thoughts except to say "that is not possible". I would like the Twins to gamble on signing Bednar or Morejon or even Yuki Matsui if he opts out. Royce Lewis will be traded is a possibility but who are the teams looking to add him and what is the possible return? Multiple top 30 prospects will be traded? A few people actually objected to this and maybe they forgot that 30 is a big number. The Twins traded two of their top ten prospects in July and that didn't draw much of a response. 

Maybe it is time for there to be a thread where everyone MUST propose 3 trades and 3 signings. If the Twins roll through November without making several big changes they will be working to fight off Kansas City for 4th place next season. If the front office is not watching the playoffs and seeing the need for more athletic defensive-minded players, the Twins need a new front office. 

For those who want Ryan Jeffers back, where does he play? He is a good hitting catcher and fans like him. He fits on a 4th or 5th place team. Jeffers could not start for a playoff team, not as a catcher. Lewis may turn into something somewhere else. I'm ok with that. Lewis is toast as a Twin. 

I'm ranting because I want the Twins to change their roster. Sorry.

[darin617]

The Twins need to pay up for a closer, so that means a 3 year deal at least.

Trading Royce Lewis is idiotic. His trade value hasn't increased. He gets 1 more year to turn it around.

Trading multiple top 30 prospects is a low hanging fruit thought. If you said top 15 that would be a whole different thing. I hope they are active in trying to improve the team.

 

There also needs to be no lockout for all of this to matter.

[saviking]

Nothing much to report right now so articles are hard to pin. I appreciate the effort however .. 

[bjorks]

2 hours ago, SE23 said:

One could defend a package deal involving Diaw, Tait or Jiminez bundled with Mendez, Gonzalez or Mercedes IF and only IF the return makes us a better team. Our big problem is we can't accurately evaluate talent -- ours or theirs!

On the other hand, the very act of trading Lewis away from our roster will make us a better team immediately.

 

75% of the league struggles with evaluation. Come look at the misses AZ has made with the back of the bench, rotation, and minors. My lord. 

[miller761]

Better add some hitting. Need to replace the numbers Jeffers and Bell generated. 

[LyleCole]

Here is my bold prediction:  The Twins will do everything exactly the same as they have done that last 15 years.

1.   They will address the bullpen exactly the same old way.  They will add 2-3 arms like Anthony Banda and Taylor Rodgers, spending a maximum of $2 million on them and total budget under $6 million.

2. They will find a couple of 30 plus year old guys that are mediocre at best and sign them to a 2 year deal that has a year two buyout, all for under $15 million.

3.   They will not be bold in promoting any other prospects who did not come up in 2026, and might even send Emmanual Rodriguez back to AAA for more seasoning.

Oh, they will talk the talk about building up the team, but in the end their caution and cheapness will prevail, and they will produce similar results as 2026, and many of the years before.

[AceWrigley]

32 minutes ago, LyleCole said:

3.   They will not be bold in promoting any other prospects who did not come up in 2026, and might even send Emmanual Rodriguez back to AAA for more seasoning.

E-Rod has no options remaining so he would have to pass through waivers to be sent down. Another team would claim him in a New York minute.

[AceWrigley]

If you trade Royce Lewis what do you trade him for? I suppose a good pitching prospect with high upside, or package him with one or more of our prospects for a real first baseman.

If you like the idea of getting a catcher and believe the Pirates' Henry Davis could be a fit, maybe trade Lewis for Davis and pitcher Carlson Reed who was a 4th round pick in '23 and has some projection. I do not know if the Buccos have any interest in our eye black warrior.

If you keep Lewis where does he play? You can't continue to give 500 plate appearances for a less than 1.0 bWAR player. He can't be counted on to hit enough to play first base, and maybe not enough to start at any position. Is Utility Player too much to ask of him?

If he can learn to lay off the low-away sucker slider and stop trying to jack everything he could improve his offensive profile quite a bit. I guess we'll see.

[Parfigliano]

6 hours ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Two very unbold suggestions (#1 and #2) and one (#3) ridiculously stupid.
 

Signing a single reliever to a multi year contract is bold?  Probably over half the league does that every year.

Trading a decidedly and proven mediocre at best Lewis is not bold; instead, keeping him to take innings and ABs from any player who potentially could be our 1B of the future would be the bold (and stupid) decision.

We should not trade any young, controllable asset who is likely or probable to play an important role on this team starting in ‘28.  To do so would be boldly idiotic.

You want three bold moves the Twins should/could make this off-season.

1. Sign Jeffers to a four year deal to play catcher and ultimately 1B and DH.

2, Sign Arraez to a two year deal to play 1B and DH with an option for year three.

3. Given the off season may last until June, trade Ryan before the season starts and re-sign Lopez to a three year hometown deal.

Here’s a fourth: fire JZ and hire a GM who knows how to build a young team.

 

 

Sign Arraez.  Fire Zoll.