Can Twins Finally Leverage Their Outfield Depth at MLB Trade Deadline?

With MLB trade rumors heating up and teams jockeying for position to align themselves as "buyers" or sellers," the Twins are in an interesting situation. In the wake of injuries to multiple members of their starting rotation, they're likely to look for pitching help, but they could also stand to beef up the middle of their batting order.

The recent injury news regarding Pablo López and Zebby Matthews opens the possibility of the Twins seeking reinforcements for a rotation they had hoped would be a source of strength and surplus. One option they could look at is trading one of their many outfielders. If you include utility man Willi Castro, the Twins' roster currently has five outfielders, and their two top prospects are also outfielders, so they are well-stocked.

The Twins have a wealth of outfield talent at both the major-league and minor-league levels. Let's take a look at which players could be included in a trade, and what type of value they would hold.

Producing Right Now: Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, Willi Castro
After this year, Byron Buxton has three years remaining on his seven-year deal. That contract also gives him the power to veto any trade. Yes, we have the injury history and struggles at the plate in years past, but Buxton is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game and one of the best basestealers in MLB (89.6% career success rate). His talent and potential impact make him a valuable asset, especially in center. He's also become the heartbeat of the lineup and a cornerstone in the clubhouse. He's not going anywhere.

Matt Wallner is a Minnesota native and was the only bright spot to start the season, before getting placed on the IL for over a month. He's back now, though, and holds a pretty good slash line so far in 101 plate appearances: .247/.366/.529. He should continue to demonstrate great power and could add good defensive ability in the outfield. Being under team control for four-plus more years, he more than likely isn't being dealt. He needs to stay healthy and show he can hit lefties to stay in the lineup every day.

Trevor Larnach is finally healthy and contributing some nice pop in this Twins lineup. He's on pace for a career-high 25 home runs. He’s played in 65 of 66 games. He started the Toronto series by blasting his 10th home run of the season. The Twins view him as a Matt Wallner-type player, and most likely won't be taking calls on him unless a better-than-average deal comes through.

Willi Castro is quietly having a good season. Slashing .268/.350/.439 puts him second-best on the team in slugging average for players over 150 at-bats, and second-best of his career. He holds significant matchup value as a switch-hitter. He can play six different positions. He's still only 28, and is on a team-friendly contract ($6.4 million). Even though he's a free agent this fall, I don't see the Twins trading him right now; he's too valuable to the team. If the Twins start to fade in the standings, he looks more likely to be moved for those reasons.

A Step Away: Emmanuel Rodriguez, Luke Keaschall, Austin Martin, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. Carson McCusker
Emmanuel Rodriguez is the most significant question mark I had. Twins Daily’s No. 3 Twins prospect’s health has been his greatest shortcoming throughout his career, as he has never played over 100 games in any year. He's only 22 years old and has all of the tools to be a great player. He holds a career OPS of .913. His strikeout rate is close to 30%, so he will have to improve on that. He walks enough to help out his run production. If the Twins were to pull the plug on him and trade him, it would likely be for a bigger name, which (given the Twins' recent history) feels unlikely. But you never know.

Luke Keaschall ignited the Twins' fan base earlier this year when things weren't going well. Stealing bases and hitting the ball all over the field, the rookie burst onto the scene as an intriguing prospect with significant potential upside. He's not a typical outfielder, but his ability to play both second base and the outfield is an asset the Twins covet. He's likely to return in late June or July, making him theoretically available at the trade deadline. Like Rodríguez, though, he would require a significant return. 

Austin Martin has had trouble staying healthy this year. He strained his hamstring at Triple-A St. Paul in early April, and then reaggravated it during a rehab stint in May and is currently on the 7-Day IL. He does have positional flexibility to play second base, left field, and center field. He also has above-average speed, but he's too far down on the pecking order to make an impact at this point. With the amount of depth the Twins have, Martin could benefit from a change of scenery. He does hold some value if he can prove he's healthy, which is a big if.

DaShawn Keirsey Jr. had his flashes with the Twins this year, but he was only called upon for situational reasons. He's a great baserunner and a solid fielder, but he only hit .109 in 66 plate appearances. He could be a guy included in a smaller package deal. He would need to be included in any trade with other players if the Twins wanted a frontline starter, as he's not viewed as having a lot of value.

I love Carson McCusker, but I don't know what direction the Twins are going with the 6’8” slugger. He got his feet wet a little bit, but only had six at-bats. The 27-year-old has moved through the minor leagues pretty quickly, earning an everyday outfield spot for Triple-A St Paul in his third year. He provides power, contact, a cannon for an arm, and a decent amount of on-base ability. McCusker is also viewed as a nice guy and suitable for the clubhouse, so the Twins might want to hold on to him, but like the others on this list, he seems to be the odd man out for right now. He could be dangled in trade talks for a starting pitcher, but not a premier pitcher.

Down the Road: Walker Jenkins, Brandon Winokur, Gabriel Gonzalez
Walker Jenkins is the Twins' top prospect (and No. 6 on MLB.com's list). Although he has had some injury concerns, he has recently started a rehab assignment with the GCL Twins and has since moved up to Single-A Fort Myers, where he crushed his first home run last Friday night. He's a five-tool player who hits the ball hard, draws walks, and doesn't strike out much. He can steal bases, and has excellent instincts to stick as a center fielder. Still, unless you're getting Tarik Skubal or someone of that caliber, the Twins won't be giving up on him anytime soon.

Brandon Winokur came into the pros as a shortstop, but has also played third base and now has 30 games in center field so far in High-A. He's a great athlete, with freakish potential. He’s a good baserunner, with excellent speed. His approach at the plate will need improvement, but at just 20 years old, he is a very appealing prospect, thanks to his athleticism and raw talent. He’s the type of player often traded at the trade deadline: young, talented, but still a couple of years from the major leagues. 

Gonzalez came over to the Twins in the Jorge Polanco trade in 2024. He brings good contact, with a low strikeout rate. Gonzalez has had a great start to 2025, playing 34 games at High-A Cedar Rapids before getting promoted to Double-A Wichita. Over his 49 games in those two leagues, he's slashing .312/.382/.493. He's finally healthy, and is showing the Twins what they were looking for when they traded for him. He should have value in any trade scenario, given his tender age (21) and that solid production. The Twins will have to think long and hard if they want to include him in any deals.

All of these outfielders possess different types of talent and could attract other teams willing to make a trade. McCusker and Rodriguez, as well as Keaschall, could wind up starting in an MLB lineup soon, while the others are not far behind. If the Twins need help come the second half of July, one or more of these outfielders will at least come up.