Twins Video
Returning from elbow surgery, it's fair to say that Jovani Morán was on the fringe of Minnesota's 2025 plans at best. Despite their clear need for left-handed help in the bullpen, Morán was left exposed to the Rule 5 Draft in early December, and no team took him, suggesting the 27-year-old left-hander was not in high demand. So that's the stage-setter for Mickey Gasper and contextualizing his perceived value.
It makes sense. Gasper is 29, a former 27th-round draft pick, and he hadn't appeared in the majors prior to this past season when he made 23 plate appearances in 13 games for the Red Sox. He went 0-for-18 with eight strikeouts.
At a glance, this looks like an organizational depth move more than anything. And maybe it is. But given that the Twins have committed a precious 40-man roster spot to Gasper (leaving one vacancy remaining), and considering the state of their roster, resources and needs, it becomes clear that the club may have more significant and immediate plans in mind.
Let's talk about the factors that made Gasper an appealing target to Minnesota, aside from being inexpensive. First and foremost, there's the defensive flexibility he offers. He played mostly second base during his MLB debut with Boston last year, but has logged more innings at first base than anywhere else as a pro. The Twins currently have major question marks at both positions, as they evaluate the readiness of José Miranda, Edouard Julien and Brooks Lee to step into starting roles.
The most intriguing aspect of Gasper's defensive toolkit is his ability to play catcher, where he's appeared in nearly 300 games as a minor-leaguer. This is a handy capability on the roster, although theoretically less so for the Twins than almost any other team. Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vázquez have been historic in their reliable availability behind the plate; Minnesota has not needed to use a third catcher but for one inning in the past two seasons.
Of course, we know that Vázquez is being shopped aggressively as the front office aims to trim payroll. This move almost feels like a precursor to the eventuality of him being dealt, which would essentially secure Gasper's spot on the roster. A backup catcher who can fill in at a few other positions could be a nice convenience.
Despite the fact he failed to break through to the majors until age 28, and has yet to collect his first MLB hit, there are some qualities to like about Gasper's bat, especially as a complement to what the Twins currently have. Lack of power is his signature deficiency, but Gasper is a switch-hitter, solid from both sides, with phenomenal discipline and contact skills. He owns a career .392 on-base percentage in the minors, and in 2024 he slashed .328/.440/.531 between Double-A and Triple-A, drawing 56 walks against 42 strikeouts in 380 PAs.
That's in the minors. Gasper is near 30 and has yet to accomplish anything in the major leagues. We've seen plenty of contact-oriented, low-power hitters who succeed in Triple-A fail to stack up against MLB pitching. Going with the untested 29-year-old rookie as Plan A for a bench spot would be risky, but it's seemingly a risk that the Twins feel compelled – obligated, perhaps – to take.
Going with Gasper over the likes of Julien, Lee or Austin Martin would not be so much a sign of lost faith in those players as an opportunity to let them develop at their own pace – with everyday reps in Triple-A if needed – after displaying some overwhelm in the past campaign. The logic is not difficult to see. But for a team with contention hopes, it's a precarious gamble.
Follow Twins Daily For Minnesota Twins News & Analysis
- mikelink45, Patzky, Cory Engelhardt and 3 others
-
5
-
1
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now