Projecting the 2028 Twins Lineup

The Twins roster disappointed in 2024, but gave opportunities for young players to get their feet wet at the big-league level. Many of the team’s top-ranked prospects played in the high minors last season, so there’s a chance for even more young talent to impact the team next year. The future is full of promise, but there is still development that must happen from key players. Below, you will see Minnesota’s projected lineup and each player’s age during the 2028 campaign.

Catcher: Ryan Jeffers (31)
Jeffers is coming off a season wherein he played a career-high 122 games, while hitting .226/.300/.432 with a 103 OPS+. Fans know his totals don’t tell the story of his full season. He destroyed the ball in the season’s first two months with a .892 OPS and 26 extra-base hits in his first 51 games. His OPS dipped to .687 in June and July, however, before he reemerged with a .926 OPS in August. Then he ended the year with his worst month (.463 OPS). Jeffers needs to find more consistency at the plate so the team can invest in him long-term. He is only under team control for the next two seasons, so the Twins must extend him before 2028. Other catching options in the organization include Jair Camargo, Ricardo Olivar, and others in the lower minors. 

First Base: Luke Keaschall (25)
Keaschall emerged as one of the organization’s top prospects in 2024, despite playing through an elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery. In 102 games, he hit .303/.420/.483, with 21 doubles and 15 home runs. Defensively, the Twins had to manage where he played on the field because of his elbow issues. This injury might have been a blessing in disguise, as he was exposed to some positions he hadn’t played regularly, including first base. The Twins value defensive flexibility, so Keaschall won’t be locked into one position. However, first base could be his long-term spot with the players in the team’s long-term plans. The Twins expect Keaschall to be ready for spring training, and he should debut at some point in 2025. 

Second Base: Royce Lewis (29)
The Twins started to get Lewis some reps at second base last season and he is expected to get more time at the position in the coming years. Lewis started the year with a bang with a home run on Opening Day, but he left that game in the third inning with a right quad injury. When he returned, he struggled for the first time in his career, including a .620 OPS in the second half. Minnesota still believes in Lewis as part of the team’s long-term core, but injuries have clearly impeded his development at the big-league level. Lewis will be in his final year of team control in 2028, so it will be interesting to see how he continues to develop and how much he will earn through arbitration. 

Third Base: Brooks Lee (27)
Lee was ranked as one of the team’s top prospects before making his big-league debut last season. He dealt with multiple injuries, including shoulder soreness that led to an IL stint in August due to bicep tendonitis. He was known for his strong offensive approach in the minors, including an .841 OPS in nearly 200 games. Those offensive numbers didn’t follow him to the big-league level, though, as he hit .221/.265/.320 with 10 extra-base hits in 50 games. Some of his struggles could have been tied to his injury issues, but his track record in the minors points to him being an above-average hitter at the big-league level. Lee seems like a prime candidate for the team’s long-term solution at third base, with solid instincts, good hands, and a strong arm. 

Shortstop: Carlos Correa (33)
The 2028 season will be Correa’s final guaranteed year on his contract, with the 2029-32 seasons being team options. Correa’s ongoing issues with plantar fasciitis could make it tough to stick at shortstop when he is 33 years old. Minnesota could switch Correa to third base and Lee to shortstop by 2028 if Correa has lost a step. In 2024, Correa showed he could continue to handle shortstop while providing tremendous offensive value. He hit .308/.377/.520, with 31 extra-base hits in 75 games, and he was selected to his first All-Star Game with the Twins. A full season of Correa playing at that level would put him in the AL MVP conversation. This winter, there has been some conversation about the Twins listening to trade offers for Correa, but the Twins value what he brings to the team, and he has a full no-trade clause, making it likely that he will be around in 2028. 

Left Field: Emmanuel Rodriguez (25)
Rodriguez finished the 2024 season at Triple A, despite being limited to 37 games at Double A because of a thumb injury that led to offseason surgery. He continues to be electric when he is on the field, with an extremely patient approach at the plate and strong defensive ability at multiple outfield positions. In 47 games, he hit .280/.459/.567 with 25 extra-base hits and a 62-to-51 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Rodriguez has played a lot of center field during his professional career, so there is a chance that he will stick at that position over some of the organization’s other options. He will begin the 2025 season at Triple A, and there is a strong chance the Twins will need him early in the season. 

Center Field: Walker Jenkins (23)
Jenkins is one of the top prospects in Twins history, which puts him in the same territory as Joe Mauer and Byron Buxton. Scouts rave about his advanced hit tool, left-handed power, and all-around athleticism. In 2024, he hit .282/.394/.439, with 32 extra-base hits in 82 games while making it from Low A to Double A. The only thing to slow him down during the 2024 campaign was a leg injury suffered on defense in his first game of the season. He and Rodriguez both have a chance to stick in center field, but Jenkins is younger, so he might have a slight advantage in 2028. Realistically, the Twins will be satisfied with whatever position he is playing, but his career should start in center. There is a chance he debuts during the 2025 campaign, while only being 20 years old.

Right Field: Matt Wallner (30)
Wallner’s 2024 season started disastrously, as he went 2-for-25 with 17 strikeouts in his first 33 plate appearances. The Twins sent him to Triple A to reset his swing, and he returned to the big leagues with renewed energy. After doing so, he hit .282/.386/.559 with 16 doubles and 12 home runs in 62 games. Max Kepler’s departure in right field gives Wallner a defensive home where his elite throwing arm can be a weapon. There will be some streakiness with a power hitter like Wallner, but he has shown the ability to refine his swing. Wallner will go through tough stretches, but his elite power-hitting ability can make him a strong complementary player for the team over the next half-decade. 

Designated Hitter: Byron Buxton (34)
Like Correa, Buxton will enter the 2028 season as the last with guaranteed money on his extension. He is coming off a season in which he played over 100 games for only the second time in his big-league career. He also returned to center field for 94 games, after not playing an inning in the outfield in 2023. Offensively, he hit .279/.335/.524 with a 137 OPS+ that ranked among the league’s best center fielders. Buxton proved some of his doubters wrong last season by providing the Twins with excess value, even with some time missed due to injury. As Buxton starts to lose a step, Minnesota will have young options to fill the outfield. He could split time in a corner outfield spot. He’s also entering an offseason healthy for the first time in six years, which can help his performance next season. 

A lot can happen between now and 2028, but the Twins have the right combination of star players, complimentary veterans, and emerging prospects. Who do you think fits into the team’s 2028 lineup? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

PREVIOUS YEARS' PREDICTIONS
— 2025 Lineup
— 2026 Lineup
— 2027 Lineup