Respect Michael Helman

Michael Helman was drafted in the 11th round of the 2018 draft, 334th overall. He’s been an above-average hitter in every season aside from 82 games in A ball in 2019 and is now pestering opposing pitchers in St. Paul at the age of 27. It’s unclear how the skills would translate to the MLB level, though he may soon be deserving of a look.

2022 was a banner year for Helman who split time between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. In just under 600 plate appearances between the two stops, Helman accumulated 20 homers and 40 stolen bases. His .840 OPS in Double-A dropped to .741 after his promotion, but he held his own at the highest level of the minors. He looked like a prime candidate to get a chance in September for a Twins team that was missing most of their lineup and lacking top prospects to soak up playing time. 

Unfortunately, the Twins decided against it. They instead chose to carry three catchers on the active roster. Gary Sanchez DHed. Sandy Leon was often behind the plate. Caleb Hamilton was often used as a pinch runner. All three were jettisoned from the roster in the offseason, which was a foreseeable outcome at the time. Jake Cave’s personal connection to the team was seen as more valuable than potential future value, as he was playing nearly every day regardless of the handedness of the pitcher on the mound. The Twins' choice to not give Helman a look in any facet suggested they simply weren’t big fans, and that it would take a great deal for him to get an opportunity. Luckily, Helman is again doing all he can to change that in 2023.

Helman surprisingly got an invitation to spring training this year, but was unable to make good due to a hamstring issue that delayed the start of his season. He’s since rehabbed and made his 2023 debut in St. Paul. In a limited sample (12 games), he has an OPS over 1.100 with four homers and two steals. He’s played multiple infield and outfield positions including shortstop and centerfield to begin 2023, which would make him all the more valuable to a big league club even if he can just fill in during an emergency situation.

Is Michael Helman the solution to the Twins' offensive woes so far in 2023? Likely not. There’s always a chance such a strong showing in the minors translates, but due to Helman’s age (he will be 27 later this month) and prospect pedigree, he has to be looked at a bit differently than say 25-year-old former 39th overall pick Matt Wallner. Helman is older than a lot of the competition at the level, and any kind of deficiencies he has at this point in his career are likely just part of his game.

Still, Helman could add versatility and chaos on the bases to this Twins team. It’s very possible he’s a similar player to Willi Castro without the switch-hitting ability, but Castro’s ability to stand in the left-handed batter’s box can’t be valued too highly as we’ve seen.

It’s hard to say what Helman’s future holds. His best-case scenario is likely a super utility player for an MLB team which makes his lack of a call up to this point far from egregious. His lack of an opportunity when the Twins roster was completely injured last September makes one wonder whether the Twins will be the ones to give him that shot.

Making things more complicated is the interruption of his white-hot 2023 debut.

With such a murky injury, his timeline remains uncertain. A shoulder dislocation would be expected to disrupt his swing, though the levels of severity have a wide range. The hope is that Helman can avoid surgery and be back in short order to rotate around the field in St. Paul. If he can pick up where he left off, he'll continue to be hard to ignore.

Helman is the type of player you cannot help but appreciate and cheer for. Being such a low pick in the draft and finding his way to the doorstep of the MLB while maintaining such impressive numbers is incredibly fun. It’s this writer’s opinion that he’s surpassed the point of being deserving of a look at the MLB level, whether that comes with the Twins or elsewhere. Do you agree?