Twins Video
Royce Lewis was drafted as a shortstop with the possibility of center field as a fallback option. Players with such athleticism are often the type to go number one overall. His performance has been a bit inconsistent offensively and his defensive future remains in question as well. Still, he remains one of the top prospects in baseball, despite two consecutive lost seasons, because of his perceived ceiling.
The Twins future has changed a lot since Lewis was taken #1 overall in 2017. Their desperate need for a shortstop remains, but Lewis’s center field fallback option has been complicated by a Byron Buxton contract extension and the acquisition of Austin Martin who appears to be another fringe shortstop option bound to fill in at center field. Unlike Lewis however, Martin has shown consistent offensive tools that foreshadow a surefire Major League career very soon.
The Twins have a question they have to ask themselves this winter. They not only have a long term need at shortstop, but an immediate one if they want to contend. The stopgap options on the market dwindled before the CBA lockout although several star options remain that could be signed to long term deals. They also have a desperate need for starting pitching, a market that has been picked over when it comes to the high-end options. Could the Twins cash in on their former number one overall pick on the trade market?
Before Lewis’s injury some within the system considered him questionable at best to stick at shortstop. Much like the recently-acquired Austin Martin, without the ability to play that premier position he could still be a valuable player, but not one that fills the biggest hole in the system. The Twins would be years away from an inhouse option taking the reins at shortstop.
Prospect value is fluid. On one hand, Lewis took a hit to his prospect value by missing 2020 and 2021. On the other hand, if he truly isn’t a future shortstop then his time off hasn’t made that abundantly clear to the Twins or any of the teams that may be interested in acquiring him. It’s safe to say right now that some teams would still be willing to take a sizable gamble on Royce Lewis, the shortstop. It’s just a matter of whether the Twins would.
There’s no doubt that Lewis could still be a major piece of a trade for a significant pitching acquisition. With one decision the Twins could pivot to signing a shortstop like Trevor Story to a long term deal while also bringing in an anchor for the rotation via trade. It’s the kind of move a team would make if they’re truly serious about contending right now, which the Twins should be.
In the end, it all comes down to how the Twins value Royce Lewis. It’s possible he’s lost some shine, but the same front office saw him as the best prospect on a draft board including players such as Hunter Greene, Trevor Rogers and Shane Baz.
This isn’t necessarily a call to trade Royce Lewis. We have to assume that nobody knows what to expect from Lewis’ future better than the Twins. I would say however that if they think Lewis is another player without a sure position to add to a list that already includes Austin Martin and Luis Arraez, it may be time to start considering getting creative with how to address their needs in the rotation and the middle infield.
Do you think the Twins should at least consider trading their former number one overall pick this winter? Let us know below!
— Latest Twins coverage from our writers
— Recent Twins discussion in our forums
— Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email
— Follow Cody Pirkl on Twitter here
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