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    Three Players We Wish We'd Seen More Of In 2026

    The 2026 Twins’ season was unsuccessful, but we at least got to see some potential future pieces. Unfortunately, there were a few players we wish we’d seen more of.
    Cody Pirkl

    By Cody Pirkl

    Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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    Despite hanging around in a historically bad AL Central for a good chunk of the season, much of 2026 felt as though the biggest goal was taking steps toward determining the next core of the Minnesota Twins' roster. While we saw steps toward this goal, it felt like we missed out on seeing the full potential of several players who could be a part of the next competitive Twins’ team. There are three players in particular we wish we’d seen more of in 2026.

    Mick Abel

    After surprisingly winning an opening-day roster spot, Mick Abel flashed his dominant stuff for a brief period before being shut down by an elbow injury for the remainder of the season. His last start on April 14 was seven shutout innings with 10 Ks against Boston. The Twins hoped Abel could be a future rotation piece, with his performance the biggest question mark. Now, health will be a factor moving forward as well.
    The good news is that Abel is on track to be fully healthy for the start of 2027, and he should have every opportunity to open the season in the rotation. If he can reach his ceiling of a playoff-caliber starting pitcher, the Twins' rotation would be the strength of the team next season. It would also make the Jhoan Durán trade look much better, considering former top prospect Eduardo Tait, with whom Abel was acquired, has had a very disappointing tenure so far in the Twins’ organization.

    Alan Roden

    It’s hard to say what Alan Roden’s role will be with the Twins moving forward, or even whether he’ll remain with the team through the offseason at all. After he was acquired at the 2025 trade deadline, the team seemed to believe in his on-base ability and defense in the corner outfield, but injuries may have disrupted their plans for him, and his left-handedness at the plate makes him an odd fit for the roster. Though he posted fewer than 100 plate appearances at the MLB level this season, his production was encouraging, and his skillset should be useful to the Twins if they can fit him on the roster.
    Alan Roden is barely more of a known commodity than much younger players like Emmanuel Rodriguez and Walker Jenkins. He has fewer than 250 MLB plate appearances as a soon-to-be 27-year-old, and he’ll be competing with several top prospects for playing time who play the same position and also hit left-handed. He has a history of playing first base, a position the team doesn’t have any immediate answers at. Still, his offensive profile doesn’t fit that of your typical corner infielder, and it’s unclear whether his bat can meet the higher standards of a position at the bottom of the defensive spectrum. It would be nice to have more data on Roden at the MLB level at this point in his career.

    Emmanuel Rodriguez 

    We likely would have seen Rodriguez much earlier this season, but injuries once again prevented him from playing anything close to a full season. He has yet to appear in even 100 games in a single season and was healthy for just 71 between the minor and major leagues in 2026. His swing-and-miss profile is still a red flag at the MLB level, but his plate discipline and ability to impact the baseball showed up in his brief 13-game debut.
    Rodriguez is out of options in 2027, meaning he is essentially a lock to make the opening day roster. There’s no denying his talent, but consistency will be the big question in 2027, both in his ability to stay on the field and in making enough contact at the plate. It would be great to have a better idea of what to expect from Rodriguez next season, as giving him more time in St. Paul will not be an option. Instead, the Twins will have to count on Rodriguez to keep himself afloat, with little data to support their hopes.
     
    It would be nice if the Twins missing the playoffs yet again in 2026 came with more clarity on some of their potential future contributors. While we did see some positive developments and questions about the future answered, there were certainly a handful of players we’d have liked more answers on. Are there any other players you’d have liked to see more from in 2026? Let us know below!
    Cody Pirkl is a Twins Writer for Twins Daily and lover of all things baseball.
    Follow Cody Pirkl on Twitter: CodyPirkl
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    tony&rodney

    tony&rodney 19,071

  • Old-Timey Member

    • Posted

    Any way a person spins it, the July 2025 trade deadline moves were confusing given the lack of further moves, either at that time or in October or November of 2025. So that is all in the past and should just remain a loud wtf.

    Mick Abel and Emmanuel Rodriguez are incredibly important to any odds of the 2027 Twins finding wins. Both players have promise, are inexperienced, and have missed time due to injuries. We want their best and we want it now.

    Alan Roden had some fun games in September for the Twins. He seems like a player that people find easy to support. Where will he play? His defense is not adequate in the outfield. He looks like a DH out there, but he is much better than Wallner if we want to be kind. There have been many suggestions that Roden play first base. He has played exactly one inning at first base (A+ ball, 2023) in the minor leagues. There is no chance that the Toronto organization just never considered trying to see if Roden could field ground balls or scoop throws from infielders. All teams work players at multiple positions to see where they might best fit and/or help their club. Every organization does this and in a more limited time period so do high school coaches. This (just put a guy at first base) is the same discussion that has occured with Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner. Slow reactions in the outfield and cautious approaches on hard hit base hits out there don't suddenly become quickness and sure hands in the infield. This is also why Luke Keaschall should never be shuttled back into the infield too. So, what can the Twins do with Alan Roden? It will be interesting to watch. I hope Roden has a fantastic year.

    stringer bell

    stringer bell 26,932

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    10 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

    Any way a person spins it, the July 2025 trade deadline moves were confusing given the lack of further moves, either at that time or in October or November of 2025. So that is all in the past and should just remain a loud wtf.

    Mick Abel and Emmanuel Rodriguez are incredibly important to any odds of the 2027 Twins finding wins. Both players have promise, are inexperienced, and have missed time due to injuries. We want their best and we want it now.

    Alan Roden had some fun games in September for the Twins. He seems like a player that people find easy to support. Where will he play? His defense is not adequate in the outfield. He looks like a DH out there, but he is much better than Wallner if we want to be kind. There have been many suggestions that Roden play first base. He has played exactly one inning at first base (A+ ball, 2023) in the minor leagues. There is no chance that the Toronto organization just never considered trying to see if Roden could field ground balls or scoop throws from infielders. All teams work players at multiple positions to see where they might best fit and/or help their club. Every organization does this and in a more limited time period so do high school coaches. This (just put a guy at first base) is the same discussion that has occured with Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner. Slow reactions in the outfield and cautious approaches on hard hit base hits out there don't suddenly become quickness and sure hands in the infield. This is also why Luke Keaschall should never be shuttled back into the infield too. So, what can the Twins do with Alan Roden? It will be interesting to watch. I hope Roden has a fantastic year.

    Vladdie Jr. is a good reason for Roden not to do much work at first base. There is a real opportunity for someone to get a lot of playing time at first base and I hope Roden gets a shot. Also, his Statcast data for 2025 put him above average as a defender. Not so much in 2026, but I would say he's a passable outfielder who doesn't have the tools to be much more than that. Kind of the same thing with his hitting--he doesn't really have corner outfielder or DH power, but again in a small sample size, his Statcast profile is pretty promising. Given the injury histories of the outfielders who are presumed to be ahead if him, it figures that Roden will get chances to play the outfield corners.



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