Twins Daily 2023 Awards: Top Rookie

2023 was a challenging year to select just one Twins Daily Rookie of the Year Award recipient, but before we announce the winner, let's give the runner-ups their flowers. 

Many years, the Twins (and most other organizations) may not have five rookies on the roster all season. Even if they do, the odds of all of them finding success is not high. Three rookies especially are often credited with providing a spark and extended quality play. Two other pitchers have come up as rookies and contributed in whatever role they have been given. 

Fifth Place: LHP Kody Funderburk 
In fifth place is Twins relief pitcher Kody Funderburk. Beginning the season with the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge, Funderburk skyrocketed through the upper levels of the Twins organization and made his Twins debut on September 4 against the Cleveland Guardians. Funderburk sprung onto the scene and quickly became a dependable reliever for the Twins in the middle of a division title pennant race. Congratulations to Funderburk on a successful first month in the big leagues. He was also Twins Daily's choice for Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year.  

Fourth Place: RHP Louie Varland 
In fourth place is rookie pitcher and Minnesota native Louie Varland. Beginning the season as a rotation fill-in for the injured Tyler Mahle, Varland quickly became one of the Twins' best and most reliable young starting pitchers alongside Bailey Ober and Joe Ryan. Unfortunately, Varland developed a problem giving up too many home runs and was demoted to Triple-A St. Paul in late June. 

Varland provided quality starts at the beginning of the season before developing into a lights-out reliever in September. Varland will be a key fixture for the Twins bullpen in their upcoming Wild Card series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Congratulations on a promising 2023 season, Louie. 

Third Place: OF Matt Wallner 
Twins corner outfielder and fellow Minnesota native Matt Wallner comes in third place. After getting recalled from Triple-A St. Paul with the Twins for the third time this season in mid-July, Wallner became an everyday corner outfielder who could mix his immense power with a strong eye at the plate, leading to a high on-base percentage.

Wallner had an encouraging 2023 season and looks to be in the Twins' corner outfield plans for the foreseeable future. 

Second Place: 2B/DH Edouard Julien 
In second place is the pride of Québec City, Edouard Julien. Admittedly, I voted for Julien to win Twins Daily Rookie of the Year, but Twins Daily participates in a democracy, so the majority wins. Although the player I voted to win didn't, this is nonetheless a fair and healthy process. Thank you, John, Seth, Nick, Brock, and Parker.

Okay, sorry, back to baseball. Julien had an incredible inaugural season and was arguably the Twins' best hitter for much of the season. Julien was one of the rookies that signified the Twins' turn-around in offensive production post-All-Star break and deserves as much credit as anyone for essentially saving the Twins' season. 

Congratulations to Julien on an incredible rookie season, and although he didn't win the Twins Daily Rookie of the Year Award, he came incredibly close. It was as close a vote as we have had in the decade of handing out these awards.  

First Place: 3B Royce Lewis 
Varland, Wallner, and Julien put together impressive rookie seasons, but the Twins Daily Rookie of the Year Award winner is Royce Lewis. 

In his first extended run as a Major League Baseball player, Lewis has met every expectation of being the first overall pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. Let's see how Lewis got there.

Lewis's Return From His Twice Torn ACL
Lewis's start of the 2023 season began on May 29, when Lewis returned to the Twins lineup against the Astros in Houston. Returning exactly a year after tearing his ACL for the second time in as many seasons, Lewis instantly lit a spark under the Twins, hitting a three-run home run in just his second at-bat back from the 60-day IL. 

Lewis followed the home run with a game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning. Lewis's heroics propelled the Twins to a 7-5 win and signified the beginning of great things to come.

Lewis followed his May return by hitting .322/.351/.444 (.795) with 29 hits, two doubles, three home runs, and a 122 wRC+ over 94 plate appearances from May 30 through through July 1.

Unfortunately, Lewis was placed on the 10-day IL on July 1 with a grade-2 oblique strain and stayed there for 36 days before returning on August 15.

Lewis's Second Return and the Dawning of "Mr. Grand Slam"
Returning from an extended absence on August 15, Lewis immediately jumped back into the Twins lineup as their everyday third baseman, and the grand slam barrage began.

Grand Slam #1: Arrival
On August 27, the Twins were trailing the Texas Rangers 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Lewis stepped up to face reliever Chris Stratton with the bases loaded and one out.

After falling behind 0-1, Lewis saw a hanging breaking ball deep to straight away center field, trimming the Twins deficit to 5-4.

Lewis's home run was the spark for a Twins comeback, and the Twins beat the Rangers 7-6 in 13 innings. 

Grand Slam #2: Sacrifice Fly? NOPE
The next day, Lewis stepped up to the plate in the 2nd inning with the bases loaded against the Guardians. Rookie pitcher was Xzavion Curry on the mound, and the Twins were down 4-2.

Lewis again fell behind 0-1, and just like the day before, he drove a breaking ball over the wall in left center field, propelling the Twins to a 6-4 lead. 

Lewis's grand slam ignited a Twins comeback, and they were able to defeat the Guardians 10-to-6 and increase their division lead to seven games.

Grand Slam #3: The Day Twins Territory Stood Still
Lewis's third grand slam came on September 4. If you don't recall, one of the most stressful days in recent Twins history occurred just four days earlier, The Guardians, who were just two games back of the Twins, claimed Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, and Reynaldo López off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. 

The first time the Twins could do something about it came the next Monday when they began a three-game series in Cleveland. Giolito made his Guardians debut in Game 1 of the series. 

The Twins began the scoring with a Jorge Polanco leadoff home run in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the second frame, Polanco walked with the bases loaded to give them a 2-0 lead. That brought Lewis to the plate. On a 2-0 count, Lewis got a middle-middle fastball and crushed it deep into the left field bleachers to give the Twins a 6-0 lead. The Twins went on to win 20-6. 

CATHARSIS! 

Grand Slam #4: The Fourth Kind
Last but not least, Lewis's final grand slam of the 2023 season came on September 15 against another divisional foe, the Chicago White Sox. On a 3-1 fastball from Jesse Scholtens, Lewis destroyed his fourth grand slam. It gave the Twins an early 4-0 lead and propelled the team to a 10-2 win in Chicago. 

After hitting his fourth grand slam of the 2023 season and fifth of his career, Lewis, as Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic noted, found himself tied for the eighth-most grand slams in Minnesota Twins history. 

Although his 2023 regular season came to an unfortunate end on September 19 when he strained his hamstring during an at-bat against the Cincinnati Reds, Lewis's grand slam propensity is an incredibly improbable and impressive feat. 

2023 was the first season that Lewis, a traditional shortstop, began playing third base on an every-game basis in his professional career. Although he initially struggled some, he quickly began refining his craft. He became a respectable defensive third baseman. 

Lewis ended the 2023 season hitting .309/.372/.548 (.920) with seven doubles, 15 home runs, 8.4% BB%, 23% K%, .240 ISO, and 155 wRC+ over 239 plate appearances. 

Lewis had an incredible 2023 season, even if his time was still limited. Watching him in his first extended run in the big leagues was enjoyable. Congratulations to Royce Lewis for winning the Twins Daily 2023 Rookie of the Year award.

How would you have voted for the Twins Top Rookie? Lewis or Julien, and how close should Wallner be to the top of the list? Comment below.

Final Voting Points Tally

• Royce Lewis: 64
• Edouard Julien: 62
• Matt Wallner: 36
• Louie Varland: 16
• Kody Funderburk: 1