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Brooks Lee was never a lock to make the Opening Day roster out of spring training, and in different circumstances, he may have remained in St. Paul for some time, even after his rehab assignment ended. Given the Twins' poor start, however, the plan will likely be to get Lee back up as soon as he’s ready. Which player stands to lose their job? Unfortunately, there are a few viable candidates.
Mickey Gasper
Gasper is a great story, but we may be seeing why it’s taken so long for him to get a shot at the MLB level. His discerning eye at the plate is his calling card. To his credit, he’s walked 20% of the time. He’s also struck out 40% of the time and has only one hit, effectively canceling out the walks. Gasper hasn’t been able to punish pitches in the zone, as even his one hit was a dribbler that barely left the infield. If pitchers have no concerns filling up the strike zone, Gasper’s primary tool dries up.
If he were a stronger defensive player, Gasper would be a solid bench option, but that’s not proven to be the case. Despite being labeled a catcher when the Twins acquired him, the team clearly doesn’t see him that way. He’s played first base, but his size has already cost him on one occasion at that position. He also made a tough error on Tuesday night in Kansas City at second base, where he played for the first time this season. He doesn’t have much immediate utility to the roster or a track record to wait on, making Gasper the likeliest player to lose out upon Lee’s return.
Jose Miranda
While it’s a long shot, there’s certainly a world where Jose Miranda gets demoted back to St. Paul. Aside from a big three-run homer against Houston, he’s looked completely lost at the plate. Miranda’s free-swinging ways have been on full display. He's had, seemingly, no idea what’s a ball and what’s a strike. If the Twins feel like Miranda would benefit from seeing lesser pitching to get back into a groove, St. Paul could be an option.
Miranda has done a fine job filling in at third base, but Lee would be an upgrade defensively. He has rarely seen time at first base, and with the way Harrison Bader is being used, there are much better options for the DH spot. If the Twins decide Lee is going to play a lot of third base, a Miranda demotion becomes realistic.
Edouard Julien
The Twins’ view of Edouard Julien has soured, making him a sleeper pick of this trio. Julien is no longer a lock to start, even against right-handed pitching. While he’s barreled some balls so far this season, he doesn’t have the production to show for it. These barrels have also come at the expense of Julien’s plate approach. He’s chasing nearly 30% of pitches outside the zone and is whiffing over 35% of the time. This level of aggressiveness is a 180° from the passiveness he's shown in the past, but that seems to have been an overcorrection. There are reasons for optimism, but it may take time for Julien to hone this new plate approach, and it may be easier to do so in Triple-A.
Most concerning for Julien was Gasper starting over him at second base on Tuesday. Gasper learned this position on the fly in spring training, and the Twins preferred him there on Tuesday. while Julien served as the DH. Gasper made an error, but Julien has made plenty of those himself in the last two years, and he’s starting to look like a player without a defensive home. It may be more telling if Julien isn’t optioned back to Triple-A, as it would indicate the Twins are no longer prioritizing getting him everyday at-bats. Julien has found himself in a precarious spot.
These three all deserve a demotion in different ways, and to different degrees. It’s become clear that Lee needs to be up as soon as he’s ready, to shore up the defense and add a new face to an already stale roster. Which player should be the one headed back to St. Paul?
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