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Over the last few seasons, Twins prospect Aaron Sabato had become a bit of a forgotten name. A former first-round pick in 2020, his prodigious power always drew attention, but inconsistent contact and swing-and-miss issues slowed his climb up the organizational ladder. Now, in 2025, Sabato’s refined approach and offseason adjustments have him trending in the right direction, and the Twins are taking notice.
After a frustrating 2024 campaign at Double-A Wichita (.653 OPS in 85 games), Sabato entered the offseason with a clear mission: get back to being the hitter the Twins envisioned when they took him 27th overall out of North Carolina. But this time, the change was something different, and it may have saved his professional career. Sabato focused on the less flashy yet highly critical aspects of the craft, including his swing load sequencing, timing, and the mental side of hitting.
“I worked really hard in the offseason on just getting some little load sequencing stuff right,” Sabato told Twins Daily's John Bonnes. “I really took that to heart towards like October through January, and then once I came in the spring, I just wanted better at-bats, just be more competitive in the box.”
“And honestly, that was more of a mindset,” Sabato continued. “The mindset really came from the preparation that I did in the off-season. And this year, I've just played and taken that work every single day … not looking for something else, or searching for anything when one game or one at-bat, or a couple stretches of at bats go awry.”
The results in Fort Myers this spring spoke volumes to the work he had put in over the winter. For Sabato, that early success wasn’t a fluke. It was confirmation.
“I really started to hit the ball [harder] and more consistently,” Sabato shared. “This spring training, I hit like six home runs, which is something that I hadn't done in the past, and especially from an early start. And it was one of those things that I just took that work and to my at-bats, and I did it throughout all of spring, and it kind of clicked. “
“And then it's kind of one of those things that you start seeing some things work out, and you just you believe it before, and then when you start doing it, you just really start believing, and you just never waver. And that's been one thing I'm just trying not to do, is just don't waver from all the work that I put in.”
This commitment to consistency has carried over into his 2025 season, which began at Double-A Wichita before a recent promotion to Triple-A St. Paul. In both stops, Sabato has looked like a different hitter: more competitive in the box, more willing to grind out at-bats, and more dangerous when he gets pitches in his zone. His strikeout rate has dropped noticeably, and his walk rate remains strong, a sign that his pitch selection is improving in tandem with his mechanics.
In 39 games at Double-A, he slashed .305/.399/.574 (.973) with 11 doubles and nine home runs. Beyond the home run total, it was the quality of his at-bats that impressed Twins coaches. He wasn’t chasing fastballs at the eyes or flailing at breaking balls in the dirt. His strikeout rate has been above 30% for his entire professional career, but he dropped that total to 25.8 K% this season. The swings were disciplined, the takes purposeful, and the confidence unmistakable.
The jump to Triple-A, of course, comes with new challenges. Sabato knows he’ll see arms that fill up the zone more consistently and pitchers who can execute sequences better than the ones he faced at lower levels. But his mindset remains unchanged.
“At the end of the day, it's still baseball,” said Sabato. “I mean, there's just more competitive pitches, I feel like, throughout the at-bats. But ultimately, I mean, it's the same game. The guys are still throwing hard, still throwing great pitches.”
It’s a subtle but significant shift in how Sabato carries himself. Gone is the player who tried to solve slumps with mechanical overhauls or who wore frustration on his sleeve after tough stretches. In his place is a hitter who’s bought into discipline, daily repetition, and patience with the process.
“Just don't waver, don't tinker, stay with it,” repeated Sabato. “Keep doing what I was doing in Wichita, what I was doing at the start of the spring training, and just keep going.”
For the Twins, this development is an encouraging sign. Sabato’s right-handed power remains a rare commodity in the system. With uncertainty surrounding the team’s future first base depth, the opportunity is there for Sabato to force his way into the picture.
Of course, Sabato knows there’s more work to do. Triple-A pitching is relentless, and the jump to the big leagues is steeper still. But for the first time in a while, it feels like the former first-rounder is on the right path. One built on trust, preparation, and belief in a process that’s finally delivering results.
And if the power stroke he showed early this season shows up under the bright lights in St. Paul this summer, the Twins might have a late-blooming slugger on their hands after all.
What stands out most about Sabato's season so far? Leave a comment and start the discussion.
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!
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