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    The Twins Can't Ignore Kyler Fedko Much Longer... Right?

    Kyler Fedko has been one of the hottest hitters in the Twins organization this season. With his power, versatility, and production continuing to pile up, a major-league opportunity could be close—unless the team simply refuses to believe in him.

    Sam Caulder
    Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints

    Twins Video

    Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Kyler Fedko has been on an absolute tear to start the 2026 season. And really, it's been happening in every facet of the game. At some point, the conversation has to shift from simply acknowledging how well Fedko is playing to asking a much bigger question: when does he get a shot?

    Through his first 194 plate appearances with the St. Paul Saints, Fedko is hitting .286, with an outstanding .931 OPS. He's already launched 11 home runs, collected 23 extra-base hits, and added eight stolen bases for good measure. The production has been difficult to ignore.

    While his strikeout rate remains a little higher than ideal (roughly 22%), he's doing enough damage when he makes contact (and drawing enough walks) to offset those concerns. For a player whose game has become increasingly centered around power, the overall offensive profile has been extremely encouraging.

    The underlying batted-ball trends are interesting, as well. Fedko isn't the biggest player in professional baseball, but at 6 feet and 215 pounds, he's built like someone capable of generating legitimate power. More importantly, he's started leaning into those strengths. His fly-ball rate has increased by roughly five percentage points compared to where it was at Triple-A a season ago, and he's developed into a much heavier pull hitter. That's not always a positive for every player, but for someone with Fedko's strength and power potential, it appears to be part of a deliberate offensive adjustment.

    And so far, it's working. The biggest reason Fedko started generating attention within the organization last season was because of his sudden power breakout. In 2024, he hit just three home runs across 77 games. One year later, that number exploded to 28. Whenever a player makes that kind of leap, there's always a question of whether it's sustainable or simply a one-year outlier. But the fact that Fedko already has 11 homers this season suggests the power surge was no fluke. Instead, it looks like he has fully embraced a power-first approach at the plate, and the results certainly support that conclusion.

    Of course, what Fedko is doing offensively is only part of the story. There are a couple of other reasons why he deserves serious consideration for a major-league opportunity. The first is his defensive versatility. Fedko has logged extensive time at all three outfield positions this season and has yet to commit an error. On top of that, he's already recorded three outfield assists.

    That combination of reliability and arm strength gives the Twins flexibility in how they could deploy him. He appears capable of handling either corner-outfield spot, and he has enough experience in center field to provide coverage there, as well. For a team that values defensive flexibility, that's a significant advantage.

    The versatility doesn't stop in the outfield, either. Fedko has also seen limited action at both first base and second base. While those aren't likely to become his primary positions, the ability to move around the diamond only increases his value as a potential bench option or roster depth piece.

    There's also an argument that Fedko fills a different organizational need than many of the Twins' other upper-level outfield prospects. Much of the club's outfield depth is left-handed. Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner and (once he’s healthy) Alan Roden all hit from the left side, while top prospects Emmanuel Rodriguez, Walker Jenkins, and Hendry Mendez are left-handed hitters, as well. Fedko, meanwhile, bats right-handed, giving him a profile that is somewhat unique among the organization's current outfield options.

    That doesn't automatically make him a better prospect than those players, but it does make him an intriguing fit. If the Twins were looking to add another outfielder to the major-league roster, a right-handed bat with power, defensive versatility, and experience at Triple-A could complement the roster better than simply adding another left-handed hitter to the mix.

    One issue here is that Fedko is not currently on the 40-man roster. But if he continues producing at this level, the combination of his performance, age, and right-handed bat could make it increasingly difficult for the organization to keep him in St. Paul. If the Twins needed immediate outfield help, giving Fedko an opportunity now could make more sense than waiting for a younger prospect to finish developing.

    However, because he’s not on the 40-man roster, that means someone would have to go. The name that immediately stands out (in my mind) is James Outman. Outman hasn't provided much offensive production and has largely filled a role as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch-runner. While those skills certainly have value, it's fair to wonder whether Fedko's all-around game would provide more impact at this point.

    It's probably too early for the organization to move on from Wallner, and it seems unlikely the Twins would sacrifice pitching depth or infield depth given the current state of those groups. That's what makes the roster discussion complicated. But regardless of how the Twins ultimately choose to navigate it, Fedko is building an increasingly strong case for himself every day he stays in Triple-A. The offensive numbers are there, the power is real, and his defensive versatility is valuable.

    At 26 years old, Fedko has reached the point where the organization should seriously consider finding out whether his game can translate to the next level. If Fedko keeps performing the way he has through the first two months of the season, it feels less like a question of if he'll get his opportunity and more like a question of when. For now, all he can do is keep producing, and that's exactly what he's been doing.


    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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    Walker Jenkins

    St. Paul Saints - AAA, OF
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    7 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

    This is the biggest challenge for front offices and, too often, owners. A hard, emotionless, realistic assessment of your roster. I don't care if the American League is "down" right now. Has the Twins outlook changed significantly from the 72-78 wins most people expected coming into the season? I'd give that a very hard "no." So, if you're still expecting a max of about 78 wins 1/3 of the way into the season, what are you waiting for? What's the best-case scenario? Half the American League can't get to 78 wins so you sneak in and get boat raced in 2 games and go home? I'm not interested in that. Pretending you're good enough when you aren't is how teams get stuck in, at best, the no-man's-land middle ground. I'm not interested in that. Because that leads to the Twins holding Jeffers and him leaving for nothing. It leads to them holding Ryan and risking a Lopez style complete loss of value. It leads to a worse future in some lost cause hope that the rest of the league sucks, too, and you can pretend you succeeded by sneaking into the playoffs with a below-.500 record. No thanks.

    But, I will say I don't expect the Pohlads to allow the team to do what they should and treat this as the transition year it is. I expect Tom to force the front office into some bad decisions for the future of this team.

    Preach. I am really worried TP will tie Zolls hands and not allow him the the freedom to do his job. 

    Why would the Twins want to do that?   They have James Outman with a solid .493 OPS on the MLB roster.   There is still more than half the season to give him more plate appearances so he can strike out 43% of the time.   And, when we get too tired of that magnificence I am sure there are several 32 year old waiver wire candidates out there.

    The Twins give very few chances to players that have actually been drafted by the organization and besides, since Kyle is 26 years and 256 days if we brought him up now that would be rushing him to the majors and threatening his future development.  We don't want that.  What if he fails?

    And, of course we don't need a versatile player with a little bit of pop in his bat that will take professional ABs.   

     

    28 minutes ago, LyleCole said:

    Why would the Twins want to do that?   They have James Outman with a solid .493 OPS on the MLB roster.   There is still more than half the season to give him more plate appearances so he can strike out 43% of the time.   And, when we get too tired of that magnificence I am sure there are several 32 year old waiver wire candidates out there.

    The Twins give very few chances to players that have actually been drafted by the organization and besides, since Kyle is 26 years and 256 days if we brought him up now that would be rushing him to the majors and threatening his future development.  We don't want that.  What if he fails?

    And, of course we don't need a versatile player with a little bit of pop in his bat that will take professional ABs.   

     

    What a colossal waste of time for folks to constantly complain about outman, Kriedler, gray, Jackson, arcia, Clemons and even Tom Pohlad..... in every thread.

    maybe frustration should be channeled towards those that so obviously let the team down thru performance or injury?.  Royce, Wallner, SWR, Pablo, Jeffers, Jenkins, Emma.  That was not a bad team if they produce.  They didn't.  Blame them.

    But go ahead bring up Fedko so the guys who should have been producing have one more AAA player to take bullets for them.  However, anyone who thinks Fedko will cure the ills made by those who let the team down, will be complaining about him in a month.  And if you think the guy we got for a one armed Brock Stewart is the problem, you are reaching.

    1 hour ago, Wedman13 said:

    What a colossal waste of time for folks to constantly complain about outman, Kriedler, gray, Jackson, arcia, Clemons and even Tom Pohlad..... in every thread.

    maybe frustration should be channeled towards those that so obviously let the team down thru performance or injury?.  Royce, Wallner, SWR, Pablo, Jeffers, Jenkins, Emma.  That was not a bad team if they produce.  They didn't.  Blame them.

    But go ahead bring up Fedko so the guys who should have been producing have one more AAA player to take bullets for them.  However, anyone who thinks Fedko will cure the ills made by those who let the team down, will be complaining about him in a month.  And if you think the guy we got for a one armed Brock Stewart is the problem, you are reaching.

    Speaking of colossal wastes of time, your comments are the King!  Good job.

     

    Do I think that Fedko will "cure the ills" of the Minnesota Twins? Nope.

    What I do think is that:

    1.  Kyler Fedko can be a better performer than James Outman who has demonstrated he is a below replacement level player  ;

    2  Fedko is a guy the  minor leagues were designed for and he has essentially got better each step of the process   ;

    3  Fedko has EARNED the promotion to the Big Leagues, six years in the organization and advancing and improving, seemingly doing everything his team has asked.

    Fedko's career path reminds me a lot of Brian Dozier except that Dozier's increase in power came well after his major league debut.   

    We know what we have in Outman (and a few other players).  We don't know what we have in Fedko.  He has earned his shot and the Twins should reward a 6 year member of their organization with the deserved promotion.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    7 hours ago, Major League Ready said:

    IDK, I might be in LF on this one but I think Ben Ross might be more likely tom be called up.  He has a .990 OPS the last month.   He is also a good defender and can literally play any position except catcher.  I would much prefer to see him get a shot over Outman.  Ross has a low probability of sticking but Outman is a near zero probability.

    Yeah he can handle all six spots and I haven't looked, but I believe he is a plus defender at short.  Haven't checked EV's or anything, but if you were going to add a guy he'd be the one with the most versatility so you could fit him in the lineup easier.

    15 hours ago, bean5302 said:

    This season's DaShawn Keirsey please stand up! Keirsey through June 4th, 2024 (called up just before then).

    a27 - 213PA - .302/.390/.538 OPS .928 wRC+ 135, 12.7% BB, 23.5% K, ISO .236 (Keirsey)
    vs
    a26 - 199PA - .287/.372/.561 OPS .933 wRC+ 134, 10.6% BB, 21.6% K, ISO .275 (Fedko)

    Projection tools have Fedko well below league average at the plate for good reason. He's 26 and he's moved very slowly through the minors with multiple hiccups along the way. A college draft pick who is going to make an impact typically takes 2-3 years. Fedko is in year 6. That's plenty of time to polish, polish, polish what talent a guy has. It takes more than polish to be successful at MLB, though. It takes talent. Both have to be there.

    His xwOBA in AAA is dramatically lower than actual wOBA, his EV is good for AAA, but projecting it to MLB puts him probably bottom quartile (88mph-ish).

    I don't have any problems playing Fedko 2x per week for 3 plate appearances or whatever Outman would get, but I don't see any real upside there.

    I prefer to see rather than project. I asked Google about baseball projections and this is what I got - Baseball player projections are reasonably accurate on a macro level for league-wide averages, but highly unpredictable for individual player outcomes. Because projection systems predict a player's median outcome across thousands of simulations, they generally nail team-wide offensive trends while frequently missing on individual variables like injuries, slumps, or breakout seasons.

    1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

    ...while frequently missing on individual variables like injuries, slumps, or breakout seasons.

    What this means is projection tools can't account for SSS or unexpected breakouts. It does not mean projection tools aren't worth noting. There's a reason projection tools exist. They cost money. Somebody is literally paying for that data.

    10 hours ago, DJL44 said:

    Can Fedko produce more than Outman? Maybe. So what? It’s not that difficult to find someone better than Outman.

    it's true. Fedko could add or subtract between 0.1 and 0.2 WAR per year over Outman based on the 25 PA they'll get, lol

    1 hour ago, bean5302 said:

    What this means is projection tools can't account for SSS or unexpected breakouts. It does not mean projection tools aren't worth noting. There's a reason projection tools exist. They cost money. Somebody is literally paying for that data.

    And we are paying for tickets - try the hot bats.

    42 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

    And we are paying for tickets - try the hot bats.

    Fedko is NBD at AAA. He's "good" for that level, not great. Pitching in the International League is "Animal Food Drop Water" to quote the French in Monty Pythons Holy Grail.

    On 6/5/2026 at 1:10 PM, 4twinsJA said:

    I don't think anyone is saying Fedko is the next Twins AllStar outfielder, just that he has proven himself in minors and deserves an opportunity at the MLB level. Maybe Fedko doesn't produce, but it is time to see if he can. 

    No.




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