Sherry Cerny

Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Connor Priellep - 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (82 pitches, 52 strikes (62% strikes)) Home Runs: Byron Buxton (5) Top 3 WPA: Kendry Rojas (.12); Eric Orze (.09); Austin Martin (.05) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) A New Set of Twins Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas gave Twins fans a little something extra to savor Wednesday night—a dual debut against the Mets, and a tantalizing taste of each player's upside. Prielipp, the 48th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Alabama, has long been a high-upside arm the Twins were willing to bet on, even through injuries. After Tommy John surgery in 2021 and a UCL procedure in 2023, his return in 2024 and strong 2025 campaign between Wichita and St. Paul proved the patience was worth it, ultimately earning him a spot on the 40-man roster and his big league call-up. His first inning was no gentle introduction. Bo Bichette wasted no time, sneaking in a double to get things going, and while Prielipp settled in to grab two quick outs, Francisco Lindor singled Bichette home to put the Mets on the board first. From there, Prielipp found his groove. He worked four innings, allowing just two runs, issuing no walks, and punching out six. His stuff was lively, and he gave the team a chance to win. For a starter making their debut on the road, that's all you can ask. Rojas took over in the fifth, and proved less impressive but more successful. The Cuban native, originally signed by the Blue Jays in 2020 and acquired by Minnesota in a trade alongside Alan Roden, has battled his own injury setbacks, but his fastball averaged 97 MPH and touched 98.4. After two quick outs, things got wobbly for Rojas. He walked Mark Vientos, and on a 3-2 count, he hung a pitch that Marcus Semien bashed into the left-field corner. With the full count and two outs, Vientos was running, but he didn't get a very good jump; he's very slow; and Trevor Larnach played the ball smoothly with the bare hand on a nice carom off the wall. Larnach's throw to Brooks Lee left plenty of time for an accurate peg by Lee to Victor Caratini, and Vientos was out by a mile. It was good to see the Twins defense execute the fundamentals, and the rookie escaped his first frame in the majors unscathed—but the play also laid bare some of what's wrong in New York right now. Be it hustle or sheer athleticism, there has to be more of something in Vientos there; that should at least have been a more difficult play for the visitors. Minnesota Keeps Swinging - And Leaving Guys on Base The Twins’ bats looked a little shaky through the first two innings as they worked to chase down the Mets’ early lead, but Trevor Larnach sparked some life by getting on base and moving station to station while Minnesota’s lineup began chipping away at New York’s pitching. That pressure paid off when Victor Caratini lifted a sacrifice fly to bring Larnach home and knot things up at 1-1. In the sixth, the Twins finally struck again. They'd fallen behind 2-1, but Byron Buxton hit a long, game-tying homer to left-center off Mets starter Clay Holmes. Buxton is heating up nicely after his ice-cold start, with five homers in the last week and a half. The Twins made a huge push in the eighth inning against Mets reliever Brooks Raley. Austin Martin came in for Larnach and walked; Josh Bell singled to push the go-ahead run into scoring position. While the Mets were forced into another relief pitcher change, the Twins also made another replacement. With two outs, Ryan Jeffers pinch-hit for Kody Clemens in an attempt to bring at least one of the guys home. Luke Weaver walked Jeffers, loading the bases for Luke Keaschall, but the Luke-on-Luke matchup favored the same-handed, same-named pitcher, who induced a foul popout that thwarted the rally. Twins Pitching Versus … Everyone Taylor Rogers came in to face a left-leaning pocket of the Mets lineup in the bottom of the eighth, but chaos took control of the inning, rather than Rogers or anyone else. Juan Soto led off with a single just past a diving Keaschall. With one out, however, the Twins picked him off, clearing the bases and seeming to pave the way to the end of the frame. Alas, Rogers walked young lefty batter Brett Baty, so Derek Shelton turned to Justin Topa to face Francisco Alvarez. Topa walked Alvarez, too, though, bringing Vientos to bat with the go-ahead run at second. Topa gave Vientos the revenge he probably wanted with a sinker that ran in on him and produced a weak fly ball to right. Unfortunately, Matt Wallner came nowhere near making a play on a ball that seemed catchable. With two outs, Baty had been going all the way; there was no play at the plate this time: 3-2 New York. The damage could have been much worse, though. Semien lined a ball to center that looked like it could get down to score another run, but Buxton made a tremendous, flying, diving catch on the run to take away the hit and RBI. The Twins offense had one more chance to come back and tie things up, but the Mets finally got their demons under control and Luke Weaver shut the door with ease. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series against the Mets Thursday evening, before taking off for Tampa. They'll send Joe Ryan to the mound (2-2, 3.29 ERA), facing Christian Scott, a former top prospect pitching in the majors for the first time since Tommy John surgery ended his 2024 season. First pitch is, once again, at 6:10 PM CT. Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED TOT Sands 20 12 0 0 23 0 55 Morris 0 0 47 0 0 0 47 Acton 0 0 29 0 0 0 29 Banda 0 0 0 0 18 0 18 Orze 0 15 0 0 0 11 26 Rogers 0 0 8 0 0 12 20 Topa 11 10 0 0 17 17 55 Rojas 0 0 0 0 0 35 35 View full article

Image courtesy of © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitchers: Simeon Woods-Richardson - 5 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (92 pitches, 57 strikes (62% strikes)) Home Runs: Austin Martin (1), Ryan Kreidler (1) Bottom 3 WPA: Simeon Woods Richardson (-0.39); Byron Buxton (-0.05); Matt Wallner (-0.04) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) It Looked Promising The Twins rolled into this game having already secured the series—making it three in a row—but every game counts as a team builds towards the later part of the spring. Extending their home winning streak to seven games would have been a wonderful way to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. Instead, dead lumber and lousy leather derailed them in the early innings, putting them in a hole they couldn't escape. The Twins faced 24-year-old lefty Connelly Early, fresh off a late 2025 call-up and still very much in his rookie era. The hot-hitting home lineup welcomed him with a solo home run from Austin Martin, who dropped the barrel on a pitch down and in and pulled it out of the park. Connelly settled in after that, though, and kept the Twins to two hits and one run for the next five innings, before handing things off to the beleaguered Boston bullpen. New Bomba Squad? While today wasn't a great example of multiple home runs, it doesn't take away from the fact that the Twins lineup has shown a lot of consistency in their hitting. It hasn’t mattered who teams send out to the mound. In fact, lefties have posed the team no problems, despite preseason expectations to the contrary. Too early to say it? Maybe. But also… it’s starting to feel a little Bomba-ish. The Twins pull the ball in the air as much as almost anyone in baseball. They're unlikely to make history this time, but if they can keep slugging the way they did even on a down day Wednesday, everyone will have a more fun summer than was forecasted. It's Not Over Until It's Over... or Something Like That. Even in a game where the guys looked down and out, in the ninth inning, Derek Shelton's competitive bunch put up a fight. In the last of 15 straight games between off days, they could have mailed in what shaped up to be a blowout loss, but they didn't. The Twins started chipping away when Tristan Gray sparked momentum with a single, followed by Matt Wallner drawing a walk to put some real traffic on the basepaths. Brooks Lee delivered, too, ripping an RBI single to bring a run home and keep the inning alive. Ryan Kreidler stepped in, then, and made things interesting, right at the death. He hit his second home run of the week, another no-doubter. Suddenly, what felt like a comfortable 9-1 Boston lead had been cut in half, forcing a mound visit and a pitching change as the Red Sox tried to stop the surge. Minnesota didn’t just score—they made Boston sweat. Alas, the comeback fell far short. Simeon Woods-Richardson entered the game hoping to bounce back after a rough outing against the Blue Jays, wherein he was reportedly pitching through illness. If that’s the case, it offers some context—because otherwise, the performance raised concerns for the young starter. He looked sharp through the first two innings, but things unraveled quickly in the third. Three misplays by Luke Keaschall spread acorss two plays helped Boston score twice to flip the score. Trevor Story then delivered a three-run homer to blow the game open, extending the lead to 5-1. Woods-Richardson battled through the fourth inning. Despite walking two more and having poor defensive support again, he managed to escape without further damage. In the fifth, he wasn't so lucky, and the Red Sox extended their advantage to 7-1. The Sox were on Woods Richardson all day, but he got such lousy support from his infielders that it's hard to hang the loss on him. The bullpen gave up two more runs, neutering the eventual would-be rally before it could begin. Jackie Robinson Day Celebrated Today is a very special day across MLB: Jackie Robinson Day. It comes at a moment when the league feels like it has renewed momentum toward inclusion and diversity in the player ranks. Across the league, the percentage of Black players on Opening Day active and inactive lists increased from 6.0% in 2024 to 6.2% in 2025 to 6.8% in 2026. This marks the first time in at least two decades that MLB has had back-to-back years of increases in that percentage. The 0.6% increase from last year is the highest since a 0.7% increase from 2017 to 2018. Woods Richardson and Taj Bradley are proud to be members of the fraternity of Black starting pitchers. Byron Buxton and Josh Bell have two of the four corner lockers in the Twins clubhouse, offering leadership and mentorship to teammates of all races. This is arguably the most important holiday on the baseball calendar; the Twins have much to celebrate, despite the loss. What’s Next? After an off day, the Twins will welcome the Reds to town for the weekend. On Friday, the team sends ace Joe Ryan to the mound (2-1, 3.80 ERA), to face Brandon Williamson (1-1, 5.28 ERA). Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart View full article

Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Bailey Ober - 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (99 pitches, 64 strikes (64.6% strikes)) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Byron Buxton (0.11), Luke Keaschall (0.08), Bailey Ober (0.08) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Coming Out Swinging The Twins wasted no time setting the tone Wednesday night, coming out absolutely electric in the first inning against Framber Valdez. From the first pitch, it was everything fans had been craving—relentless pressure, smart baserunning, and clutch contact. Byron Buxton ignited the attack with a leadoff single, Austin Martin followed by wasting one of the team's ABS challenges on a first-pitch strike, but Valdez helped him out by hitting him in the foot with a second-pitch curveball. Luke Keaschall notched an infield single to load the bases, almost instantly. Valdez, the expensive ace southpaw with whom Detroit envisioned pairing Tarik Skubal for a deep run into October, melted under the home side's light application of heat. A wild pitch brought Buxton flying home, while Martin and Keaschall scooted up. Ryan Jeffers kept the momentum rolling with an RBI groundout, and Victor Caratini showed patience at the plate with a walk. Then Josh Bell delivered, flaring a single to left-center on which Keaschall got a poor read but made the right, aggressive play by racing home anyway. His flying slide beat the throw home, and it was 3-0 Minnesota. Perhaps the biggest jolt came from Matt Wallner—who entered the game ice cold, at 0-for-20. He heated up like a pan-seared steak with a sizzling double to right field, eerily close to where his previous attempt had just gone foul. That swing brought Caratini home (a ribeye!) and pushed Bell to third, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the team's three beefiest sluggers showed what passes for their speed. With the energy surging, Royce Lewis stepped in and delivered the dagger: a sharp single to center that plated two more runs and blew the game open, at 6-0. Lewis wasn’t done, swiping second and advancing to third, keeping the pressure alive until the inning finally came full circle—ending with Buxton, who started it all, grounding out to shortstop Javier Báez. Six runs, nonstop action, and a statement made loud and clear: the Twins haven't mentally made room for the Tigers atop the AL Central. The top of the order combined to tack on another run in the fourth, thanks to Buxton's speed. He singled, advanced to second on a Martin groundout, and hared around on a Keaschall single to make it a 7-0 cushion. After that, though, the hit parade ended abruptly. The Twins would score just once more, and the tone of the game changed significantly. Holding on Tight The Tigers would charge back to make a game of this (more on that in a moment), so Minnesota was lucky to have Ryan Jeffers catching again Wednesday. After Martin squandered one of their challenges early, they managed to retain the other into the late stages—at which point Jeffers flipped two crucial calls amid a Detroit rally, snatching two called third strikes initially not given by home plate umpire Steven Jaschinski. Ober Shows, and Bullpen Woes It was a great night for Bailey Ober, who continues to evolve into a kitchen-sink starter as he searches for mechanical efficiency and the velocity that he had two years ago. Turning more and more often to his trademark changeup and mixing in some new wrinkles (curveballs in the first two innings, instead of as late changes of pace; sweepers to lefties, acting like curves but looking more enticing out of the hand), he danced through five scoreless innings and appeared to have the team in cruise control. Ober returned through the top of the sixth, but things started to slowly unravel. Derek Shelton got him out of there after a two-out Dillon Dingler single plated the second Detroit run; Justin Topa cleaned up the mess. Anthony Banda was not able to keep things so calm. The Tigers bunched together four hits against him in the top of the seventh, and when he couldn't escape, Cole Sands came in to face Dingler—who, alas, again came through with a two-out knock, drawing the margin to 8-6. The improbable high-leverage duo of Cody Laweryson and Kody Funderburk took the team the rest of the way, with some help from Jeffers. Martin’s Defense continues to improve The younger players have been inconsistent when it comes to making plays, but one reassuring development has come in left field. In 2024, Martin stepped in frequently during Buxton’s absence, and that gap was noticeable. He struggled with routine plays, poor reads, and missed opportunities that ultimately cost runs. This season, however, something has clicked. Martin’s defense is starting to resemble that of his center-field mentor, Buxton. Even first base coach Grady Sizemore told Audra Martin in an interview before the game that during spring training, he saw a slight change in Martin (er, Austin, that is). So far, he’s been flawless, and he made three fine plays on Wednesday. What’s Next? The Twins finish out the series against the Tigers in a day game, before leaving the chilly temps in Minnesota and heading to Toronto—where, even if the weather isn't nicer, the playing conditions will be, since the Rogers Centre has a roof. The Twins will send Mick Abel to the mound (0-2, 11,05 ERA) in the series finale on getaway day, to face Jack Flaherty (0-1 7.54 ERA). Postgame Interviews Coming soon. Bullpen Availability Chart View full article

Image courtesy of © Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Box Score Starting Pitcher: Joe Ryan 4 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (77 pitches, 49 strikes) Home Runs: -0- Bottom 3 WPA: Joe Ryan -0.25, Byron Buxton -0.07, Matt Wallner -0.05 Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs): The Twins continued their first divisional series of the season, looking to bounce back after continuing their losses from Baltimore into Kansas City. Heading into tonight, the Twins were also trying to come out with a better record, after losing 10 of their last 12 games there. Alas, it was more of the same frustrating formula, as Minnesota fell to the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in a game that felt all too familiar. The Twins were hoping for Joe Ryan to continue the good work he did on Opening Day, when the team fell to Baltimore but Ryan looked magnificent. Instead, the Royals jumped ahead in the second inning, capitalizing on a two-out double from Jac Caglianone. That moment sparked a string of two-out damage against Ryan. Isaac Collins followed with a double of his own, and after a single by Kyle Isbel, Caglianone came around to score. Isbel then advanced on a stolen base during Maikel García’s at-bat, setting up another scoring opportunity against a clearly struggling Ryan. García worked a five-pitch at-bat before sending a ground ball that appeared playable for shortstop Brooks Lee, but it deflected off his arm, allowing Isbel to score. Ryan retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a pop fly to end the inning, but the damage had already been done. The Twins were not only scoreless through three innings, but they had more challenges than hits. Matt Wallner, who had already drawn attention for an ill-advised challenge during the Orioles series on a pitch that was clearly a strike down the middle, added to the frustration. He challenged another call, lost it, and ended the first inning, leaving the Twins with just one remaining challenge for the next 24 outs. Fortunately for Minnesota, they would later win two challenges before the end of the third, something they desperately needed. Still, it raises the question of whether Wallner should be on some sort of “challenge timeout,” if such a thing exists. Meanwhile, the rain intensified from a light mist to a steady sprinkle, but play continued as both teams pushed to reach the fifth inning. The Royals kept the pressure on, adding another run in the third to go up 4–0. In the fourth, they loaded the bases with no outs, threatening to break the game open. However, Ryan, with help from his defense, limited the damage to just one run. The fog got denser. Fly balls became hard to see; ground balls became hard to handle cleanly. The game was still alive starting the fifth. After a pop-out by Victor Caratini, Royce Lewis banged a double out to the right-center field gap, followed by a single from Lee, scoring Lewis to narrow the gap to 5-1. A very frustrated Martin, who has been hitting well this series, saw seven pitches before striking out. Buxton did likewise, to end the inning. Cody Laweryson replaced Joe Ryan in the fifth inning, making his 2026 debut. The rookie was immediately tested—baptized by rain at Kauffman Stadium—but showed flashes of composure. He struck out two and held the home side at bay in that first frame. Laweryson returned for the sixth, as did the grounds crew, drawing cheers as they worked to keep the field playable. But the worsening conditions began to impact his command. He loaded the bases with no outs and walked in a run, allowing Jac Caglianone to score and extend the Royals’ lead to 6–1. As the farce deepened, Matt Wallner chased a fly from Witt into foul territory and slammed into the wall, missing the catch. Clearly frustrated, he quickly regrouped and redeemed himself by tracking down Witt’s ensuing sacrifice fly for the first out. Still, the lead stretched to 7-1. Twins manager Derek Shelton turned to Zak Kent to stop the bleeding, but Kansas City kept the pressure on. With two outs and the bases loaded, Jonathan India delivered the decisive blow—a grand slam that broke the game open at 12–1. The Twins showed signs of life in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. Austin Martin won a challenge that overturned a called strike into a ball, resulting in a walk that made it 12–2. Luke Keaschall followed with a two-run double, trimming the deficit to 12–4. The Royals answered with a run in the bottom half to push the lead to 13–4, but Minnesota wasn’t done. In the eighth, facing Alex Lange, the Twins mounted another rally. Jeffers and Josh Bell drew walks, and Caratini drove a ball into the right-center gap to bring in a run, cutting it to 13–5 with no outs. Martin kept the line moving by being plunked, which forced in another run, making it 13–6. The Twins refused to go quietly. After two quick outs, Bell stepped in and benefited from a successful challenge that extended his at-bat. On the very next pitch, he launched a three-run home run deep to left field, pulling Minnesota within 13–9 and injecting late life into the game. But the rally stalled there. Royals closer Lucas Erceg was able to shut the door, with the tying run dying in the on-deck circle. The Twins can’t pin this loss on the weather. The rally was too little, too late. With a return to Minnesota ahead, Ryan will have a chance to reset and reestablish himself in front of the home crowd—an opportunity to get back to the command and reliability that define him at his best, and the offense can keep forging forward and hopefully continue to show the same grit they showed tonight. What's Next Minnesota has one more chance to claim a win in Missouri, before heading to Target Field to welcome back the fans for the home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Twins will tab Taj Bradley to the mound, while Kansas City is expected to send ace southpaw Cole Ragans out there, Thursday at 1:10 PM CT. Postgame Interviews (Coming Soon) Bullpen Usage Chart View full article

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images This is the second installment in a series about the many opportunities and difficulties of signing and developing international amateur free agents. Part 1 can be found here. Evaluating the Minnesota Twins’ international program requires a level of honesty that can be uncomfortable. For much of the past two decades, international scouting has not been a consistent organizational strength. Before the implementation of international bonus pools under the CBA that went into effect in 2012, teams were free to spend aggressively in the international amateur market, without penalty. Many organizations took advantage of that freedom. The Twins did not. As reported in a 2019 article at The Athletic, international free agency was not viewed as a high priority by ownership or the front office during that era. While competitors invested heavily across Central and South America, Minnesota often spent conservatively, signaling—intentionally or not—a lack of seriousness to players, trainers, and international talent evaluators. There were, however, notable exceptions. In 2009, despite facing challenges related to age verification and budget overruns, the Twins signed three 16-year-olds who would go on to define the franchise for years: Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Miguel Sanó. That class became the clearest example of what international investment could yield when scouting, development, and opportunity aligned. Following that success, the pre-2020 era settled into a familiar pattern. The July 2 signing window typically brought modest spending and similarly underwhelming results. The Twins often targeted athletic infielders and outfielders with defensive versatility and strong baseball instincts. While there were occasional wins—particularly among low- to mid-bonus players who developed steadily—the organization struggled to convert its largest bonus signings into long-term MLB impact. Systemic challenges persisted. Even as the Twins continued to invest in the global market, outcomes frequently lagged behind those of peer organizations. Volatility is inherent to international scouting, and every team misses more often than it hits, but Minnesota’s results often fell short of expectations due to stalled development or recurring injuries. When top-end talent didn’t fully materialize, the club more often leveraged those players as trade capital, rather than foundational big-leaguers. Until 2020, the organization remained heavily focused on position players. Pitching was frequently acquired via trades, rather than developed after signing internationally. That approach began to shift recently. In 2024, the Twins signed four international pitchers—the largest number of arms they’ve added in a single class—signaling a potential philosophical change. From 2024 through the now-underway 2026 period, Minnesota has shown increased aggressiveness in pursuing pitching talent and a greater willingness to diversify geographically, particularly in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. Still, it is far too early to draw firm conclusions. While the Twins appear to be turning a page, the long-standing question remains whether this renewed emphasis will translate into sustained MLB value, rather than isolated success. Until development outcomes consistently match investment, the international program remains a work in progress—defined as much by missed opportunity as by cautious optimism. During the 2016–2020 stretch, the club attempted to recalibrate its approach. The 2021 transition to the January 15 signing period provided stability on the calendar, but not necessarily better outcomes. The overarching pattern remains: In Jamie Cameron’s article in 2022, he points out that Minnesota has invested, but the return has not kept pace with the rest of the league. Compared to organizations known for thriving in the international market (clubs like the Dodgers, Guardians, Rays, and Yankees), the Twins have produced fewer big-league contributors and fewer high-impact talents through this pipeline. For example, the Dodgers have built a reputation for consistently developing international talent, signing players like Julio Urías, Andy Pages and Edgardo Henríquez, who progressed through the system to make meaningful contributions. The Guardians might be benefiting from the signing of José Ramírez for another half-decade or more, and their dedication to Latin America has yielded a bunch of complementary players over the years. They've also benefited by building an infrastructure that is friendly to Latin American players, whom they've thus been especially proactive about acquiring in trades. Carlos Santana, Carlos Carrasco, Ubaldo Jiménez, Emmanuel Clase, Andrés Giménez, Amed Rosario and more have streamed through Cleveland, finding success because the franchise has oriented itself to support the development of players from their home countries. The Yankees, meanwhile, leveraged their international scouting to find players like Luis Severino, who became a frontline starter. When they sign a high-profile prospect from that class, they also remain open to trading them, thus improving their team by converting hoped-for value into sure things in the short term. By contrast, while the Twins have invested heavily internationally, their pipeline has produced fewer high-impact MLB players. Prospects like Huascar Ynoa, Amaurys Minier, and Lewin Díaz highlight both the promise and pitfalls of Minnesota’s approach, showing that spotting talent alone hasn’t yet translated into consistent big-league success. The Twins may not have gotten a lot of high value from their IFA players, but what they have done is make trades for roster-ready players. In 2018, two IFA players brought back Jake Odirizzi from the Rays. In early 2020, the team traded away Brusdar Graterol for Kenta Maeda. More infamously, of course, they dealt then-teenager Luis Gil to the Yankees for Jake Cave, but even that move helped them in the short term. This isn’t to say the system lacks promise. On the contrary, there have been individual bright spots (most notably Emmanuel Rodriguez), and a clearer organizational plan is beginning to take shape. But the Twins’ track record shows that the international program has been more of a weakness than a strength. Fred Guerrero, who was the director for 19 years, left in 2023 after not accepting a smaller role. Guerrero, one of the last guys in the system who was more old school and brought in talent like Sano and Polanco, no longer fit into an evolving vision. The Twins took an analytical turn in 2022, which probably prompted Guerrero’s exit. Kevin Goldstein, who was hired by the Twins in 2022, modernized the international scouting process with data and technology, then was promoted to VP of International Scouting in January 2024. The biggest part of international free agency is the relationships, and the Twins brought in Roman Barinas in 2023 as the new Latin American Scouting Director, bringing extensive experience from the Dodgers to complement Goldstein's efforts. As a result, the Twins' classes in 2024 and 2025 have been more about talent, and less about trade value for veterans—at least, that's the sense so far. The team hasn't done well in this market, but that tide is beginning to turn. View full article

Image courtesy of Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) on X/Twitter Thursday marked the opening of the 2026 International Signing Period, and it looks like the Twins have a potential for celebration if all things go their way. This is the day that young athletes from Central and South America have the opportunity to sign with a major-league team, continue to work out and grow with the team. Baseball America says that the Twins 2025 class was one of the best classes in the Dominican Republic and produced a solid prospect turnout. This year is about the same and shows that the Twins are certainly using all their technology and scouting potential. The Twins pool is $7,357,100 this year, tied for the third-highest allotment, and it sounds like they have plenty of places to spend it. The Twins officially announced their 2026 international signing class, featuring 20 players. Here's the full rundown, with an in-depth look at some of the highlights. Enmanuel Merlo (SS, Venezuela) - 29th-highest signing bonus in this class. Twins Daily writer Jamie Cameron covered Merlo in an article going over some of the 2026 class. Merlo is set to make an impact at 6’1”, another switch hitter with top notch offensive skills. He is a little more advanced than his peers with exit velo, ability to be patient at the plate, and take a walk if he can. Fast on the plates and the infield - short stop may end up being home for him with his agility and speed. (Signing Bonus: $1.5 million) Abel Sosa (OF, Venezuela) - Sosa is one of the more intriguing bats in the 2026 international class. The Venezuelan outfielder won’t turn 17 until June, yet already stands 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with broad shoulders and plenty of physical upside. Baseball America has noted his impressive raw power for his age, and there’s reason to believe that power could become plus as he continues to mature. Sosa plays with an aggressive approach and will expand the zone at times, but he’s made real progress over the past year improving his contact against live pitching, allowing his power to show up more consistently in games. He’s a plus runner with a strong arm, giving him a legitimate chance to begin his career in center field, though long-term he could profile well in right if he outgrows the position. (Signing Bonus: $800,000) Juan Diego Holmann (SS/OF, Nicaragua) - One of the top prospects from Nicaragua in 2026. In an interview with 8 Deportivo during a workout, Holman told the reporter that he is excited to have the opportunity to sign with the Twins. Touted as an average runner by Baseball America, the shortstop will more than likely find his home between second and third base, and the outfield. His bat will take some honing, but he has a great read on the ball and a gap hitter, which is something the organization definitely needs. Holmann's father played very briefly in the Dodgers organization. His uncle Mario Holmann spent five seasons in the Yankees organization, topping out at Triple-A. He has participated in events in Europe and speaks fluent German. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Jendy Martinez (SS, Dominican Republic) - The switch-hitter is one of the shortest prospects on the list, Reports say that he hits the ball with authority, especially given his size. Martinez has plus speed, and could be an asset as a utility player, but there is going to be some work to be done to capitalize on his physical strength to match his bat. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Misael Rodriguez (OF, Dominican Republic) - An athletic center fielder, Rodriguez, according to Baseball America, has plus speed and has a good chance to stick in center field. He’s not very big, at just 5-10. He will work on making more consistent contact and driving the ball to all fields. (Signing Bonus: $500,000) Frederick Hiciano (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Eligible to sign in 2025, he decided to wait a year. He’s 6-2 and 175 pounds and will likely fill out his frame, according to Baseball America. His fastball has reached 95 mph and sits in the low-90s. Like many young prospects, his off-speed pitches are a work in progress but have potential to complement the fastball. His fastball is in the 99th percentile in his class. (Signing Bonus: Unknown) Sebastian Echavarria (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Echavarria throws his fastball in the low 90s, but has the potential to add speed, like many young prospects. He also has a breaking ball and changeup. From the Dominican Republic, Echavarria is 6 foot 3 inches, and will likely continue to fill out. (Signing Bonus: Unknown) Additionally, the Twins announced these players among their 2026 international signing class: Daiyer Barboza (IF, Venezuela, $130,000) - Juan Germosen (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Yael Retituyo (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Adrián Martinez (RHP, Colombia, $100,000) - Jeremy Jimenez (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Jhon Gonzalez (OF, Dominican Republic, $375,000) - Anibal Beltré (OF, Dominican Republic, $500,000) - Juan Collado (RHP, Dominican Republic) - Luis Duarte (C, Venezuela) - Known more for his defense in his youth, he does have potential offensively due to his strength. Fabián Ulloa (SS, Venezuela) - Luis Suárez (OF, Venezuela, $140,000) - Ashwar Sprok (OF, Aruba) - Jeferson Abreu (C, Dominican Republic $45,000 - Rosmel Silva (LHP, Venezuela, $20,000) - We will keep an eye on these prospects as they begin their professional career. These players, and likely more players added between now and the end of the year, will play in the Dominican Summer League. 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Image courtesy of Seth Stohs (L to R: Amaurys Minier, Jorge Polanco, Lewin Diaz) We are already a week into January. That means we are less than a week from the start of the 2026 International Free Agent Signing Period. Clubs will be scrambling to finalize deals that had been informally agreed upon with handshakes with their prospects and finding the talent that will round out their programs in the years to come. Projecting young baseball talent is hard in any context, but international free agency pushes that challenge to an extreme. In the United States, scouts evaluate high school players who are 15-18 years old. College players are typically 18-22 years old. By then, bodies have developed a little more, skill sets are a little clearer, and the physical projection window is narrower. Even then, teams often miss. Now imagine trying to do these three or four years earlier, in a foreign country, where creating opportunities means working with very young people just entering the early years of growth and development. On the international market, scouts begin following players at 13 or 14 years old—sometimes even younger. These aren’t fully formed athletes yet; they’re children whose bodies, strength, mechanics, and maturity will change dramatically before they turn 20. Yet by 16 or 17, many of them are signing professional contracts with Major League Baseball organizations. The projection gap is enormous, and the risk is baked into the process. When comparing U.S. and international scouting, several key differences stand out. U.S. players are typically scouted between ages 15 and 21, while international prospects are often evaluated as early as 12 to 16. This age difference also affects body maturity: domestic players are mostly physically developed, whereas international teenagers are still rapidly growing and changing. These factors contribute to the relative risk of bust, which is generally medium for U.S. players but very high for international signees, making projection and player evaluation considerably more challenging. Players drafted in college, instead of early on in their formative years of 17/18, are at a much higher risk of being a bust than international players. Take for example Twins outfielder, Austin Martin. Martin was not an international player, but he attended Trinity Academy in Florida and while there, he played for Team USA at the age of 14 in 2014. In 2017, he was drafted by Cleveland in the 37th round, he turned down the offer and went to Vanderbilt. For him, it was an opportunity to mature physically and emotionally. He had an outstanding collegiate career. He was considered the top hitter in the 2020 draft and as the fifth overall pick by the Blue Jays, he got a $7mm signing bonus. Things haven't come easily for Martin in pro ball. He came to the Twins in the Jose Berrios trade in 2021. Since then, he has bounced back and forth between the minors and the big-league club and has yet to secure a full-time roster spot, with what was a slam dunk draft pick. On the international market, scouts must project what 13-14-year-olds will look like when they are 23-27, a nearly impossible task. Before 2020, the signing date was July 2. Since 2021, January 15 has aligned scouting with the offseason and provided better structure. Twins Daily, specifically ramps up reports for prospects and international signings for January 15, so check out our coverage as we move forward. This article is not to say that international scouting doesn’t work. In fact, it has worked for a lot of teams, including the Twins, but it’s not as simple as showing up to a scouting event like in the U.S. and leaving with the confidence that the junior in high school has the potential to be ready in a year or two, or after college. It means they have to “see the potential” and know that those kids could be developed into an asset to the team. At a minimum, someone they can get good trade value for. International scouting is built on long-term relationships, trust, and projection. While scouts look at players in their younger years, they cannot sign until they are 16, which means a lot of watching, evaluating, and building trust with the families. It’s selling your organization’s facilities in the Dominican Republic, but also in the United States. The Twins have very nice arrangements for young minor leagues with new complexes built in Boca Chica and in Fort Myers. In 2017, the Twins opened their baseball academy in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday, hosting a grand opening in Boca Chica with the Phillies, who share the facility. The two clubs entered a partnership to help build the $18 million academy, which is housed on 45 acres. It features six baseball fields and housing for prospects. It will allow prospects for both teams to live and train at the facility while also participating in education and cultural development programs. Parents know their child will be fed. Most organizations provide these players with an education so they can reach a GED which will serve them well if baseball isn’t in their future. The same is available when the recruits come to Fort Myers in Florida. The Twins have the Lee Sports Complex which comes with the Development Academy, and a 112-room residence hall for players, coaches and staff. While it hosts the Clubs spring training, it serves as a year-round facility for the international students where they can not only train, but an education as well. They also have access to common areas and a play room for down time, when they get it. Adding to the complexity, teams often unofficially agree to deals years before the signing date. These “handshake agreements” are an open secret in baseball and mean that clubs commit significant resources to players before they have fully matured, leaving the team with even less margin for error. They must also be registered with Major League Baseball before any signings and meet residency requirements, meaning they must reside outside the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This article at Baseball Tips does a great job of breaking down what is expected from all sides of the coin. Still, the heart of the challenge remains: projection is guesswork, and the volatility of international talent is extraordinarily high. Some mega-bonus signings never reach the majors. Others, who received far smaller bonuses, became All-Stars. For every highly touted prospect, dozens never leave the complex leagues. If the Twins want to stay competitive and do so within a budget, creating a strong farm system of all signees internationally and from the draft is the only way to do that. With all of this complexity swirling around the international landscape, one big question rises for Twins fans: How well has Minnesota navigated this uniquely challenging market? View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports The Minnesota Twins have had a very quiet offseason, at least in terms of adding on-field talent. Even during the winter meetings when other teams were making movements to fill gaps, the Twins grabbed a player during the Rule 5 Draft and traded him immediately. Nothing flashy, nothing grandiose, just a little building and maintenance. Looking at the 40-man roster and the potential active roster, the Twins have talent, and with the turnover on the coaching staff, the hope is that results will improve. The front office not making big moves is probably smart on their part right now, but there are still gaps in the lineup. There are still questions at first base where there has been a lot of turnover and change the past four seasons. Last season, Twins first basemen ranked 25th out of 30 teams defensively. There was plenty of talking around, looking specifically at first base options. During the Winter Meetings, the Big Fish, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, signed their new contracts. Clearly the Twins weren't swimming in that pool, but they were believed to be looking at the secondary market at first base, such as Rhys Hoskins, Ryan O’ Hearn, and Josh Bell were floating around the rumor mill as potential targets for the Twins. Not a poor choice in the bunch, just what would fit best, and what would the front office be willing to spend with their available funds. The Twins were serious about plugging in another first baseman, so it wasn’t a matter of when, just a matter of who. The Twins jumped into the secondary first base market shortly after the Winter Meetings completed. At 9:28 am on December 15th, Jeff Passan posted on X that the Twins and switch-hitter Josh Bell had agreed to a one-year contract with a 2027 mutual option. While Bell is a first baseman and can and will more than likely play first base, the switch-hitter was picked up for his bat. He will likely serve in the DH role often as he did his last season with the Washington Nationals. At the same time, most fans recall Bell’s 2025 season as being far less productive at the plate than his previous seasons. He ended 2025 with a .237/.325/.417 slash line, suitable for a 110 OPS+, and his relentless work ethic is what makes him a reliable player and leader. If you haven't followed Josh Bell in his career, here is a little background and a snapshot of what the Twins are getting. Bell attended Jesuit College Preparatory in Dallas and had committed to play baseball at the University of Texas. In his senior year of high school, he hit .548 with a 1.054 slugging percentage, 13 home runs, 54 runs batted in, and 54 runs scored. However, Baseball America stated that he was the nation’s top corner outfielder available in the 2011 draft, and even though he was a sought-after commodity, he wrote a letter to the Commissioner's office stating that he would not sign with anyone and intended to honor his commitment to Texas. Despite the notification, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round, He still went to Texas, took some classes, worked out, and then decided to sign with the Pirates in August 2011 for a $5 million signing bonus, setting a record for a second-round draft pick. MLB.com ranked Bell as the 69th best prospect in baseball and number three in the Pirates organization. His professional rise wasn’t instantaneous. In fact, he was in the Pirates minor league system for five years. Ultimately, he used that time to develop, to ready himself for the big leagues. He debuted in 2016, a reminder that some of the game’s most impactful bats aren’t always the fastest risers. Once in the majors, Bell immediately showcased why Pittsburgh invested in him. Even though he was brought up, sent down, and had knee surgery all within a year, he never missed a game or went on the Injured List. On September 4, 2017, Bell broke the National League record for most home runs by a rookie switch hitter. Over five seasons with the Pirates, he posted a .261 batting average with power that translated into 86 home runs across 552 games. His breakout 2019 season earned him an All‑Star nod and a Home Run Derby appearance, milestones that cemented his status as a legitimate middle‑of‑the‑order presence during his peak. But Bell’s career arc hasn’t been a straight line of success. After his All‑Star season, he moved through several teams, including multiple stints with the Nationals. He won a Silver Slugger in 2022. However, a series of trades and signings that have kept him moving around the league, landing back again with the Nationals in 2025. In 2025, Bell experienced the kind of inconsistency that has marked parts of his career. Bell opened the season slowly at the plate before settling into more reliable production. He ended the season with 22 home runs and became the second player on the Nationals, joining Danny Espinosa, to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in the same game. Bell’s defensive metrics have drawn mixed reviews, and rightfully so. In 2025, an already struggling offense for the Nationals was not assisted at all with Bell’s first base performances, or lack thereof, but for the Twins, he will primarily be a DH and will bring a veteran voice to the locker room. The Twins have a fairly young team, not the youngest anymore, but certainly comparatively young and inexperienced to the rest of the league. Along with his presence and a shake-up of the coaching staff, Minnesota is still adamant on 2026 being a season of developmental emphasis and roster evaluation, particularly as the team assesses its competitive timetable. He will add a nice, power-hitting bat to the lineup, while hopefully helping grow the confidence and professionalism of the younger players. This move is calculated. It doesn’t mean that Hoskins or O’Hearn would have been a bad fit. However, having a switch-hitting DH, especially with Clemens available to cover first base, a veteran bat with pop and a track record of production who might unlock lineup balance and offer clubhouse mentorship while allowing Minnesota to keep its long‑term options open by not spending a lot. The AL Central clearly isn’t the best division. Still, it’s a division that demands both offense and savvy roster construction, especially against the ever-frustrating Cleveland Guardians. Bell’s signing strikes a balance of both and gives the Twins another intriguing storyline to follow as spring training approaches. View full article

Over the past week, the Twins (and all other teams) have been busy with their regularly scheduled roster cleaning in preparation for the Winter Meetings. They added six minor leaguers to the 40-man roster. They made a trade, and they tendered contact to all of their arbitration-eligible players. Across baseball, several players were non-tendered by their organizations making them free agents. Here are three non-tendered pitchers that could help the Twins in 2026. IAN HAMILTON - RHP Raise your hand if you can remember when Ian Hamilton pitched in one game for the 2022 Minnesota Twins. Hamilton is a right-handed reliever who joined the Yankees organization in 2023 and made an immediate impact, posting 1.6 bWAR and a stellar 2.64 ERA over 39 appearances and 58 innings, supported by an impressive 2.82 FIP. His wipeout slider and ability to generate whiffs gave New York a valuable mid-to-late inning option. However, the following two seasons were far more turbulent. Hamilton struggled with consistency in 2024 and 2025, and as the Yankees pushed toward a postseason run with a crowded bullpen picture, he was sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in late July. He finished 2025 with 36 MLB outings, logging 40 innings with a 4.28 ERA, 4.39 FIP, and 42 strikeouts. His non-tender was unsurprising given the Yankees’ depth and their preference to lean on a younger, higher-velocity prospect pool for the stretch run. Hamilton’s profile, solid but not dominant, left him squeezed out in a system known for rapid bullpen turnover and constant role competition. Compared to other relievers in New York’s mix, he was no longer a comfortable postseason option, especially after his mid-season demotion. Age also plays a factor. At 30, Hamilton is not old by reliever standards, but he isn’t a long-term developmental project either, and his underwhelming numbers across 2024–2025 raise fair concerns about durability, swing-and-miss sustainability, and whether his best form is behind him. He could easily be the replacement for Jhoan Duran as the closer, but there will never be another Duran. The Twins represent an ideal landing spot, and Minnesota could unlock a resurgence. With the five losses last year at the trade deadline and several of the August and September relievers also becoming free agents, the Twins clearly need arms for competition in the bullpen. Hamilton’s three-pitch mix, led by a slider that generates 69% strikes and a massive 78% whiff rate, gives him a legitimate carrying tool that fits the Twins’ pitching-development model. He limits hard contact, induces chases from left-handed hitters, and shows enough command to profile as a matchup weapon or full-inning reliever. Under pitching coach Pete Maki, the Twins have found success in maximizing relievers, Hamilton could rediscover the sharpness he showed in 2023. For Minnesota, he’s a low-cost, high-upside bullpen addition who fills an immediate need while offering the chance of meaningful rebound value. OMAR CRUZ - LHP Omar Cruz is a left-handed pitcher whose professional journey has taken him from the Padres system to the Pirates in 2021, and back with the Padres in 2023 through the Rule 5 draft. Cruz originally signed out of Mexico in 2017 and made his MLB debut on April 1, 2025, but then was sent down after his second performance on April 5. He was recalled for a couple of days in late May and then again at the end of September but didn't pitch in any games. Cruz built his reputation on a high-performing changeup, solid strike-throwing, and the ability to neutralize left-handed hitters with a mix that plays above its raw velocity. He has shown flashes of potential in both starting and middle relief. While he hasn’t cemented himself as a major-league contributor, he has shown poise and pitchability teams covet in depth arms. And, well, he's left-handed and just 26 years old. He was non-tendered because San Diego faced a roster-crunch. His lack of elite velocity and limited major-league runway made him expendable for a club reshuffling its pitching depth. None of this reflects a lack of skill; it's just the reality of a crowded pitching pipeline, and the Padres need to allocate roster space to higher-ceiling arms. The Twins should consider signing him because his profile fits what their pitching department has excelled at developing: command-first lefties with a plus changeup and room for analytical refinement. In Minnesota, Cruz projects as a depth starter, long reliever, or matchup-friendly lefty who can shuttle between St. Paul and the MLB roster without disrupting roles. The primary concerns are whether his fastball can miss enough bats at the big-league level and whether his margin for error is thin against right-handed hitters. Still, with his age, pitchability, and Twins-friendly toolkit, he represents a low-cost upside player who could become a quietly valuable piece of the 2026 staff, especially as a lefty. JOEY LUCCHESI - LHP Joey Lucchesi is a 32-year-old left-handed pitcher whose career has spanned the Padres, the Mets, and, most recently, the Giants organizations. Once known primarily as a crafty starter with his signature curve, Lucchesi has transitioned effectively into a bullpen role where his ability to neutralize left-handed hitters has become his defining strength. His delivery remains one of the most unusual in baseball, creating a timing disruptor that helps his fastball and changeup play up despite modest velocity. Even as he’s shifted into a relief-focused workload, he’s maintained the pitchability and poise that made him a steady rotation option earlier in his career. Lucchesi was non-tendered due to a combination of age, roster crunch, and the Giants’ increasing push toward younger, higher-octane bullpen arms. San Francisco has spent the past two seasons aggressively turning over its pitching depth, especially in the relief corps, prioritizing velocity and swing-and-miss traits over deception-driven profiles. For a 32-year-old soft-contact lefty, that made him expendable—even if his results and peripherals remained perfectly serviceable. He wasn’t cut because he couldn’t contribute; he was cut because he no longer fit the organizational direction and didn’t offer long-term upside for a club shifting philosophies. For the Twins, however, Lucchesi’s profile is exactly the kind of asset they need. Minnesota lacks reliable left-handed bullpen depth behind Kody Funderburk, and Lucchesi immediately fills that gap with experience, versatility, and a proven track record against tough lefty bats. His “churve”, which is part changeup, part breaking ball, has long been a problem pitch for left-handers, generating weak contact and expanding the zone when leveraged correctly. The concerns are age and ceiling: at 32, he’s not a long-term piece, and his margin for error is smaller than power relievers. But in the short term, he provides the Twins with a steady, matchup-friendly lefty who can handle pockets of left-heavy lineups, piggyback innings, or operate as a multi-out bridge option. Given Minnesota’s bullpen needs and coaching staff’s success with finesse-and-deception arms, Lucchesi is a smart, low-risk fit who could deliver high-value innings right away. Non-tendered pitchers are not going to be the cream of the crop, and it does take the right team to take them on and rebuild them, these three pitchers have a potential to be a good fit for the Twins as short-term options while the teams adjusts to the new structure. View full article

Image courtesy of © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images 4:30 Update: We are still waiting on Twins news beyond the trade and the Topa contract. we will update this article as soon as we know more. 4:35 Update: Trevor Larnach Tendered, per Darren Wolfson. 4:53 Update: The Twins tendered a contract to all of their arbitration-eligible players. Also, DaShawn Keirsey was released, making him a free agent. Next Steps: On January 8, if the two sides haven't reached an agreement, they will submit their arbitration requests. Soon after, if an agreement is till not reached, the case will be heard with an arbitrator who will determine the player's 2026 contract. It will be either the player's request or the team's requested number. Often the sides just meet somewhere in the middle. Of note, tendering a contract to Trevor Larnach does not guarantee he will be with the Twins in 2026. The front office likely has had enough trade interest to indicate that he could be traded during the offseason. Teams would obviously much rather lose a player, especially a former first-round pick, for something rather than nothing. Baseball's offseason can be long and winding, sometimes boring, and other times hectic. For instance, today (at 3pm central time) marks the deadline for teams to tender 2026 contracts to their arbitration-eligible players and pre-arbitration players. Check back to this article throughout the day to see if the Twins have reached agreements with their arbitration-eligible players or if they will need to exchange values. Some of those decisions have already been made. The Twins DFAd three relievers, right-hander Michael Tonkin and lefties Genesis Cabrera and Anthony Misiewicz. They each became free agents. This morning, the Twins traded Saints utilityman Payton Eeles to the Orioles in exchange for catcher Alex Jackson. To make room on the 40-man roster, DaShawn Keirsey was DFAd. Jackson has played in parts of five big-league seasons and has just over three years of service time which makes him arbitration-eligible for the first time. Here are the eight arbitration-eligible Twins players with their MLB Trade Rumors 2026 salary projection: C Ryan Jeffers: $6.6 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) RHP Justin Topa: $1.7 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) The Twins had a $2 million team option for Topa that they declined. Adding the $225,000 buyout to his $1.225 million 2026 contract, Topa gets $1.45 million in an awkward total. As for the 2026 contract, his salary will be $1 million with an option for $5 million in 2027 with a buyout at $225,000. RHP Bailey Ober: $4.6 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) RHP Joe Ryan: $5.8 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) OF Trevor Larnach: $4.7 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) 3B Royce Lewis: $3.0 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) RHP Cole Sands: $1.3 million (Arbitrary Thoughts) C Alex Jackson: $1.8 million Again, continue to check back throughout the day for more updates and to discuss. View full article

Why did I think that we had more.... thank you for this. Other teams for SURE have more. I looked at our FCL and omg......Astros and Padres are tied for first for international free agents. then obviously the Dodgers and Mets....but then weirdly the SF Giants.

Thank you, Rufus. You have no idea how excited that makes me as the writer :)

Image courtesy of © Brad Rempel-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins, like many mid-market teams, face the perennial challenge of competing with the Yankees, Dodgers, and other big-spending franchises. With limited payroll flexibility, the temptation is often to chase external talent through free agency. But there is a smarter path: maximize the value of homegrown players by paying them fairly as they continue to contribute productive WAR, and by investing in coaching and player development. Teams like the Twins, Rays, and Guardians generate less local revenue from TV deals, ticket sales, and concessions. Even the central revenue sharing, which has each team contribute 48% into a pool that can exceed $110 million, is barely enough to keep the Twins afloat. And we all know why: winning in the AL Central does not pay like the Yankees’ golden goose. The strategy of homegrown talent is not theoretical; it is already yielding results for teams like the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays, two organizations that have consistently produced elite-level talent without breaking the bank. The Twins are slowly figuring it out, but there is a process to the madness that they can lean into to be successful in the fight for the postseason, as the Guardians have been. The Twins front office relies heavily on WAR and analytics to create the best teams. So how does that translate to what is on the field? Baseball success is not just about spending big; it is about maximizing value. At its core, the formula is simple. Fangraphs rates the cost per 1 WAR at around $8 million. Every player’s financial cost is their average salary plus any developmental costs. A homegrown player earning $1–2 million and producing 3.0 WAR delivers far more efficiency than a $15 million veteran producing the same value. Coaching can be a multiplier, turning raw talent into tangible results by refining mechanics, improving decision-making, and building mental toughness. The Cleveland Guardians provide a clear example. Low payroll has not stopped them from producing All-Star talent. Take José Ramírez, a $50,000 international signee who became a perennial All-Star, and first-round pick Francisco Lindor, who amassed more than 28 WAR before being traded. In 2024, 15 homegrown Guardians contributed 25.4 WAR to the playoff roster, showing that low acquisition costs and effective development can yield significant returns. While Lindor moved on to the Mets and has consistently thrived, Ramírez has become the heart of the team and signed a seven-year, $141 million contract extension with the Guardians, much like Byron Buxton, which gives them room to build around the veteran. The Tampa Bay Rays take the concept even further, serving as the gold standard of “cheap WAR.” They drafted star Evan Longoria, who went on to produce 51.8 WAR, which at market value can be $8–10 million per WAR. He brought significant overall value to the team. Kevin Kiermaier delivered his WAR very efficiently; each “unit” of WAR he produced cost the team only about $132,000, according to DraysBay. Behind the scenes, the Rays’ analytics teams, mental skills coaches, and mechanics specialists amplify development, proving that elite performance comes from out-developing, not outspending. When Stu Sternberg sold the team this fall, he used the revenue to give everyone a bonus for their hard work during his tenure, which included nine postseason runs and two World Series appearances. The Twins have made progress. In 2024, 63% of their WAR came from homegrown talent, with players like 12th-round pick Bailey Ober delivering 3.5 WAR seasons. But gaps remain. Pitcher development has been historically inconsistent, coaching depth may lag behind the Guardians or Rays, and the Twins sometimes pay veteran-level prices for production that could be cultivated internally. Without deeper investment in coaching, Minnesota risks leaving WAR and payroll efficiency on the table. The math for coaching investment is compelling. One homegrown player producing three WAR generates roughly $24 million in market value. While the Twins’ cost is a $1.5 million salary plus development, that creates a surplus of $22.5 million. Scaling up, improving the WAR output of just 10 players by one WAR each adds around 10 WAR, translating to roughly $80 million in added value. The required investment in coaching infrastructure, around $5–10 million, is a fraction of the potential return, making it one of the highest-leverage moves a team can make. It is not just about coaching at the major league level but also at the minor league level. Coaching at minor league levels has left a sour taste in fans' mouths when a player comes up and is clearly not club-ready, affecting the whole team. So what should the Twins do? Continue to prioritize coaching that strengthens a team atmosphere across mechanics, analytics, performance, and mental skills at every level of the organization. Build a development “stack” that ensures continuity from A-ball to the majors. Work with players to become elite enough to offer extensions instead of arbitration. Measure ROI by tracking internal WAR and cost-per-WAR, benchmarking against the Rays and Guardians. And finally, shift payroll focus: spend smarter, not necessarily more. By investing in coaching and development, the Twins can turn modest spending into elite results and compete sustainably in a mid-market environment. Derek Shelton is bringing a new emphasis on coaching depth and player development to the Twins, aiming to maximize both performance and financial efficiency. Under his leadership, the club is investing in a full spectrum of coaching expertise, including mechanics, analytics, performance training, mental skills, and video review, to ensure players are developing at every level. Shelton’s approach turns raw talent into measurable WAR, helping homegrown players reach their potential while keeping payroll efficient. He complements coaches like Pete Maki by building a coaching infrastructure that addresses every aspect of the game. Shelton is positioning the Twins to convert modest investments into elite production, following the models of teams like Cleveland and Tampa Bay. It is not to say that the Twins have not already considered most of this and are doing their best to become competitive with their own talent. What is the actual difference between the three organizations? Do the Twins not hire enough? Do the Twins not hire the right people? View full article

Image courtesy of John Bonnes The Twins are going through a major rebuild after a dismal season on the field, which led to the dumping of 11 players at the July trade deadline. In a continuation of that exodus, manager Rocco Baldelli was fired at the end of the season. While fans speculated about an internal or familiar face during the search for Baldelli’s replacement, many were not shocked that it turned out to be a familiar face from another floundering team. Derek Shelton comes to the Twins after being fired in the middle of the 2025 season and leaves with a .410 win percentage for his five-plus years as manager of the Pirates. But the upside of this acquisition is that Shelton is used to a rebuild. In fact, from 2022 to 2024, his Pittsburgh clubs began making improvements, but they weren’t enough.While Shelton was with the Pirates, the talent shortfall led to a mediocre on-field product. Hopefully, with the Twins’ talent already in place, he can start with a solid team capable of producing immediate results. A deep dive into his statements about being a coach shows that his first concern is communication from the top down—something the Twins may have lacked in Baldelli’s latter days. Shelton’s approach has always centered on accountability and communication. Following a tough 5-1 loss to Oakland in August 2024, his message was blunt: “No, we shouldn’t be in better spirits afterwards. We’ve got to get better. This is a situation where we need to focus and we need to get better.” That was a few bruising years into the project. Right away, though, he made clear the nature of his expectations of players and their responsibilities to one another. “It is crucial for players to consider how their daily actions affect their teammates,” Shelton said during his first spring training with Pittsburgh in 2020. “The focus should be on helping teammates and thinking about what each individual needs to do to help the team win.” One major failure of his stint with the Pirates came in the form of trying but not always succeeding that very aspect. When asked Tuesday about what he learned from his sojourn to the Steel City, Shelton had a quick answer, and a plan for how to better execute the ideas he articulated in the past. “I think the first and probably most important thing is, you have to have conversations, and you have to have the follow-up conversations,” he said. “Because what is heard, what is said and how it’s retained sometimes loses its place, and because of that, you don’t end up getting the best out of the situation or the player.” Shelton comes across as direct, often unsatisfied, and focused on improvement. He wants players—and even the front office and coaches—to recognize that you can’t be a team unless individual actions impact everyone as a whole; everyone impacts the win or the loss. Shelton seems to recognize that a loss isn't about blame, as much as it is a chance to improve and reflect on being better. The Twins’ 2025 roster wasn’t short on talent. In fact, they have some of the best prospects in the league, but inconsistency has been a recurring theme. If Shelton's passion and sincerity about accountability are transferable and accepted by the team, could he turn that into success? In March 2025, after early-season defensive miscues, Shelton asserted (as relayed in an article by AP News’ Will Graves) that the players needed to be involved in the conversation for improvement to take root. “Fixing these issues will involve conversations with the players, as these are things the team worked on all spring that need to be cleaned up.” Shelton is no stranger to a rebuild. However, the Pirates under Shelton never had the luxury of depth. A front office still in transition left him trying to make progress with limited pieces. He can only work with what he’s got, and the Pirates didn’t give him much. The Twins have a stronger farm system, and in Byron Buxton, Pablo López and Joe Ryan, they arguably have more proven stars than Pittsburgh had. Shelton’s experience managing through chaos on the field in Pittsburgh may translate into more success in Minnesota. Shelton shows that he wants growth and recognizes there is humanity involved, but he is really focused on fundamentals—proper process and everyone being on the same page to achieve the goal. On Dec. 4, 2019, as he came into the Pirates organization, he said, “We’re going to be very process-driven,” he said. “The fact that we’re 100% aligned—front office, manager, and coaching staff—that’s where it starts.” If Shelton continues to talk about processes, alignment, and growth, one area the Twins need help with is on-field fundamentals, from situational hitting to aggressive gameplay. That certainly was the focus when he was introduced Tuesday, too. “There will be more attention to details, more to fundamentals—and that’s not talking about anything that happened before. It’s just talking about the lessons I’ve learned,” he said, when asked about his vision for the team’s play in 2026. “I think we saw in the World Series this year that three little plays and a matter of like three or four inches determined who was gonna win a World Series game, or who was gonna win the World Series. So the focus of that is going to be very important to me. And I think that’s something that I’ve learned over the course of years, that it’s really important—that there’s no detail that’s too small.” One place where the Twins lack is aggression, on the field, at the plate, on the bases, and from the mound. Shelton has talked a lot about being more aggressive in post-game interviews, and fans would love to see a coach who really breeds that desire and implements a hunger for players to be active in situational hitting and base running. That relentless push for improvement (sometimes to the point of frustration) may be the jolt Minnesota needs. The Twins don’t require a rebuild; they need refinement, aggression, and sharper execution. When Shelton said, “It’s time to win,” it was a message meant for Pittsburgh. But it fits Minnesota perfectly now. Shelton arrives in Minnesota not as a first-time manager, but as a leader shaped by mistakes, pressure, and growth. The Pirates never gave him the roster to showcase his full potential. The Twins might. If his communication, accountability, and culture-first mindset take root, Minnesota may finally see what Shelton can do when talent and vision align. View full article