Royce Lewis is no longer the thin, agile and very fast shortstop the Twins drafted in 2017. Entering his 26-year-old season, he has matured into 200+ lb., big, strong and not as fast power hitter. Defensively he likely could play any corner infield or outfield position. That is, if he and Twins management are willing to dedicate Lewis to mastering the nuances of one defensive position.
He has not played a full season at third base so he gets some leeway to further develop his defensive skills at third. He's adequate defensively with the glove but his throwing needs a lot of work. Unless he is allowed to use his linebacker build to tackle runners at second base, would his career not be better served by using 2025 to transition him to primarily playing first base by 2026?
The idea seems to have some logic if playing first base helps Lewis avoid the wear and tear of third base and also keep his bat in the lineup when he has minor injuries. As he gets older and bigger, first base is where his going to end up anyway. He has the athletic ability to be a Gold Glover at first if he will work at its defensive nuances. Hey Tom Kelly, can you help a guy out?
Can anyone Lewis him as a Gold Glove second baseman? Maybe a few, but those people also cheered Miguel Sano as an outfielder. Allowing players to settle in at one primary position also allows for less mental stress and better at bats. Many players' offense suffers when playing out of position. There are few Willi Castro's.
The other Big If: Does the Twins brain trust care enough about defense to allow players (other than the big money guys) to master one defensive position? My viewpoint is No. And that is what dooms Rocco's platoon-ball. Every year's goal should be to win the World Series, not just make the playoffs. The teams that win it all are solid defensively at every position. It's time for the Twins to put players like Lewis at positions where they can succeed as our young pitchers mature.
What do you think about Royce Lewis as our first baseman in 2026?
