Lou Hennessy

The rich just continue to get richer. Aaron Gleeman has worked on his craft for decades, and has earned the trust of thousands of followers when it comes to his coverage of the Minnesota Twins. But if you’re a joyless curmudgeon like me, his new business endeavor after leaving The Athletic has to make you sick. It hasn’t even been two weeks since he launched his site, and he’s already lured thousands of poor souls to his click trap of a website. So I implore all of you like-minded cynics out there: please, for the love of all that is good, do not support this man, and keep your credit card numbers far, far away from AaronGleeman.com. If you absolutely seethe at the thought of a local writer choosing to stay loyal to his hordes of followers rather than pursue a national gig, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman. If you detest strong writing, with a clear thought process and well-argued talking points that can be easily digested by casual fans and diehards alike, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman. If you find yourself rooting against underdog protagonists who follow their heart and bet on themselves even when facing uncertainty, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman. If you can’t stand when humble people thank you endlessly and graciously for your kind support, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman. If you are bored to death by an engaging and interactive weekly list of interesting articles that someone with good taste recommends to you, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman and his Link-O-Rama bit. If you roll your eyes when an established, well-known media personality encourages aspiring podcasters and writers to pursue their passions, then please do not encourage Aaron Gleeman. I guess if you actually do admire all of those things, then by all means, waste your hard-earned money on this schlub. Whatever, it’s your funeral. A lot of people pay good money to hear and read what this guy has to say. His hard work, dedication and insightful voice have made him a must-follow for baseball fans, and he’s now built two legitimate Twins content empires. But please, I beg of you, do not encourage him enough that he wants to build a third. He’s taking enough of my money each month as it is.

Hordes of passionate Twins fans made their way to St. Paul to make sure their voices were heard on Saturday afternoon. Starting third baseman, Royce Lewis, has found a new home near the bottom of the lineup card, and these folks have already had enough of the nonsense of the young 2026 Twins season. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw the lineup come out this morning,” said Ed Malarkey as he waved his ‘BRING BACK ROCCO’ flag outside the Capitol building. “Batting him 8th? Again? Sheltie should’ve learned his lesson on Thursday!” Indeed, manager Derek Shelton decided to keep Lewis in the 8-hole, despite the massive outcry from the most dramatic corner of the fanbase. “It’s obvious that Lewis is a vibes guy,” Malarkey said, as a stream of frustrated tears fell to his t-shirt with a crossed out ‘8’ on it. “If you want him to perform, you need to make sure he gets his tablet time and a juice box, then you need to tell him how special he is, and then you bat him third. That’s what Tom Kelly did with Kirby Puckett, and now he’s my favorite player of all time, so you know it works.” Despite the massive crowds who all voiced their displeasure over the weekend, Lewis seemed to take the decision as professionally as anyone could’ve asked of him. He didn’t complain to any reporters, and his relationship with Shelton certainly appears to be healthy as ever. It’s almost as if this 26-year-old professional athlete simply showed up, tried his best to compete for his team, and didn’t worry about something as petty as opening series lineup structure. “I gotta be honest, I was surprised to see him so low in the lineup. It’s all I could think about while Sheltie gave his pregame speech about it being an honor to wear this uniform, or whatever he was talking about,” said a fellow former first-round pick who wished to remain anonymous. “I don’t know, I wasn’t really listening. I’m just kind of surprised I’m still on the team.” The crowds at the capitol were reinforced with some star power, to boot. Rock legend Bruce Springsteen took the stage to sing "Heart of the Lineup," the new song that he wrote earlier in the week, with a chorus that directly reflects Lewis's current predicament. So come on, Skip, just give me a chance, I’ll pull through for you, just wait and see. I got one more swing in me, I’m ready to unload, And I’m sick of hitting in front of Brooks Lee. The crowd of 100,000 ate up every word, and gave a rousing round of applause as Springsteen exited the stage. He was followed in the program by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), who captivated the audience with his honest thoughts on the matter, and the state of Twins baseball in general. “It’s not right that someone like Royce Lewis should be relegated to so few at-bats, while nepo babies like Kody Clemens get to hoard so many opportunities simply because of who their dad was,” he shouted from behind a wall of bulletproof glass, in case of any potential threat from a rogue front office representative. “And enough with the targeted advertisements for $2 pregame beers. Instead, they should focus on making it easier for old coots to come to the game by themselves, with wired headphones and a Walkman so that they can listen to the radio broadcast in peace. Is that too much to ask for?” After Sanders’s speech, the hordes of disgruntled fans returned home, and awaited their call to action until the next time the team did something to piss them off. That next rally is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

Kaelen Culpepper Bats: R / Throws: R Age: 23 Stats in 2025: (High-A, Double A) 517 PA, .289/.375/.469, 16 2B, 3 3B, 20 HR, 25 SB Rule 5 Eligible: After 2027 Season ETA: Late 2026 2025 Ranking: 3 National Top 100 Rankings BP: 71 | MLB: 52 | ATH: 82 | BA: 74 | ESPN: 79 It’s easy to see the upside that the Twins banked on when they selected Culpepper with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft. He was coming off of a fantastic campaign with the Kansas State Wildcats where he flashed plus speed, slick fielding and some noticeable pop. And after his first full season of professional ball, that vision of a high performing middle infielder has become even clearer. Culpepper started the 2025 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, where he raked to the tune of an .864 OPS (147 wRC+) while displaying his acrobatic defense calling card. It took just 54 games for the Twins to determine that it was time for Culpepper to face steeper competition at the Double A level, and the shortstop continued to deliver with the Wichita Wind Surge. His performance earned him a selection to the MLB Futures Game, where he shared the field with the game’s other top prospects. He’s likely to begin his 2026 campaign in Double A, but if he maintains this blistering pace while refining his offensive approach, he could make the case for a promotion to the Twin Cities in short order. What to Like Culpepper’s profile is certainly enticing, especially when you consider the question marks surrounding the top of the organization’s depth chart at the shortstop position. In fact, his strengths so far in his young career seem to counter the weaknesses of Brooks Lee, the presumed starting shortstop for the Twins. Culpepper has shown strong defensive range up the middle thanks to his plus speed and highlight reel-worthy athleticism–something Lee has struggled to develop. A future at the shortstop position is certainly possible given his 60-grade arm, but even if he requires a move to a new defensive home at some point, there’s confidence that he could be a strong everyday second or third baseman. Culpepper also tapped into some power that wasn’t necessarily a given when the Twins drafted him a year prior. He popped 20 home runs in 113 games played in 2025, leading to a very strong .469 slugging percentage. That’s a 28-homer pace across 162 games, which is something Lee never displayed at any level in his career. And while it’s unrealistic to expect that sort of powerful production from KC as he continues to develop, it’s going to be hard to forget that he flashed this type of in-game pop while still adding size and strength as a 22-year-old. And even if that strength dips, a strong defensive middle infielder with 15-20 home run power and plus speed on the base paths would make him an extremely valuable commodity. What to Work On While Culpepper was still able to make a decent amount of contact with his swings, evaluators are worried about his penchant to chase out of the strike zone. This mostly comes from a lack of breaking ball recognition, especially on sliders low and out of the zone. Like Lee, Culpepper has good enough bat-to-ball skills that he’s able to reach down and make contact with pitches below the zone, but there’s a reason we didn’t mention this in the “what to like” portion of his write-up. He was able to get away with this at the collegiate level, but that flaw is only going to get further exacerbated as he faces steeper competition. If Culpepper isn’t able to make an adjustment for this part of his offensive skillset, it’s hard to project him as a plus hitter at the game’s top level. But evaluators are willing to give him the opportunity to improve in this regard before writing him off, given his clear high-end talent. Culpepper has shown enough to suggest he’ll continue to be viewed as a starting caliber shortstop, but scouts don’t seem to love his quick-twitch reaction on hard hit balls. This could be due to his pre-pitch setup, which is something that can certainly be adjusted and improved with time. But if he can’t stick up the middle, his bat profile might not be a great fit at the hot corner. Are these warts enough for him to not be considered the best shortstop prospect in the system? Probably not, but last year’s first round pick, Marek Houston, was the clear-cut best collegiate shortstop in his draft class and may be hot on his heels. What to Look For in 2026 Culpepper is going to be one of the must-see youngsters in the Twins’ system, and a couple good breaks could find him making his MLB debut by the end of the season. It’s certainly not a lock to happen since he only has about two months of experience in the upper levels of the minor leagues. But he held his own in that time, slashing a strong .285/.367/.460 (129 wRC+) against competition that was roughly two years older on average. Say he starts the year back with Double-A Wichita and continues to display strong defense while maintaining that level of offensive production, a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul could come along pretty quickly, and then it’s mostly a matter of opportunity that would determine his call to the Twins. The Twins aren’t going to rush him to the big leagues as some sort of knight in shining armor, ready to propel them back into contention. But anything can happen for a top prospect in their early-20s, who is healthy, performing, and making necessary adjustments to their game.

The Twins are bringing Gio Urshela back where he belongs, as his once-famous walk-up music would suggest. A report from Daniel Álvarez-Montes states he has agreed to a minor-league deal, with an invitation to spring training. Urshela, 34, was a lineup stalwart for the Twins in his lone season with the club in 2022, and now he’ll hope to win a bench job out of spring camp. Many fans will remember him as one of the main pieces in the return package in the trade that sent Josh Donaldson to the New York Yankees. The Twins traded him to the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo the following winter. Since leaving the Twins, Urshela has spent the last three seasons with the Angels, Detroit Tigers, and West Sacramento Athletics. While he was a well-above-average hitter in his lone season with the Twins (.285/.338/.429, 118 wRC+), his bat has dipped significantly since, combining for a .260/.298/.357 (81 wRC+) rate. In particular, Urshela has struggled against high velocity over the last two seasons. He has just a 26% Hard-Hit rate against pitches 95 MPH and above. According to Inside Edge, that’s tied for fourth-lowest in all of baseball in that time frame. Ironically enough, that rate is tied with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was also part of the Donaldson trade with the Yankees and recently signed a big-league deal with Boston. Regardless, it doesn’t bode well for the aging Urshela, even if his value always lay mostly in his defense. Entering spring training, the veteran is hoping to prove he can still be a suitable depth piece in the Twins’ corner infield mix. With Royce Lewis penciled in as the full-time third baseman and some combination of Josh Bell, Kody Clemens and Victor Caratini manning first base, it looks to be a pretty tall task for the former fan favorite. He has mostly played third base since leaving Minnesota, and his glovework has suffered as he entered his mid-30s. His defense at the hot corner was worth -3 Outs Above Average in just 56 games last season with the Athletics. It is nice to note, at least, that he's effectively the opposite of Lewis in terms of swing characteristics, so he could have matchup value as a backup thereto, despite being a righty batter like Lewis. Whereas Lewis has a fast, flat, pull-oriented swing, Urshela uses a slow, steep one that can generate lift but also pushes the ball toward the opposite field. Even with Urshela’s uphill battle to claim a roster spot, it doesn’t hurt the Twins to bring in a player on a minor-league deal. If he fails to make the team out of spring training, there would be plenty of opportunities for him to play with Triple-A St. Paul, should he accept the assignment. What do you think about this signing? Are you glad to have Gio Urshela back in the mix with the Twins? Who else would you like to see the club bring in before the start of the 2026 season? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section, and as always, stay sweet.

Twins baseball is back on the air—or, at least, it will be. On Thursday, the team released its complete broadcast schedule for spring training action, which is set to begin on Friday, Feb. 20, with an exhibition tilt against the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. Grapefruit League play will begin the following day, with the Twins facing their crosstown rivals, the Boston Red Sox. In conjunction with Major League Baseball, 830 WCCO (WCCO-AM) and 102.9 The Wolf (KMNB-FM), along with the Treasure Island Baseball Network (TIBN), the Twins announced a comprehensive radio broadcast schedule, which will give fans free access to 25 games via a combination of over-the-air and streamable broadcasts through the Audacy and MLB.TV apps. (Notably, nine of these games will be exclusive to the Audacy app.) The team also confirmed that 22 games will be available for fans to watch live via their direct-to-consumer Twins.TV platform. Anyone can register for a free account that will feature these spring training games, and regular-season MLB.TV subscribers will also have access through their account. Linear subscribers will also be able to access these games through their cable, satellite and multichannel video providers. Subscription packages for Twins.TV, as well as league-wide packages, will be available for fans to purchase or renew starting on February 10. Two games will also be featured for free on FOX 9 (KMSP-TV). Their Saturday, March 14 tilt against the Tampa Bay Rays and a Friday, March 20 matchup with the reigning American League champion Toronto Blue Jays will kick off the second year of limited free over-the-air broadcasts, with a handful of regular-season games following throughout the year. Seven other spring training games will be aired on FOX 9+. Of these 22 streamable games, 15 will be Twins-produced broadcasts. A dozen of these will be simulcast with radio productions. Familiar faces and voices will be featured on these various broadcasts, including Twins.TV’s Cory Provus, radio play-by-play voice Kris Atteberry, Twins Hall of Famer Dan Gladden and National Baseball Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. Highlights of this spring schedule include a matchup with Team Puerto Rico on March 4 before they head to the World Baseball Classic, and an all-prospect face-off between the Twins’ top youngsters and those of the Philadelphia Phillies on March 19. Here's the full schedule, with game times, ways to watch and broadcasters scheduled to handle the contests. Happy viewing. Date Opponent Time CT TV Radio/Stream Talent Fri., 2/20 Univ. of Minnesota 5:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Sat., 2/21 Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Tue., 2/24 Baltimore 12:05 PM TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Wed., 2/25 Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Thu., 2/26 @ Pittsburgh 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via SNP) Fri., 2/27 NY Yankees 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Sat., 2/28 @ Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via NESN) Sun., 3/1 Atlanta 12:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Tue., 3/3 Tampa Bay 12:05 PM TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Wed., 3/4 Puerto Rico (WBC) 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Thu., 3/5 @ NY Yankees 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via YES) Fri., 3/6 Atlanta 5:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Sun., 3/8 Philadelphia 12:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Wed., 3/11 Detroit 12:05 PM TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Thu., 3/12 Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Fri., 3/13 @ Toronto 12:07 PM Twins.TV (via SN) Sat., 3/14 Tampa Bay 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App Dan Gladden / Paul Molitor Sun., 3/15 @ Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via NESN) Mon., 3/16 Pittsburgh 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App Cory Provus / Paul Molitor Tue., 3/17 @ Philadelphia 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via NBCSP) Thu., 3/19 Philadelphia (Spring Breakout) 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App Cory Provus / Paul Molitor Fri., 3/20 Toronto 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App TV: Cory Provus / Glen Perkins TIBN: Kris Atteberry / Paul Molitor Sun., 3/22 Atlanta 12:05 PM Twins.TV/ Gray Media TIBN/ 830 WCCO/ 102.9 The Wolf/Audacy App TV: Cory Provus / Glen Perkins TIBN: Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden Mon., 3/23 @ Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV (via NESN) Tue., 3/24 Boston 12:05 PM Twins.TV/FOX 9+/ Gray Media TIBN/Audacy App TV: Cory Provus / Glen Perkins TIBN: Kris Atteberry / Dan Gladden

Their inclusion was announced weeks—even months—ago, but with the tournament around the corner, it's a good time to note that three Minnesota Twins will represent their home countries in the World Baseball Classic. Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan will don the stars and stripes for Team USA, with Pablo López potentially holding down a rotation spot for Team Venezuela. His inclusion has not been officially confirmed by Major League Baseball, but reports surfaced a few weeks ago saying he would be on the roster. Newly-signed catcher Victor Caratini was also planning to play for Team Puerto Rico, but he and a handful of his countrymen (including former Twin Carlos Correa) were reportedly denied insurance for these games and are thus not included on the roster. The tournament runs every three years, and is largely seen as the game’s highest level of international competition. While baseball has been on various Olympic games dockets, it traditionally has not included MLB stars. The WBC has attracted far more established, household names over the years, and continues to grow in popularity. For three weeks starting on March 5, 20 teams will go head-to-head, starting with pool play, then advancing to a bracket. It culminates with a championship game on March 17 at loanDepot Park in Miami. Buxton should get plenty of playing time even in a star-studded outfield for Team USA, where he’ll likely split center field duties with Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong. Buxton may have the edge as a veteran, with a longer track record when it comes to his hitting ability, but Crow-Armstrong was one of the best in the game when it came to defense in 2025. They’ll be joined on the outfield grass by Aaron Judge and Corbin Carroll. Perhaps this will be the first time we see Buxton in a corner outfield role in his professional career, should manager Mark DeRosa decide to mix and match for platoon advantages. Ryan is joined in the starting rotation by reigning Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, along with Logan Webb. Clayton Kershaw is also on the roster, but it’s unclear if he’ll work in a starting or a relief role in what will be the final professional appearance of his illustrious career. Regardless, Ryan is primed to get at least one start, especially if Team USA makes it out of pool play. Notably, Ryan represented Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics, where he earned a silver medal. López would be the highest-profile starter on Team Venezuela’s roster, where he’d be joined by fellow MLB veterans Germán Márquez and Eduardo Rodríguez. Of note, López dazzled in the 2023 WBC, highlighted by a 4 ⅓-inning gem against Puerto Rico wherein he only allowed two hits and an earned run while striking out six. A handful of old friends are also participating in this year’s games. Former Twins pitcher Griffin Jax (currently on the Tampa Bay Rays) will join Buxton and Ryan on Team USA. Slugger Carlos Santana (Arizona Diamondbacks) will yet again represent Dominican Republic, where he’ll be joined by one-time Twins spring training invitee Dennis Santana (Pittsburgh Pirates). Harrison Bader (San Francisco Giants) will play for Team Israel, and Willi Castro (Colorado Rockies) will represent Puerto Rico. Liam Hendriks (free agent) will play for Team Australia, as he hopes to continue his playing career, and Terrin Vavra (free agent), the former University of Minnesota Golden Gopher and son of former Twins coach Joe Vavra, will represent Team Czechia. WBC games kick off at 9 PM CST on March 4, and can be seen on FOX, FS1, FS2 and the FOX Sports app.

After a disheartening campaign in 2025, Ben Weber decided to drop his Twins season ticket plan heading into this year. He felt his relationship with the club had grown stale, and he needed to find out who he was apart from his longtime favorite franchise. But love doesn’t give up that easily, and neither does Twins owner Tom Pohlad. “The day after I cancelled my full-season package, I woke up to the sound of some music playing from my front yard,” Weber said, with some confusion in his voice. “I looked out my window and saw Tom standing in my yard holding something over his head that I guess is called a boombox? I don’t even know what that is. I was born in ‘96.” Pohlad was doing his best impression of John Cusack from the hit 1989 movie "Say Anything." In the film, Cusack’s character tries to win back his heartbroken lover with a boombox lifted above his head, playing Peter Gabriel’s hit “In Your Eyes” from her front lawn. It was supposed to be a touching display of vulnerability and defiance against her father’s wishes. All this comes after a report from The Athletic’s Dan Hayes (an '80s heartthrob in his own right) that Pohlad made multiple cold calls to departing season ticket holders, in an effort to smooth things over and reignite interest in the club. Apparently, he even left voicemails for those who refused to answer his call. “A voicemail?” Weber exclaimed with a chilling shudder. “Literally my worst nightmare. If there’s anything I hate more than answering a call from an unknown number, it’s getting a notification that they left me a message. Absolute psychopath behavior. Oh, and now he’s showing up to my home address. Perfect.” It’s unclear if Pohlad’s effort will lead to any renewed interest from disheartened fans, but it’s clear that he wants to put all of his energy toward turning enthusiasm around, after multiple difficult seasons. If his cold calls (and now front lawn serenades) don’t work out, it sounds like he has a few more tricks up his sleeve. His next move would be to meet these fans at their doorstep with cue cards (so that the rest of the household doesn’t get suspicious), a la "Love Actually". He’ll drop the cards one by one, while looking longingly into their eyes as they read. “With any luck, by this time next year, we’ll be hoisting a trophy” “But for now, let me say without hope or agenda” “Just because it’s ticket renewal season (and at renewal you tell the truth)” “To me, your 20-game flex plan was perfect” He’ll go on to reiterate his family’s utmost commitment to fielding a competitive team, by any means necessary (well, almost). “Look, I’ll buy some tickets. That’s fine,” said Weber, mounting a new deadbolt to his front door. “Just please leave my property.”