Lou Hennessy

On Tuesday night, Target Field was hit with the hottest viral trend when it comes to professional sporting events. Hundreds of young men made their way to section 238 in right field, removed their shirts, and waved them wildly over their heads as a rallying cry. This is Tarps Off. It’s becoming an epidemic, and spreading like wildfire among the youth. If you know someone between the ages of 17-29 (likely named something along the lines of Aidan, Jaden, Kaeden, Brayden and did we mention Aidan?), then they’ve probably participated in this phenomenon at some point in the last few weeks. Unfortunately for these trendsetters, the fun is surely coming to an end in the near future, as the trend has made its way to the place where fads go to die: the press box at Target Field. The collection of mostly dad bods in the Twins media contingent decided to get in on the action during Thursday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, removing their short-sleeve button-downs and exposing their pasty white bellies for all to see. “You’re telling me this is how I find out Theo Tollefson has pierced nipples?” exclaimed a terrified fan sitting in the section just in front of the press box. “That’s a zone that I wish had remained covered.” It’s hard to say why these beat writers decided to take their tarps off. Some speculate it was due to pure boredom during a prolonged rain delay. Others say it was a desperate cry for help. Regardless of how it started, it became clear that most wanted it to stop, almost immediately. “I might have chuckled at first, but it quickly became clear that we were watching a painful death of this newly beloved trend,” said a representative of the Twins Communication department who wished to remain nameless (and become sightless). “It’s all fun and games until you see Dan Hayes with his shirt off.” The tarps off trend was birthed during an Oklahoma State football game last fall, but it officially suffered a painful death in the Target Field press box. Once the old white guys decide to give it a try, it’s practically a death sentence. It happened with the dab. It happened with 6-7. It’s inevitable, really. Tarps off was fun while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end. We all have to grow up and put our shirts back on eventually. As the old saying goes: Don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because you can’t get the image out of your head.

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.”

Gleeman was dead, to begin with. Well, maybe he wasn’t dead, but he had officially decided to fully buy in to the “never leaves his home” hermit bit, and to end his involvement in his longstanding and ever-popular Twins podcast, Gleeman and the Geek. So effectively, we’ll say he was pretty much dead to us. His longtime podcast partner, Ebenezer John Bonnes, had plans in the works to continue the show with a fully automated artificial intelligence partner, but he hadn’t disclosed this to his adoring fans, or even to his loyal employees with Twins Daily. He had dabbled with the digital dark arts in the past, but this would be a full sell out to the generative demons that have begun to plague our society. Bonnes made his way through the streets of downtown Minneapolis on Christmas Eve, Raycon earbuds plugged into each ear, fully detached from the bustling winter wonderland that surrounded him. “Look, isn’t that Ebenezer John Bonnes? I had heard he skipped town for Costa Rica after his show ended, never to return to Twins Territory again!” cried one of the many Cody-named peasants to another in the street. “Merry Christmas, master Bonnes! May you have a blessed off-season. We miss you dearly!” Bonnes turned to look at the Codies. He scowled and huffed with disgust. “Bah. Hotdog!” the old man shouted to them before shuffling into his posh downtown condo building. “Go bug someone else for once.” As he approached the front door of the lobby, he was startled by the cold, dead, scruffy and disapproving face of his old partner, Aaron Gleeman, staring back at him through the front window. Bonnes fell backward to the ground. He stood up and rubbed his eyes in terror, as he couldn’t believe what he had seen. When he looked back up into the window, the face had disappeared, leaving only his own reflection. “Okay, no more French pilsner tonight.” Bonnes said to himself before scurrying inside. As nightfall crept over the solemn skyline outside of his penthouse apartment, Bonnes lit a fire and sat in his easy chair for his nightly dinner provided by Factor meal delivery service, the sponsor of this holiday parable (use code SPIRIT at checkout for 50% off of your next order of roast goose). His phone buzzed with a notification from the Twins Daily Slack channel, letting him know that one of his annoying stooges, Sweet Lou Cratchit, had submitted an article regarding the Twins recent free agent transaction, one that he had poured hours of hard work into, and it was awaiting approval for the site. “Bah. Hotdog!” Bonnes huffed, yet again. “ChatGPT can do the work of this oaf for a fraction of the price.” He ignored the message and fell into a deep slumber in the fire's warm glow. He was awakened in the middle of the night by the unmistakable smell of Dior cologne and the clicking of metal baseball cleats on the porcelain floors of his hallway. “Ebenezer John Bonnes. . .” a trembling voice howled from the hallway. “I am the ghost of free agency past, and I am here to show you the error of your ways.” A spirit slowly approached through a cloudy haze. Bonnes couldn’t believe his eyes. It was former Twin Carlos Correa. “It can’t be!” Bonnes yelled. “The Twins traded you! You should be in Houston!” The spirit grabbed the old man by the hand and the two soared through time to the year 2022, when Correa originally signed with the Twins. “It was at this moment when you first used artificial intelligence to gather some general talking points for your episode to discuss my signing. It seemed innocent enough, but little did you know that it would start you down a treacherous path of over-reliance on these programs.” Bonnes looked at a younger version of himself, sitting at a pub in Ireland and inputting a prompt and awaiting automated bullet points with notes so that he wouldn’t have to do extensive research on his own. “I hardly remember this,” Bonnes said in confusion. “Honestly, I barely remember any part of that trip after the tour of the Guinness factory.” He was then transported back to the Twin Cities, where he saw Gleeman realizing his partner had sold out, even if just for a moment. A single tear streaked down his cheek, as he was overcome with immense disapproval and disappointment toward his dear partner. “I guess I didn’t realize he knew of my shortcut,” Bonnes reflected. “I guess he did start to seem rather distant from that point on, but I thought maybe he just had gas or something.” Spirit Correa then clapped, creating a thunderous boom that awoke Bonnes, now back in his easy chair in the present day. “Was it but a dream?” the old man questioned, before hearing the doorknob of his front door jiggle. The door swung open, revealing another spirit, but this one was considerably bigger than the last. “Josh Bell?” Bonnes questioned while jumping to his feet. “What on earth are you doing here?” The massive ghost approached and took him by the hand. “I am the ghost of free agency present, and I have come to continue showing you the error of your reliance on AI.” The two soared through the sky now, landing outside of a humble home in St. Paul. They looked through the window and saw a family sitting at the dining room table. “Why, that’s Sweet Lou Cratchit. He’s on my staff at Twins Daily. And that must be his lovely wife and their 6’10’’ adult son, Tiny Gregg.” The lowly peasants sit gathered around a single can of Hamm’s to share between the three of them. Sweet Lou cracks it open and pours it into three small jars and passes one to his wife and son. He raises his own jar. “A toast; to my boss, Ebenezer John Bonnes, who we have to thank for this year’s bounty,” he says with a grateful smile. “It may not be much, but it’s enough for us after a meager year for ad revenue.” They each clink their glasses and take a swig of their paltry feast. Tiny Gregg lets out a wet cough, as he has grown ill in recent weeks without any hope of Sweet Lou being able to afford the medicine for his bout with Kreidler fever. It’s getting worse with each passing day. Bonnes can’t help but feel rotten after seeing the consequences of his decision to opt for AI content rather than paying his staff. “Oh, ghost Bell, I fear that I’ve gone too far with ChatGPT. Surely, it’s not too late for me to change my ways, right?” Bonnes asks the hulking ghost. The ghost claps just as his predecessor did, waking Bonnes yet again. Only this time, he isn’t in his easy chair, but in the middle of a cemetery. He sees a cloaked figure approach. “You must be the ghost of free agency yet to come,” he says. “Who could that be?” The ghost keeps himself concealed, but he’ll probably be a reliever in his late-30s that costs somewhere around $3 million on a one-year contract. Probably a lefty, if I had to guess. I don’t know. The figure nods and points Bonnes toward a couple of headstones at the top of a hill. It’s dark and raining steadily. As the old man approaches the first memorial, he starts to make out the words chiseled in the stone. Tiny Gregg Masterson Beloved Son, Delivery Driver of the Month November 2022 “Should the Twins sign Miguel Sano??” Bonnes hanged his head in shame. He didn’t much care for Tiny Gregg when push came to shove, but he still regretted that his reliance on generative AI led to the young fool’s demise. But his attention quickly shifted to the other tombstone, which was far bigger and more polished than Tiny Gregg’s. “Oh, spirit. Please tell me this isn’t what I think it’s going to be,” he cries before wiping the mud off of the headstone. Twins Daily Once a shining beacon of independent Minnesota Twins coverage. Ultimately replaced in full by artificial intelligence. Bonnes falls to his knees and buries his face in his hands. He can’t believe that the site he helped build from the ground up would perish due to his own cost-saving decisions. His grief is suffocating, and he’s sick to his stomach, worse than the time he tried to do the 9x9x9 challenge on a whim. The ghost of free agency yet to come claps his hands, and Bonnes wakes up back in his easy chair in his home. It’s morning now, and he rushes to his balcony. He sees Cody Schoenmann waiting for a bus. “You down there,” Bonnes shouts down. “What day is it?” “Why it’s Christmas day, of course,” Cody says. “And while I have your attention, I think I’m going to write an article highlighting the top remaining free agents who were born on a Saturday and like long walks on the beach. Would that be alright with you, boss?” Bonnes rolls his eyes. “Yes, yes, that would be fine, son. But before you do that, I need you to run to the nearest bottle store and buy the most fruit-forward Blackstack hazy IPA that you can find, and bring it to Sweet Lou Cratchit and his family,” Bonnes said, tossing a sack of gold coins to the young man. “Then you can go write whatever drivel you have planned.” Bonnes heads back inside and reads the piece that Sweet Lou had submitted the night before. It’s downright awful, and riddles with typos, but he approves it for publishing and leaves his apartment. He walks to the Cratchit house and peers in the front window. He sees Sweet Lou and his wife with happy tears streaming down their cheeks. Sweet Lou hands a beer to Tiny Gregg and kisses him tenderly on the forehead. The behemoth stands up and raises his can. “God bless us, everyone.”

Just as you ready yourself to guzzle down your gravy-soaked plated paean to colonialism, Uncle Donny plops himself down beside you. He knows you like the Twins, and that you’re keenly plugged in to the comings and goings of the club. And now that he has you cornered, he’s going to tell you all of his ill-informed, sometimes problematic thoughts about your favorite club. By the end of the meal, you’ll be begging to talk about something less divisive, like religion or politics. In no particular order, here is a list of items that your least favorite uncle will throw out over the next hour or two. Pour yourself another drink. Lord knows Donny has. Players are too soft in today’s game, and it’s because they didn’t drink out of the garden hose enough when they were kids. Maybe a little lead in their system would stop them from getting plantar fasciitis and “a little bit of brain damage” when they get hit in the head with a 95-MPH fastball. The injured list was created by communists. “To be honest, we pay too much attention to lists these days,” he shouts, as you wince at where this conversation could possibly be heading. “The only list we should concern ourselves with is my Christmas list. I’m asking for the same things I do every year. A poster of Sean Hannity to hang in my garage, and a kit to make my own beef jerky." Has Aunt Lorraine still not gotten him that poster, or is he using the damn things for wallpaper? Target Field should have a Fleet Farm on premises. “Why do we need seven different bars in the stadium, when real Americans get lit in the Salvation Army parking lot before coming in? What if I want to buy a socket wrench, a 20-pound bag of bird seed and some chocolate-covered peanuts that were packaged in 2016?” The pitch clock is an abomination. “Stupid kids these days just want the game to finish earlier so that they can get home to their Rugrats.” That program aired its final episode in 2004, and besides, Hey, Arnold! was better. The Twins should fire Derek Shelton (yes, already) and hire Doug Mientkiewicz to be the new manager. “Dougie Baseball has forgotten more about baseball than the brain wizards upstairs have ever known. He would’ve gotten my vote if I had one,” Donny says while pouring gravy directly from the boat into his mouth. “In fact, I wrote him in with my vote to be the Mayor of St. Paul. Screw you, Carter!” The Twins should trade Byron Buxton (he calls him Brian Buxton) and sign Luis Arraez to play shortstop, moving Brooks Lee to center field. “Arraez never misses time (don’t look that up) and Buxton can never stay healthy for more than 60 games. Lee should have no trouble in center field because he’s athletic and his dad coached him to have good fundamentals.” Hitters are too focused on what he calls “launch velocity.” The ball doesn’t go as far if you hit it too hard. In high school, he was taught to swing slow, because slow is smooth and smooth is fast. The Twins were right to trade away players with hyphenated last names. “Pick a lane already!” Donny shouts while slapping the table, scaring the children sitting across from him. “The smartest thing ‘Failvey’ ever did was trade Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Simeon Woods Richardson should be next. I know his name doesn’t have a hyphen, but it’s so long that it looks like a rainbow on the back of his jersey.” Trust me, you don’t want to hear his opinion on rainbows. Birds aren’t real. This isn’t Twins-related, but it does catch your attention. His birder phase doesn't seem that long ago; this feels like an about-face. As you finish your meal and start making your way to the front door for a Minnesota goodbye, Donny pulls you aside. “Hey kid, thanks for listening to your grumpy old uncle. I know we don’t see eye-to-eye much anymore, but it means a lot to be able to catch up with you at these things every year,” he says as he gives you a rather tender one-armed side hug and sneaks a crumpled piece of paper in your hand. “This is for you. Enjoy it, and let me know if you ever want to throw rocks at the Union Pacific trains that run behind my condo.” You unfurl the paper in your hand. It’s a coupon for a free car wash that expired three years ago.

Luke Keaschall made a fantastic first impression in 2025—enough so that he placed in the top-10 in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He was never going to catch up to Nick Kurtz of the A’s, who won the award unanimously after having one of the all-time great rookie campaigns, but the young Twins infielder mustered an impressive .302/.382/.445 batting line. He also missed significant time while recovering from a shattered forearm that he suffered in April, and played through a continued recovery from Tommy John surgery in August 2024. In 49 games with the Twins, the 23-year-old firmly staked his claim as the club's best option at second base going forward. While his defense wasn't spotless, he showed that his athleticism was enough to handle the day-to-day responsibilites at that position, and his mix of on-base prowess and impressive speed make him an ideal option to pencil in near the top of the lineup. Keaschall was firmly among the top 100 prospects in baseball coming into last season, but he was in no way a favorite to secure top rookie honors. He seized his opportunity when the team needed him in April, and was able to return to his impressive form upon returning in August. All that is to say, anything can happen for an electric prospect when they run with their opportunity and turn some heads. Here are some names to keep an eye on for next season’s voting. Obvious Candidates Of course, we have to start with 20-year-old phenom Walker Jenkins (No.1 on Twins Daily’s top prospect rankings). He started 2025 as a top-15 global prospect on most lists, but his season got off to a late start due to a left ankle sprain. He returned to action in early June, and was quickly promoted to Double-A where he had a gaudy .913 OPS across 52 games. The Twins then sent him to Triple-A St. Paul, where he continued to show impressive signs—albeit with a lower .720 OPS in a small (23-game) sample against much older competition. Look for Jenkins to knock on the door to the big leagues in the early going of 2026. If all goes as expected, Twins fans could see him make his highly anticipated debut before the All-Star break. Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 4) is another favorite to get some action for the Twins next season. He was limited to just 52 games for the St. Paul Saints in 2025, but in that time, he showed flashes of bieng an electric player with a very odd collection of tools. He’s going to play some high-quality defense in the outfield. It's most likely to be in the corners, but he has a ton of experience as a center fielder. Rodriguez will pair that with plus power at the plate. His passive approach contributed to a 32% strikeout rate. However, he somehow found a way to make up for all of that swing-and-miss by walking at an extremely high 21% clip. He also has the ability to swipe 15-20 bases, if he can stay healthy for the whole season. Like Jenkins, if Rodriguez gets the call in the early months of 2026, he would almost certainly get national attention. Outside Chance Casual fans may not realize it, but Mick Abel (No. 5) will still be a rookie in 2026. He only accumulated 39 innings pitched at the big-league level after debuting in 2025; you need 50 to graduate from rookie status. One of the returning pieces from the Jhoan Duran trade, Abel will need to display far better command than he had in 2025, wherein the 24-year-old routinely fell behind in counts, leading to a 10.1% walk rate and lots of hard contact on the way to a 8.36 ERA with his new club. However, he did show much more promise at Triple A, where he had a 2.20 ERA (with a strong 28.6% strikeout rate) across 98 ⅓ innings. There could be ample opportunity for Abel to get a shake in the rotation, and if he can finally evolve into the product that many thought he could be as a high-end draft prospect out of high school, he could realistically grab some ROY votes. Gabriel Gonzalez (No. 9), the centerpiece in the Jorge Polanco trade in January 2024, erupted across three levels of the minor leagues in 2025. He showed significantly more power than many expected, belting 15 home runs and 38 doubles in 123 games played. Upon reaching the highest level of the minors, he more than held his own for the Saints, where he had a .316/.358/.504 line. He doesn’t have much of a defensive home, but if his bat is legit, the Twins could give him plenty of reps as their designated hitter and rotate him into the corner outfield from time to time. Look for him to start the year at St. Paul, but anything can happen for the dynamic 22-year-old. Long Shots Kala’i Rosario (unranked) quietly had one of the better seasons at Wichita as a 22-year-old. He smacked 25 homers and stole 32 bags for the Wind Surge in 130 games. He could start the year at Triple A, but that’s starting to look like a very crowded depth chart, and his prospect pedigree is not as distinguished as that of Jenkins, Rodriguez or Gonzalez. Kyler Fedko (unranked) had a similarly flashy year split between Double A and Triple A, where he combined for 28 homers and 38 steals. He is 26 years old, and the Twins passed on giving him a look in September last year, which could give some indication about their faith in him. Perhaps they were trying to avoid putting him on the 40-man roster in a lost season, as they could’ve had to expose him to waivers at the end of the year had they given him a look. Noah Cardenas (unranked) is also on the older side for a prospect, but the 26-year-old catcher is the closest thing they have to a minor-league catcher who is ready to make their MLB debut in 2026. He had a solid year, with an .825 OPS between the two highest levels of the minor leagues. He may seem like an extremely dark horse, but Drake Baldwin—who just won the NL Rookie of the Year award for the Atlanta Braves—had a nearly identical Triple-A clip in 2024, and was a good but not elite prospect in their system. Anything can happen for a player who runs with their opportunity, and right now Cardenas has as good of a shot to get playing time as a backup catcher to Ryan Jeffers as anyone. That role could increase, depending on Jeffers’s performance or his presence on the roster at all. What do you think? Who excites you the most on this list? Did we forget anyone who could get Rookie of the Year consideration in 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and as always, stay sweet.