Cory Moen

Matt Tolbert was a utility infielder for the Twins from 2008-2011. He played in 247 career games and was worth 0.8 bWAR. He is from McComb, Mississippi and was drafted in the 16th round by the Twins in the 2004 MLB draft out of the University of Mississippi. He was not known for his bat, with a career OPS+ of 65. He hit three career home runs, and stole 17 bases in his career. View full player

Image courtesy of William Parmeter (L to R: CJ Culpepper, Kala'i Rosario, Hendry Mendez) Starting the year at Double-A means a prospect has the opportunity to make an impact on the major league roster in the near future. While this year’s Wind Surge roster doesn’t have any of the top prospects in the Twins system, there is still an interesting list to see which of these players will take the next step forward and see if they are able to put themselves in the Twins future plans. When prospects get to Double-A, this can be the first time they struggle in their professional career. The Wind Surge roster this year doesn’t have a top 5 Twins prospect but does have three of Twins Daily’s top 20 prospects, including Hendry Mendez, Kyle DeBarge, and CJ Culpepper. Mendez is the one who is on the 40-man roster out of the three. Mendez was acquired at the 2025 trade deadline, along with pitching prospect Geremy Villoria, from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for outfielder Harrison Bader. Mendez hit well after being acquired, hitting for a .324/.461/.450 slash line after the trade. He has played in the corner outfield mostly but has been getting more work at first base recently. DeBarge is a former first round pick, that has steadily climbed the minor league ladder and will be playing his age-22 season in 2026. He has played most of his time at second base, but has also seen time at shortstop, and in left field and center field as well. Culpepper, when healthy, has looked very solid over the past few years. He pitched in 17 total games this past year and will look to have a healthy season after starting the 2025 season on the injured list with a pinched nerve. He throws up to seven or eight pitches, so he makes for a pitching prospect worth watching. Coaching Staff The coaching staff in the minor leagues are key in helping develop the future major leaguers in any organization. The Wind Surge had a number of new coaches in 2025, and will be returning the some, but have some new coaches as well. Nico Giarratano will be the new manager, after former Wichita manager Brian Dinkelman was promoted to manage the Twins Triple-A affiliate. Giarratano was the manager for the FCL Twins in 2025. Giarratano will be joined on the coaching staff by hitting coaches Andrew Cresci and Julian Gonzalez, pitching coaches Jesus Sanchez and Stephen Ridings. Meagan Vota will serve as the strength and conditioning coach, with Taylor Carpenter serving as the lead athletic trainer. Asja Morello will work closely with Carpenter as the Assistant Athletic Trainer, and to round out the staff, Chase Carder will serve as the Baseball Technology Coordinator. Pitchers RHP Sam Armstrong, RHP Spencer Bengard, RHP Kyle Bischoff, RHP Darren Bowen, RHP Ricky Castro, RHP CJ Culpepper, RHP Ryan Gallagher, RHP Ruddy Gomez, RHP Alejandro Hidalgo, RHP Ty Langenberg, LHP Jaylen Nowlin, RHP Jose Olivares, RHP Mike Paredes, RHP Luis Quinones, RHP Sam Ryan, RHP Logan Whitaker, RHP Jarret Whorff Culpepper and Gallagher are the two highest ranked pitching prospects on this roster, with Culpepper sitting 18th on Twins Daily’s top 20 prospects. Culpepper is a former 13th round selection by the Twins back in 2022. Gallagher and Armstrong were acquired from the Chicago Cubs in return for utility man Willi Castro. They are both intriguing arms and will be worth watching this year as well. Bowen’s name might be familiar, as he was part of the Jorge Polanco trade, along with Justin Topa. He pitched at Double-A this past year. Olivares is another name that is recognizable, as he was signed back in 2021 and is ranked the #26 prospect by MLB Pipeline to start this season. Hidalgo has shown the ability to strike batters out at a pretty solid clip, most recently having 99 strikeouts over 84 2/3 innings pitched in 2025 between High-A and Double-A. If he’s unable to develop as a starter, a move to the bullpen could provide a path to Target Field in the future. Quinones comes over from the Blue Jays organization, where he topped out at Triple-A in 2024, prior to missing the 2025 season with an injury. He’ll look to have a healthy and productive season this year. Catchers: Ricardo Olivar, Andrew Cossetti, Poncho Ruiz Olivar was a Twins Daily Top 20 prospect at this time last year and has been left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft the past two years. He has played positions other than catcher as well, so the defensive versatility makes him a prospect to watch. Andrew Cossetti will be returning to Double-A for his third straight year, and he is a bat-first catcher, who hit .226/.366/.432 in 2025, which was an improvement over his 2024 season numbers. Ruiz will be playing his age-24 season this year, after playing the 2025 season between Low-A and High-A. He also played in the Mexican Pacific Winter League this offseason, which allowed him to get some more experience. Infielders: Billy Amick, Hendry Mendez, Kyle DeBarge, Jake Rucker, Ben Ross, and Jose Salas Salas might be a familiar name, as he came over in the Pablo Lopez/Luis Arraez swap a few years ago. At the time, Salas was mostly a shortstop but has transitioned into playing center field more regularly in recent years. Rosario is a very intriguing prospect and has shown more promise recently after struggling early in his professional career. He’ll need to show he can be more consistent against right-handed pitchers, as he crushed lefties to a .954 OPS this past season, in comparison to a more modest .794 OPS against righties. Rucker has played the past three seasons at Double-A so he will need to start improving at the plate to not stall in the upper minors. Ross is a versatile defender, having played shortstop, third base, along with left field and centerfield as well, just this past year. He’s also played first base and right field in his minor league career as well. The big question for him is if his bat will develop to make him an option for the Twins in the future. Outfielders: Garrett Spain, Hendry Mendez, Kala’i Rosario, Maddux Houghton Mendez will likely see more time at first base this year after playing previously mostly as a corner outfielder. As previously mentioned, he is a prospect to keep an eye on and may move quickly depending on how he hits. He played the 2025 season at Double-A, and if he continues to hit, he will likely receive a call up to St. Paul this year, and we may even see him at Target Field before the end of the season. Spain was a minor league Rule 5 selection this past December out of the Milwaukee Brewers organization. A left-handed hitter, he will look to see if he can make adjustments with the Twins to break through in the upper minors. He showed more power in 2025, hitting 16 home runs. Rosario is an exciting prospect with a high ceiling. He was a 5th round selection in the shortened 2020 draft. He will play his second year with Wichita, where he hit 25 home runs this past season. Houghton is not a heralded prospect but did play at four levels across the minors this past year, getting his first taste at Triple-A St. Paul. He has shown the ability to steal bases and shown some power over the past year, hitting 12 home runs and stealing 26 bases. While the Wichita roster may not be as filled with high-end prospects, there are still plenty of intriguing players to keep an eye on and a few that Twins fans could see at Target Field in short order. Whether the players are playing at Double-A for the first time, or repeating the level, this season could be a springboard year to assert themselves as prospects and push themselves into the long-term plans for the big-league club. The Wind Surge will start their season on Thursday, April 2nd versus the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Royals Double-A), with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 pm. View full article

Image courtesy of © Brett Davis-Imagn Images With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Chicago White Sox this season. The White Sox finished last in the division with a 60-102 record, marking their second straight season with over 100 losses after setting an MLB record with 121 in 2024. Here is a look at some notable additions and subtractions for the White Sox this offseason. Subtractions OF Luis Robert Jr. SP Martin Perez RP Tyler Alexander OF Michael A. Taylor RP Miguel Castro OF Mike Tauchman Additions INF Munetaka Murakami, 2 years, $34 million RP Seranthony Dominguez, 2 years, $20 million SP Anthony Kay, 2 years, $12 million, mutual option for 2028 SP/RP Jordan Hicks (trade w/Red Sox) OF Austin Hays 1 year, $6 million, mutual option for 2027 2B Luisangel Acuna (trade with Mets) SP/RP Sean Newcomb 1 year, $4.5 million OF Jarred Kelenic (minor league deal) P Erick Fedde, 1 year, $1.5 million Chicago made headlines this offseason with several notable changes. The addition of infielder Munetaka Murakami, signed from the NPB in Japan, is expected to bring significant power to the lineup despite a tendency for strikeouts. Seranthony Dominguez was signed as the new closer to help improve a bullpen that has struggled for the last couple of years. Just as notable as their signings, the White Sox made a major move by trading former All-Star and Silver Slugger OF Luis Robert Jr. to the New York Mets. In return, they acquired infielder Luisangel Acuna—brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr.—along with pitching prospect Truman Pauley. The White Sox also acquired veteran pitcher Jordan Hicks in a trade with the Red Sox. Hicks is expected to either join the starting rotation or be used as a high-leverage relief pitcher, depending on team needs. Although the additions seem to surpass the subtractions for the South Siders, the overall impact will depend on how the team manages a new direction and if young players can take a step forward to being more consistently competitive going forward. Here is a look at a few injuries and the players who should have the biggest impact on the successes the White Sox will have in 2026. Injuries LHP Ky Bush, Tommy John surgery RHP Drew Thorpe, Tommy John surgery 1B Tim Elko - Torn ACL - expected return June/July RHP Prelander Berroa - Recovering from Tommy John surgery in March 2025. Losing two pitchers to Tommy John surgery—Ky Bush, a top thirty prospect, and Drew Thorpe—depletes pitching depth. Tim Elko and Prelander Berroa have gotten a cup of coffee, but they will be out to start the year, which will limit options in the lineup and out of the bullpen. Key Players SS Colson Montgomery - 3.3 bWAR SP Adrian Houser - 3.0 bWAR RP Mike Vasil - 2.9 bWAR SP Shane Smith - 2.3bWAR C Kyle Teel - 1.9 bWAR 3B Miguel Vargas - 1.9 bWAR Other players include starting pitcher Davis Martin, infielder Chase Meidroth, outfielder Andrew Benintendi, and utility player Lenyn Sosa (2B/OF). Notably, SS Colson Montgomery finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting and led the team in bWAR in 2026. Starting pitchers Adrian Houser and Shane Smith will anchor the rotation, with Smith displaying front-line potential thus far in his career. Catcher Kyle Teel and third baseman Miguel Vargas are also young players aiming to build on strong 2025 campaigns and step into more prominent roles at their respective positions. With a team looking to return become more competitive, there will be opportunity for a number of young players. Young players can help speed up a rebuild and return a team to competitiveness quickly if they are called up and have success. The White Sox system boasts five prospects in MLB Pipeline’s top 100, led by OF Braden Montgomery, whose advanced approach and athleticism make him a potential everyday outfielder. LHP Noah Schultz, a power lefty, is expected to contribute to the major league rotation as early as 2026. LHP Hagen Smith projects as high-upside rotation depth. Both SS Billy Carlson and SS/3B Caleb Bonemer show promise but may need more seasoning in the minors before contending for roster spots. Spring Storylines (and beyond) Early in the year, attention will rest on how the team's catcher and designated hitter roles take shape. With three catchers—Teel, Edgar Quero, and Korey Lee—vying for playing time both behind the plate and at DH, and potential contributions from Murakami, Andrew Benintendi, and Lenyn Sosa in the DH role, this competition will be something worth keeping an eye on. Like many teams, the White Sox will be hoping their young players can take a step forward and provide the next core of players to build around when they return to contention. Colson Montgomery and Shane Smith will headline the position player and pitchers as young players with high upside. Munetaka Murakami signing with the White Sox was a bit of a surprise, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to MLB. Transitioning leagues can present challenges, and evaluation will focus on both his adjustment to Major League pitching and how opponents approach him as well. Murakami brings considerable potential, especially in the power department. With all of the additions shaping the roster for this year and into the future, here is a look at the projected lineup, rotation, and expected record for the White Sox in 2026. Projected Lineup Chase Meidroth - 2B Kyle Teel - C Colson Montgomery - SS Munetaka Murakami - 1B Miguel Vargas - 3B Austin Hays - RF Andrew Benintendi - LF Edgar Quero - DH Brooks Baldwin - CF Projected Rotation Shane Smith - RHP Davis Martin - RHP Anthony Kay - LHP Erick Fedde - RHP Sean Burke - RHP Projected Record PECOTA: 5th place, 69-93 Fangraphs: 5th place, 69-93 While the projections may temper White Sox fans' expectations, the roster features intriguing talent and some interesting storylines to keep an eye on this year. Both PECOTA and Fangraphs see improvement over last year, making it worth watching whether the team can surpass forecasts and build momentum throughout 2026 and beyond. While not projected as favorites, the White Sox are positioned to offer stronger competition in the AL Central this season than in recent seasons. Progress this year could spark renewed division rivalries and signify important steps toward contending for the division crown in the near future for the South Siders. View full article

Image courtesy of © David Richard-Imagn Images With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the Cleveland Guardians this season. The Guardians enter 2026 as the defending AL Central champions. After off-season changes, will they repeat and claim their fourth division title in five years? The big news out of Cleveland this offseason is the extension that third baseman Jose Ramirez signed, keeping him in Cleveland through 2032, which will be his age-39 season. As the face of the franchise, Ramirez sets the pace—when he thrives, so does the club. To understand how Cleveland looks coming into 2026, let's take a look at the additions and subtractions from this offseason. Subtractions OF Lane Thomas RP Sam Hentges RP Jakob Junis SP John Means SP Triston McKenzie OF Will Brennan Additions RP Colin Holderman, 1 year, $1.5 million (controlled through 2028) RP Shawn Armstrong, 1 year, $5.5 million, mutual option for 2027 1B Rhys Hoskins, minor league deal Hoskins, on a minor league deal, is expected to add power at first base and designated hitter. He will look to get back to being an above average hitter who has 30-home run potential. Armstrong, after a strong season in 2025 with the Texas Rangers, will likely take on higher-leverage innings with the departures of key relievers from the Guardians 2025 team. Holderman is a potential bullpen project for Cleveland, a team known for reviving and getting the most out of relievers. On the subtraction side, both reliever Sam Hentges and John Means have joined other teams (the Giants and Royals, respectively) following injury issues in recent years. Jakob Junis, after a solid 2025 season, may be a notable loss from the pitching staff, after signing with the Texas Rangers. McKenzie, limited to 24 games over three seasons since his 2022 breakout, has also signed elsewhere and will look to revive his career in San Diego. The Guardians are a team that always seems to linger in the division race. While their roster may not appear very intimidating at first glance, they maintain competitiveness more often than not. One thing the AL Central has learned over the past few years is to never count the Guardians out, even when everything says to do so. Injuries Andrew Walters, recovering from lat surgery, should return in May and may join the bullpen if healthy. Ben Lively, who pitched well in 2024 and early 2025, will miss 2026 after Tommy John surgery, and will look to return in 2027. Though some may see the Guardians as a team in transition, let's take a look at the current key players as well as who may be contributing at the major league level soon in their top prospects. Key Players 3B Jose Ramirez - 5.8 bWAR SP Gavin Williams - 3.8 bWAR LF Steven Kwan - 3.7 bwAR 2B Daniel Schneemann - 1.9 bWAR C Bo Naylor - 1.5 bWAR Other notable players include Gabriel Arias (SS), Kyle Manzardo (1B/DH), and pitchers Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, and Kolby Allard. Top Prospects 2B Travis Bazzana OF Chase DeLauter SS Angel Genao 1B/OF Ralphy Velazquez LHP Parker Messick Ramirez remains the cog in their lineup, with Williams, Kwan, Schneemann, and Naylor among the main contributors. Arias, Manzardo, Bibee, Cantillo, and Allard are also expected to play important roles in looking to help keep the Guardians competitive in the Central. Bazzana, ranked MLB's No. 20 prospect, nears his debut after representing Australia in the WBC. DeLauter (No. 46 prospect) may break camp with the team and could see regular left-field time. Genao (No. 66) and Messick (No. 95) may debut this year; Velazquez (No. 89) is a 2027 candidate. Key Questions for Cleveland in 2026 1. Who is playing Center Field? For the outfield, manager Stephen Vogt has indicated that all outfielders may rotate between positions. Most likely, Steven Kwan shifts from left to center field, which opens the door for young bats to gain major league experience. DeLauter presents another option in center field if they prefer to keep Kwan in left field. 2. What will the rotation look like? Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee are expected to anchor the first two rotation spots, leaving three open for competition. The performance of those filling these roles will serve as a key indicator of the Guardians' overall success. Young pitching has been a constant for the Guardians for many years. It would not be surprising to see the next wave—Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo, and Parker Messick—emerge as average or better major league starters. 3. Will the Guardians be able to rely on Travis Bazzana? Bazzana missed time last year due to an oblique strain, playing in just 84 games, mostly at Double-A and Triple-A. If healthy, he could quickly join the major league roster, possibly by Opening Day. He's an electric player and will look to be a key piece along with Kwan and Ramirez for the foreseeable future. Here's a look at the projected lineup, rotation, and how the Guardians project over a full season. Projected Lineup Steven Kwan - CF George Valera - RF Jose Ramirez - 3B Kyle Manzardo - 1B Rhys Hoskins - DH Chase DeLauter - LF Bo Naylor - C Gabriel Arias - SS Brayan Rocchio - 2B Projected Rotation Gavin Williams - RHP Tanner Bibee - RHP Logan Allen - LHP Slade Cecconi - RHP Joey Cantillo - LHP Projected Record PECOTA: 4th place, 76-86 Fangraphs: 4th place, 76-86 While the Guardians may be projected to finish behind all AL Central teams other than the White Sox, this is not uncommon territory for Cleveland, which has outperformed its projections in recent years. The Guardians were 10.5 games out of first place on Sept 1 this past season and played very well down the stretch, going 20-6 the rest of the way to win the AL Central. The Guardians have proven to be pesky and never out of it, so don’t be surprised if they perform better than many think they will in 2026. View full article

My mistake, I did use bWAR. but yeah, I do think Ryan is better right now, and he was better in 2025, even with less innings pitched. It's close, no doubt, but I'd rather have Ryan at this point in their careers.

I think Joe Ryan is a better pitcher right now, and going forward. He was better in 2025, and most recent results and age are what I was going off of when I made this statement. GS - both at 31 Innings Valdez had 19 more innings fWAR: Ryan leads 4.5-3.8 ERA - Ryan - 3.42 Valdez - 3.66 SO% - Ryan - 28.2 Valdez - 23.3 FIP - Valdez was slightly better - 3.37-3.74 Also - 2022-2025 - Valdez was worth 14.9 fWAR and Ryan 10.7. It appears the numbers you used for Valdez are his entire career, and not 2022 on like you stated.

McGonigle played 88 games in 2025. Walker Jenkins played in 84. Valdez is a very good pitcher, no doubt. I didn't refer to him as an ace because he tied for 24th in bWAR with Noah Cameron, Kevin Gausman, and Gavin Williams, and I wouldn't consider any of those three an ace right now. He's finished in the top 20 in pitching WAR just once, so calling him an ace felt like a big of a stretch. I do agree that he will be very good, but I do think, as long as he's healthy, Joe Ryan is a better pitcher.

Image courtesy of © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With the Twins looking to return to being competitive in the AL Central, we wanted to take a look around at the other teams in the division and what moves they made this offseason. This is a look at what to expect from the 2026 Detroit Tigers. The Tigers finished second in the AL Central and secured a Wild Card spot, defeating the Guardians 2-1 in their opening playoff series before being eliminated by the Mariners in a five-game Division Series. This offseason brought about a series of significant moves for Detroit, as they attempt to attain October for the third straight season. Notable Subtractions Chris Paddack (starting pitcher) Tommy Kahnle (relief pitcher) Alex Cobb (starting pitcher) Alex Lange (relief pitcher) Andy Ibáñez (lefty masher) Justyn-Henry Malloy (third baseman/outfielder) Notable Additions Framber Valdez (starting pitcher) Justin Verlander (starting pitcher) Kenley Jansen (relief pitcher) Drew Anderson (swingman) Looking at these transactions, it appears the additions outweigh the subtractions for the Tigers. Specifically, Framber Valdez, a playoff-caliber starter, signed a lucrative three-year deal to slot in behind two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Meanwhile, Tigers legend Justin Verlander returns on a one-year deal, bringing valuable experience to fortify the rotation. Verlander will strengthen a rotation dealing with injuries, though given his age and recent track record, he could be among the injured at times. Drew Anderson is also joining as a depth rotation option, while Kenley Jansen is set to fill the primary closer and high-leverage bullpen role. Three key players who had at least a chance of going elsewhere have also returned. Starter Jack Flaherty exercised his player option for 2026; second baseman Gleyber Torres accepted the qualifying offer of $22.025 million; and trade deadline acquisition Kyle Finnegan hit free agency but ultimately re-signed for two years. Injuries Jackson Jobe - returning from Tommy John surgery Troy Melton - slowed by elbow inflammation in spring training; will start on 60-day IL Reese Olson - out for the year Key Players C Dillon Dingler - 3.1 bWAR in 2025 1B Spencer Torkelson - 2.3 bWAR in 2025 2B Gleyber Torres - 2.9 bWAR in 2025 3B Zach McKinstry - 2.8 bWAR in 2025 LHP Tarik Skubal - 6.5 bWAR in 2025 Skubal, embarking on a defense of two straight Cy Young Awards and trying to position himself for a historic free-agent payday, is the most obvious center of gravity for the team, but last year, the club thrived because of its balance. They ranked 11th in runs, 10th in home runs, 12th in OPS, and 16th in batting average last season. Their 61 steals, however, were last in MLB. Top Prospects: Kevin McGonigle - SS Max Clark - OF Josue Briceno - C/1B Bryce Rainer - SS Thayron Liranzo - C/1B Observers are especially optimistic about Kevin McGonigle, a likely early-season call-up—if he's not on the Opening Day roster. Max Clark, taken just before Walker Jenkins in the 2023 MLB Draft, will be compared to Jenkins as their careers unfold in the AL Central. Spring Storylines (and beyond): Verlander's triumphant return and Skubal's potentially imminent exit loom large, but the team is trying to establish a winning identity that will stretch beyond this year and those two players. At 25, Riley Greene is expected to continue progressing toward stardom. Emerging talents like Colt Keith, McGonigle, and Clark could shape the Tigers’ future core. When and how well Jobe returns from Tommy John surgery will be a major storyline, too. Beyond Jansen, Finnegan and Vest line up for late innings. However, the work of the pen will be spread very evenly. A.J. Hinch has earned considerable praise for his nimble usage of an often motley relief crew. What he dubbed 'pitching chaos' during the 2024 playoffs has been an effective tack for keeping order over the last year and a half, leading to two straight overachieving seasons. The Tigers are expected to remain competitive in the AL Central in 2026. Projected Lineup Parker Meadows - CF Gleyber Torres - 2B Riley Greene - LF Spencer Torkelson - 1B Kerry Carpenter - DH Dillon Dingler - C Colt Keith - 3B Matt Vierling/Wenceel Pérez - RF Zach McKinstry - SS Note: Javier Báez is an option off the bench with this lineup—and could sometimes be the starting shortstop, with McKinstry shifting to third base, like he played last year. Projected Rotation Tarik Skubal - LHP Framber Valdez - LHP Justin Verlander - RHP Jack Flaherty - RHP Casey Mize - RHP Projected Record PECOTA: 2nd place, 83-79 Fangraphs: 1st place, 85-77 If everyone stays healthy, the Tigers are the favorite to win the Central this year. They seem to have improved overall in the offseason, and are looking for the young core group to take a step forward and see if they can get past the Division Series. View full article