Cory Moen

My mistake there. He is listed as an infielder and not under catcher

Pereda is on the 40-man roster. I decided to take a look at the guys not on the 40-man

Pereda was not mentioned for the same reason Jeffers and Alex Jackson were not mentioned. They are all on the 40-man roster

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Depth is something every organization tries to create, whether through the draft, international free agency, or even minor league free agency. Let’s take a look at how the Twins’ system stacks up at various positions. I decided to start with catchers and work my way around the diamond. Below is a look at the catchers in the Twins system not named Ryan Jeffers or Alex Jackson . I’ve included how and when they were acquired, along with the highest level they played this past season. Mickey Gasper Acquired: Trade, Boston Red Sox, December 2024 Highest Level in 2025: MLB The Twins acquired Gasper in a minor trade with the Boston Red Sox in December 2024 for left-handed relief pitcher Jovan Moran. Gasper split time between Triple-A St. Paul and the Twins in 2025. While he is listed as a catcher, he can also play first base, second base, and has even dabbled in left field. The upside is limited, as he hit .158/.257/.232 over 110 plate appearances with the Twins. Ricardo Olivar Acquired: International Free Agency, 2019 Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Olivar has slowly worked his way up the minor league ladder since signing in 2019. Playing the 2025 season with Double-A Wichita, Olivar appeared in 93 games, catching in 38 of them while playing left field and designated hitter in the others. He has been a bat-first catcher, posting a career .832 OPS over five minor league seasons. His future may be more likely as a designated hitter if he cannot stick behind the plate. If that happens, his path to a role on the major league roster will hinge on his bat. Noah Cardenas Acquired: 2021 Draft, 8th round Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A After signing for a $200,000 bonus as an eighth-round pick in 2021, Cardenas has steadily worked his way toward the major leagues, spending the 2025 season between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. His .245/.387/.438 slash line in 2025 is passable for a backup catcher. He does not strike out at an unreasonable rate at 19.9 percent and his walk rate is higher than average at 16.4 percent. If he continues to develop, Cardenas could carve out a role for the Twins over the next few years. Patrick Winkel Acquired: 2021 Draft, 9th round Highest Level in 2025: Triple-A Drafted one round after Cardenas, Winkel also reached Triple-A this past season, though with a very different profile. In 2025, he posted a 32.8 percent strikeout rate and a 7.2 percent walk rate over 47 games and 180 plate appearances. Winkel will look to continue improving both in the field and at the plate. At this point, he is serving as organizational depth in the upper minors, and it remains to be seen whether he can break through and carve out a role in the Twins’ future plans. Nate Baez Acquired: 2022 Draft, 12th round Highest Level in 2025: Double-A You’ll notice a trend of mid-round picks making their way into the upper minors. Prior to 2025, Baez was an above-average hitter at every level. He started the season in High-A Cedar Rapids, continued to hit, and earned a promotion to Double-A. Double-A marked the first extended stop in his minor league career where he posted an OPS below .700. Assuming he makes the necessary adjustments, Baez’s bat could move him closer to the majors this year. He also began playing more first base in 2025, raising some questions about whether he can stick at catcher defensively. Even if he does not, the hope is that his bat continues to develop. Andrew Cossetti Acquired: 2022 Draft, 11th round Highest Level in 2025: Double-A Another mid-round pick, Cossetti was drafted out of St. Joseph’s University, where he posted a 1.016 OPS over four seasons. He has spent the last two years with Double-A Wichita and has shown some power, hitting 22 home runs over 604 plate appearances. In 2025, he recorded a .374 wOBA with a .798 OPS, good for a 123 wRC+. He has also played some first base, and if he continues to hit, he could begin climbing prospect lists in the future. Poncho Ruiz Acquired: Non-Drafted Free Agency, 2023 Highest Level in 2025: High-A Ruiz signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, which can happen for a variety of reasons, especially with fewer draft rounds than in the past. He began 2025 in Single-A and was promoted to High-A after 31 games. At 23 years old, he held his own between the two levels, posting a .723 OPS. He has shown a good eye at the plate throughout his minor league career and walked at a 15.8 percent rate in 2025. While not a highly touted prospect, Ruiz can make a name for himself if he continues to grow both at the plate and in the field. Eduardo Tait (#3 Twins Daily Prospect) Acquired: Trade, Philadelphia Phillies, July 2025 Highest Level in 2025: High-A Tait was one of two players, along with right-hander Mick Abel, acquired from the Phillies in exchange for closer Jhoan Duran at the 2025 trade deadline. He signed for $90,000 out of Panama in January 2023 and hit at every level in the Phillies’ system. Like many young catchers, Tait’s defense is still a work in progress. He has a plus arm, and the Twins are hoping he can become at least average as a receiver. Still just 19 years old, he is likely a couple of years away from his major league debut. Tait projects as a future starting catcher and is someone many Twins fans will be watching closely in 2026. Khadim Diaw (#20 Twins Daily Prospect) Acquired: 2024 Draft, 3rd round Highest Level in 2025: High-A Diaw was the highest-drafted catcher by the Twins since Ryan Jeffers went in the second round in 2018. He played his age-21 season in 2025, spending the year at High-A Cedar Rapids. A good athlete, Diaw also saw time in center field and right field. He has a reputation as an aggressive hitter who makes a lot of contact, which showed up in his .429 wOBA this past season. He is likely a few years away, but if catcher does not work out, his athleticism could allow a move to the outfield. Enrique Jimenez Acquired: Trade, Detroit Tigers, July 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Single-A Another pre-deadline acquisition, Jimenez will play his age-20 season this coming year. In 2025, he spent about two-thirds of his time behind the plate and reached Single-A. He showed some power, hitting 12 home runs with a .846 OPS between the Tigers’ and Twins’ systems. While not a high-end prospect, he provides a solid floor and could eventually serve as a backup to Tait, though he is still a long way from that point. Daniel Pena Acquired: International Free Agency, 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Single-A Pena signed out of Venezuela in 2022 and played with Single-A Fort Myers in 2025. He has not hit much since reaching that level, posting a .567 OPS over 55 games this past season. Still just 20 years old, he remains a developmental player to check in on periodically. Ricardo Pena Acquired: International Free Agency, 2022 Highest Level in 2025: Single-A Pena appeared in a combined 22 games between the Complex League and Single-A Fort Myers, so he remains early in his development. He has also seen some time at first base, and a position change could be in the cards, though that decision does not need to be made anytime soon. Pablo Castillo Acquired: International Free Agency, 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Dominican Summer League A 2025 international free agent out of Venezuela, Castillo showed promise in his first 28 games in the Dominican Summer League. At 17 years old, he posted an .885 OPS. While it is a small sample, it provides a strong starting point for a young prospect heading into his next stage of development. Miguel Caraballo Acquired: Trade, San Francisco Giants, December 2025 Highest Level in 2025: Dominican Summer League Caraballo came over from the Giants in the trade that sent Rule 5 selection Daniel Susac to San Francisco. He is not currently a strong defender, but he has shown both power and on-base skills. At 16 years old, he hit five home runs and posted a .874 OPS over 41 games in the DSL. He is a long way from making an impact, but will be a name Twins fans check in on from time to time, especially if Susac makes an impact in San Francisco. Irvin Nunez Acquired: International Free Agency, 2023 Highest Level in 2025: Complex League Nunez signed with the Twins as part of the 2023 international free agent class and played in 43 games in the Florida Complex League in 2025. He also saw time at first base and a handful of games at third base, so he could end up with some positional versatility depending on how he develops over the next few years. Overall, the Twins’ catching depth is a mix of near-ready upper-minors options, mid-level organizational pieces, and longer-term developmental bets in the lower minors and international pipeline. While there is no shortage of names in the system, the group reflects the reality of building depth through many avenues, with some players closer to contributing in Minneapolis and others still several years away. As with most organizations, only a handful will ultimately impact the big league roster, but this collection gives the Twins flexibility, insulation against injuries, and multiple paths to address the position as they continue to build out the system from top to bottom. View full article

Image courtesy of Brad Mills-Imagn Images When Josh Bell signed a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals for the 2025 season, he wanted to change his swing and hit for more power. His hopes were to hit more home runs, and he didn’t mind striking out a bit more. He adjusted his swing and his stance, both from the left side of the plate and the right side of the plate. His stance was more upright, and he utilized a slightly higher leg kick than he previously had. While these changes are not uncommon in the modern game, Bell had some lousy results immediately after making them. Through May 14th, he had a wRC+ of 46, with a slash line of .146/.234/.285. Through this same time period, he had a lower average exit velocity, a higher strikeout rate, and a lower walk rate than his career numbers. His hard-hit rate was the lowest it had been since 2017. Bell was hoping to hit for more power, envisioning more home runs and doubles by making these changes to his swing, but the results did not follow. In the first six weeks or so of the season, he was one of the worst hitters in the major leagues. The switch-hitter struggled from both sides: more fly balls, fewer line drives, more chasing outside the zone. Too many easy outs. From the outside, one may have thought this was Bell aging and that he would never be the same, especially given some downward trends in contact quality over multiple seasons. However, Bell was able to make in-season adjustments to not only improve his numbers, but give more hope for future years as well. This is likely what caught the Twins' eye, compelling them to give the 1B/DH a bigger contract than anyone they signed last offseason. “I just tried to lower my launch angle, tried to focus on squaring up the ball as best as I can, tried to get my OPS over .600 -- so, I’ve done that,” a resurgent Bell said around the All-Star break. “Now I'm fighting for .700. We'll see where we go from there.” From May 15th until the end of the season, Bell hit for a wRC+ of 130, which is 30% above league average. His slash line of .272/.358/..467 was the improvement he and the Nationals were hoping for. Virtually every metric trended in the right direction as visible changes took hold, and that creates room for healthy optimism going forward. The Bell signing is one that will not only lengthen the Twins lineup, but he will provide a veteran presence as someone who has gone through struggles and shown the ability to make in-season adjustments. The Twins surely value this in a veteran for a young and less experienced roster. Are you a believer in Josh Bell's turnaround? Share your thoughts below! View full article

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images With the latest reports taking focus away from Joe Ryan, Pablo López, and Byron Buxton, there are other Twins trade candidates to consider this winter, including catcher Ryan Jeffers. Is it possible the Twins could trade Jeffers, but hang on to the other players mentioned in rumors? If they go that route, they would need to sign a catcher to replace their erstwhile starter. Jeffers split time with Christian Vázquez from 2023 through 2025, and absent a major addition, he's in line to take on a bigger role in 2026. While it might not make a ton of sense on the surface, there are a few options the Twins would have if they do move on from Jeffers. Let’s take a look at a trio of interesting mid-level free agents. Danny Jansen Jansen started the year with Tampa Bay and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers near the trade deadline. He played in 98 games between the Rays and Brewers, hitting .215/.321/.399, which was good for a 101 OPS+. For comparison, Jeffers hit .266/.356/.397, which was good for an OPS+ of 108. A burly 6-foot-1, Jansen, 30, put up 2.8 bWAR in 2025, compared with Jeffers's 1.2. If the Twins trade Jeffers, Jansen could make some sense on a one- or two-year deal, as a bridge to prospect Eduardo Tait. Minnesota acquired Tait as part of the return in the Jhoan Duran trade at the trade deadline, so they hope only to need a stopgap behind the plate. Jonah Heim Heim had a down year in 2025 and was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers last month, making him a free agent. He broke out in 2023, hitting for a 106 OPS+ and earning his first career All-Star nod. He won a Gold Glove the same season, and was the main catcher as the Rangers marched to their first-ever World Series title. Since then, he has not been as consistent offensively as he (or the Rangers) would have hoped. While he may be a downgrade offensively from Jeffers, he has shown the ability to be an above-average defender, and being solid behind the plate can mask being a below-average hitter. As the starting catcher, playing in 124 games, Heim hit .213/.271/.332 in 2025, which equates to a 77 OPS+. While this is below average even for a catcher, if the Twins believe that Heim is a bounce-back candidate, they could get him for good value. The Rangers non-tendered him when he was projected to make in the ballpark of $6 million, so he will likely command less than that on the free-agent market. As a switch-hitter, he provides solid matchup value at a righty-dominated position. Reese McGuire In a backup role with the Cubs in 2025, McGuire hit .226/.245/.444 over 140 plate appearances. The Cubs non-tendered him after the season, and he was projected to make $1.9 million next season. If the Twins were to trade Jeffers, could they look to McGuire to split time with the recently acquired Alex Jackson? It sure seems like a plausible option. Offensively, in limited appearances, he was on par with the average catcher across the majors. Another positive in signing McGuire is that he grades out above average defensively, particularly as a framer and thrower. However, like Jackson, he has never handled a full starter’s workload, so he would be more likely to be a candidate to split duties than to play as much as Jeffers would. Do you think the Twins should trade Jeffers? And if so, whom should they sign to replace him? View full article

He played mostly corner outfield, but can also play third and first if needed. I say it could be worth it if he can bounce around a little bit

The Twins have an interesting offseason ahead of them. So far, they've only made moves around the edges of a roster that appears to be in for significant change. While rumors around Pablo López, Joe Ryan, and Byron Buxton swirl, I wanted to take a look at a move the Twins could make to improve the lineup within the self-imposed budget constraints Twins fans have become all too familiar with. With the obvious roster holes the Twins have after trading almost half of the roster at this past year’s trade deadline, one move they could make to lengthen the lineup a bit is to sign Miguel Andujar. A trade deadline acquisition himself, Andujar played with the Athletics and the Reds in 2025. While this may not be the splashiest of moves, it’s the type of move the Twins front office could make without breaking the bank. Andujar played in just 94 games this year. An oblique strain landed him on the injured list early in the season, and then a quad injury in August effectively ended his 2025 campaign. When healthy, Andujar performed well, batting .318/.352/.470, which was good for a 125 OPS+. Even for a player who is strictly a corner infielder/outfielder, this will provide value to any lineup, especially one with as many left-handed hitters as the Twins have. Andujar has hit lefties quite well throughout his career, so he could spell one of Kody Clemens, Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, or one of the many other left-handed-hitting corner defenders on the roster. Andujar played mostly third base and corner outfield, but has played some first base in his career, as well. Stat Vs LHP VS RHP OPS .986 .759 wOBA .421 .329 wRC+ 171 108 ISO .189 .139 While Andjuar does not walk much (5% walk rate in 2025), he also strikes out less often than most batters. He did so in just 14.4% of his plate appearances in 2025, and 15.5% in the past three seasons combined. The league average is about 22.2%. With Andujar’s ability to play either corner infield spot, or in the corner outfield, he would provide Derek Shelton and company the ability to mix and match, and provide insurance if any of the planned corner bats either underperform or sustain an injury. It might not be a flashy signing, but Andujar could prove to be a nice addition for Derek Falvey and the front office, who are clearly working with a limited budget. He played on a one-year, $3-million deal this past year in his final year of arbitration, so the Twins should be able to add him without breaking the bank. I think a one-year deal in the ballpark of what they signed Carlos Santana to two offseasons ago would get the job done. If it only costs them $5-7 million to secure his services, he would be a bargain, as long as they then utilize him the way they should. View full article

I think he fell just short of the Super Two status. I just used the default. That's an easy switch.

This is with the idea of trading Trevor Larnach and adding some bullpen pieces. I'm not sure those are the exact guys, but guys around those level of players is what I was thinking. I do think a move to the bullpen for Zebby could be similar to Louis Varland in seeing an uptick in his stuff overall. I put Mick Abel as a long reliever, but I think he's more likely in the rotation in St. Paul with someone like Pierson Ohl or Travis Adams in the bullpen

C: Ryan Jeffers ($6.60M) 1B: Kody Clemens ($1.10M) 2B: Luke Keaschall ($0.80M) 3B: Royce Lewis ($3.00M) SS: Brooks Lee ($0.80M) LF: James Outman ($0.80M) CF: Byron Buxton ($15.00M) RF: Matt Wallner ($0.80M) DH: Willi Castro ($7.50M) 4th OF: Alan Roden ($0.80M) Utility: Austin Martin ($0.80M) Utility: Edouard Julien ($0.80M) Backup C: Backup Catcher ($0.80M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) SP1: Pablo Lopez ($21.75M) SP2: Joe Ryan ($5.80M) SP3: Taj Bradley ($0.80M) SP4: Simeon Woods Richardson ($0.80M) SP5: Bailey Ober ($4.60M) RP: Justin Topa ($2.00M) RP: Mick Abel ($0.80M) RP: Cole Sands ($1.30M) RP: Pierce Johnson ($5.00M) RP: Tyler Rogers ($10.00M) RP: Caleb Thielbar ($3.00M) RP: Zebby Matthews ($0.80M) RP: Danny Coulombe ($3.50M) POS: Add Dead Money Here ($0.00M) Payroll is 9.32% under budget

Walker JenkinsLuke KeaschallEmmanuel RodriguezConnor PrielippKaelen CulpepperDasan HillGabriel GonzalezMarco RayaCharlee SotoBrandon WinokurMarek HoustonRiley QuickAndrew MorrisBilly AmickCJ CulpepperKyle DeBargeKhadim DiawQuentin YoungEduardo BeltrePayton Eeles

Walker JenkinsEmmanuel RodriguezMarco RayaCharlee SotoBrandon WinokurLuke KeaschallGabriel GonzalezTanner SchobelKala'i RosarioConnor PrielippCory LewisCJ CulpepperYunior SeverinoDanny De AndradeYasser MercedesDaShawn Keirsey JrDasan HillAndrew MorrisCarson McCuskerTanner Hall

Could any of the Non-Roster Invitees make an impact in 2025? Let’s discuss: Pitchers: Scott Blewett A former 2nd round pick by the Kansas City Royals, Blewett signed a minor-league contract with the Twins prior to the 2024 season, not having pitched in a major league game since 2021 with the Royals. His contract was selected by the Twins in mid-August when the Twins playoff hopes were still shining. Blewett, who has a very unfortunate last name for a pitcher, got into 12 games, and recorded a 1.77 ERA for the Twins over 20.2 innings. In a small sample size, he showed he had some value, but his underlying metrics, specifically in 4.00 FIP show that some luck may have been on his side. If Blewett’s contract is selected in 2025, expect that he will be part of the shuttle to St. Paul along with other last members of the bullpen. Blewett turns 29 in April, so he appears headed to St. Paul with possibility he is called up when the Twins need a fresh arm. Randy Dobnak You probably know Dobnak’s story at this point, having previously been an Uber driver and eventually signing out of Independent Ball to make his major league debut with the Twins in 2019. After his stellar start to his big league career, the Twins signed Dobnak to a 5 year, $9.25 million contract after the 2019 season. Injuries and poor performance have limited his value, Dobnak is in the final year of that contract looking to recoup some of the value that has been lost. He had a mostly healthy 2024, pitching in AAA St. Paul, throwing 133.1 innings with a reasonable 4.25 ERA and 1.45 WHIP. His luster may be lessened, Dobnak is still a guy who can throw some innings and has a chance to make an impact as another member who is called up as a long-relief, spot start, guy depending on performance of others and team needs. Ryan Jensen Claimed off waivers after being designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins in December of 2023, Jensen spent the entire year with the Saints in the International League. He threw 56.2 innings, pitching mostly in relief. Jensen will likely end up in St. Paul again and serve as depth. It appears there would be an outside chance he has an impact on the 2025 roster with who is ahead of him on the pecking order, but the chance is not zero percent either. Cory Lewis Add Lewis to the ever-growing list of mid-round college pitchers that have slowly climbed in the Twins system. Drafted in the 9th round in 2022, Lewis pitched at 4 different levels, even getting one start in AAA St. Paul. Lewis doesn’t have high-end velocity, but one fun thing to watch is his knuckleball, which is showing mid-80s speed. He has the upside of a back-end starter and expect to be able to drive across town and see him in AAA quite a bit, he very likely could earn a call up in 2025 at some point. Darren McCaughan McCaughan is a depth signing for the Twins, having earned a cup of coffee with both the Guardians and Marlins in 2024. He has pitched almost exclusively as a starter in his minor-league career, so ending up in the Saints rotation appears likely. Because he has been called up previously, he could end up, like Randy Dobnak, being a guy that is called up for a specific situation if they need a fresh arm and he happens to be that guy at the time. Andrew Morris Another 2022 draft pick, Morris started the year in Cedar Rapids, and then earned call ups to Wichita and St. Paul in 2024. He has a very good fastball, topping out at 97 mph and his off-speed stuff has improved since being drafted as well. Morris’ impact in 2025 may be limited, but expect to see him sooner rather than later when it comes to prospects being promoted over the next few years. Alex Speas Speas signed a minor league contract with the Twins in November. He has previous major league experience with the Rangers and Astros in 2023 and 2024. He’s also pitched some in the Mexican League in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, making 6 appearances. Speas will serve as a depth arm and may end up riding the shuttle to St. Paul a time or two by the end of the year. Huascar Ynoa Ynoa was signed as an international free agent by the Twins back in 2014 and was traded to the Braves back in July of 2017 in the trade the Twins acquired Jaime Garcia, who they then traded again. Ynoa made his Major League debut in 2019 with the Braves and pitches in some games in 2020, 2021 and 2022 with Atlanta as well. Ynoa has had the last two years taken away due to Tommy John surgery and another elbow injury. Ynoa is a guy, if he can re-find his form, could end up in the Twins bullpen at some point during the year. Anthony Misiewicz Signed in mid-January, Misiewicz has 5 seasons of major league experience with six different teams. He most recently pitched out of the Yankees bullpen, where he threw one scoreless inning. A saying I heard a long time ago is that “you never have enough left-handed pitching,” which may or may not be true. Misiewicz will serve as left-handed depth behind guys like Danny Coulombe, and Kody Funderburk. With injuries or inefficiencies, he could earn a call up at some point and his prior major league experience will hopefully be a benefit to him. Position Players Alex Isola Isola was drafted in the 29th round back in 2019 as a catcher out of TCU. The further he has moved up the minors, he has stayed behind the plate less, having most of his games at first base, designated hitter and some in corner outfield as well. His bat has carried him previously, before hitting a speed bump in 2024 playing in the high minors, mostly at AAA. He is a low batting average, high strikeout hitter who has shown to have a decent high at the plate. His bat will be what carries him, but he will be playing his age 26 season, likely serving as organizational depth in St. Paul unless he turns a corner and proves he can take the next step forward offensively. Pat Winkel A 9th round pick in 2021, Winkel has climbed the organizational ladder steadily, spending 2024 in AAA St. Paul. He’s shown his ability to hold his own behind the plate, but with so many catchers in front of him on the depth chart, he is currently in line to be in St. Paul for another year and serve as depth behind Ryan Jeffers, Christian Vazquez, and co. Armando Alvarez Alvarez, a light-hitting infielder who got a cup of coffee with the A’s in 2024, has been in professional baseball for over a decade and has shown flashes over the past couple of years in AAA that he can hold his own at the plate. Alvarez has played all four infield positions, as well as a some games in the corner outfield in the past year, so his utility will bring some value. He will likely start the year in AAA St. Paul and may get called up at some point if they need a guy who can fill in in multiple spots because of injuries. Mike Ford Ford, a former 1st round pick by the Mariners has played for a handful of teams since first being called up in 2019 by the Yankees. For the past three seasons, he has bounced around, not hitting much for average, but showing a decent eye at the plate. He most recently was called up to the Reds, and then elected free agency and played the rest of the 2024 season in Japan with the Yokohama Bay Stars. With the loss of Carlos Santana, can the Twins catch lightning in a bottle with Ford as the strong side of a platoon? Possibly, but it’s likely he is in AAA and is called up if he is performing and if there is an injury. He’s shown his ability to hit AAA pitching the past couple of years, so it will be interesting to see if he can sustain that success if given the chance at the major league level. Luke Keaschall Keaschall is ranked as the #61 prospect in baseball after a couple of very productive years, being called up to AA Wichita in 2024. His 2024 season was hampered by an elbow injury, limiting him to a lot of DH duty, but hit .281/.393/.439 in his time with the Wind Surge. Keaschall was a second round pick in 2023 out of Arizona State and has shown the ability to play multiple places on the diamond, including 2B, CF, and even some at 1B as well. Yunior Severino Playing the 2024 season in AAA, Severino showed his power is real, hitting 21 home runs in 128 games played. It wasn’t quite his 35 home runs he hit over 120 games in 2023, but still something to consider. Severino was previously a third baseman, but has mostly been relegated to 1st base and DH duties. His power will be what carries him, but you may see him called up in 2025 if the Twins other first base options aren’t working as planned. Jeferson Morales Morales is more of a utility option than anything at this point. He played at AA and AAA in 2024 and played 4 positions along with serving as the DH as well. Morales signed in 2016 and has been in the Twins organization ever since. He was signed as a catcher but has played 1st base, 2nd base and in the corner outfield as well. Morales showed a solid hit tool last year, hitting .290/.367/.453 in between Wichita and St. Paul. It’s best to think of him as depth, but depending on how he continues to hit and where other needs fit, he could end up at Target Field sometime soon.

I’ve decided to write a series of posts regarding the depth in the Twins system or possibly lack thereof depending on how you feel about a particular position. I plan to go position by position in hopes to shed some light on who could make an impact as early as 2025, or who may make an impact within a few years. I started doing this back in 2023 and then life happened, so let’s try again! I’ve worked my way around the diamond and will discuss shortstops today! I’ll be using Roster Resource’s depth chart, which can be found at FanGraphs. There is a long list of shortstops, and as mentioned, a number of these guys will move down the defensive spectrum. Guys who were once shortstop prospects currently on the roster include Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Austin Martin, and Jose Miranda. Here are the previous iterations: Catchers 1st base 2nd base 3rd base Here is a short write up of each player at shortstop in the Twins System that is not on the 40-man roster. I’ll include how they were acquired, and the highest level played at in 2024. Ben Ross Level: AA Acquired: 5th round, 2022 Drafted in the 5th round in 2022 out of Division II Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio, Ross had moved up the organizational ladder slowly but sure, having played this past season in AA Wichita. In three years in college ball, he hit .405/.471/.758 so the bat was a stand out tool in those years. He has played primarily shortstop since being drafted and struggled some offensively in 2024, finishing with a .626 OPS. He did show the ability to steal bases, nabbing 20 over his season with the Wind Surge. He showed some steps forward in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .281 with 1 HR and 15 RBI with three stolen bases over 24 games played. Ross will likely end up with AAA St. Paul at some point this year and if he can hit enough, a utility role could be in the cards for him. Rayne Doncon Level: A+ Acquired: Trade (LAD), 2024 Acquired along with Manuel Margot for former 1st round pick, Noah Miller from the Dodgers, Doncon started the 2024 season with single-A Fort Myers and was promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids in May. His offensive numbers left something to be desired with the Kernels, but he was a full 2 years younger than the average player at high-A this past year. He will likely start the year in Cedar Rapids and see if he can continue to build on what he has learned in his time in professional ball. I would guess he could end up at AA at some point in the year, getting a taste of the high minors at the age of 21. He’s someone that lots of folks probably wrote off as a “toss in” with Margot, but Doncon does show some promise at multiple infield positions, including second base and third base, which he played this past season. Danny De Andrade Level: A+ Acquired: Amateur Free Agency, 2021 De Andrade was part of the international Free Agency class in 2021, having signed for $2.2 million. He has risen through the minors steadily since then. He played in just 24 games prior to suffering an ankle injury, so the hope is he can have a healthy year to continue moving forward in his progression. The big question is if he will stick at shortstop long term, but he has mostly played shortstop, so the Twins are giving him every chance to stick there. He could end up as high as AA this year as long as he is able to stay healthy and productive. Jorel Ortega Level: AA Acquired: 6th round, 2022 Ortega, drafted in the 6th round in 2022 out of Tennessee, has played shortstop, but also played a number of other positions including 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, left field, and center field this past season in AA. This was likely to see if he could handle different positions, but also because a lot of prospects who are shortstops end up moving to different spots because not everyone can play shortstop long term. Ortega will be in his age 24 season in 2025, so seeing if he can hit like he did in the lower minors will be key to his value. He has shown the ability to walk some, with a 10.6% walk rate at AA this past season, paired with a 24.5% strikeout rate. Kaelen Culpepper Level: A+ Acquired: 1st round, 2024 You’ve probably read a decent amount on Culpepper, who was taken in the 1st round this past year with the 21st overall pick. He starred at Kansas State, first at 3rd base and then shifting over to shortstop to finish his collegiate career. In 61 games with the Wildcats, he hit 11 HR and stole 17 bases, which helped move him up draft boards. He has shown a disciplined approach, and the ability to have upwards of average power long term. His long term position may be at 3rd, but he may need to hit for a bit more power to be considered a long term option there. Keep an eye on him this year to see how he continues to develop in his first full year with the Twins. Brandon Winokur Level: A Acquired: 3rd round, 2023 Winokur can play a bunch of different positions, and at 6’6”, he probably isn’t a shortstop long term. Rated as the Twins #17 prospect this past year, Winokur held his own in single-A with Fort Myers hitting .249/.327/761 during his age 19 season. Winokur has also shown his ability to play center field, 3rd base, and right field, so his long term position may still be in flux. Expect to see Winokur at AA Wichita if he continues to hit. Striking out less is something to keep an eye on, having struck out 28% of the time in 2024. He’s an exciting prospect, who is extremely athletic and someone I’m personally excited to see develop over the next few years. Nick Lucky Highest Level: AAA (for 1 game), A+ for regular time Acquired: Free Agent (Indy), 2024 A former 14th round pick by the Red Sox in 2018, going unsigned, Lucky signed with the Twins out of independent ball in 2024 after playing college at Coastal Carolina. Playing mostly in single-A and high-A, Lucky did get called up to AAA for one game this past year. He played in 60 games in the Twins organization this past year, hitting .203/.338/.356, so unless he can improve offensively, he may serve as organizational depth until then. One intriguing thing on him is that he played other positions, so his ability to play multiple positions is likely the reason he got that one game call up in July to AAA as a fill-in. He’s played LF, RF, 2B, and 3B along with shortstop in his one year with the Twins. Yilber Herrera Level: Complex League Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2022 Herrera, a switch-hitting middle infielder spent 2024 in the Complex League, playing in 45 games. He is still just playing in his age 20 season in 2025, so has a long way to go to make an impact, but he has stolen 27 bases in 130 games between the Dominican Summer League and the Complex League over the past few years, so that is something to keep an eye on. Bryan Acuna Level: Complex League Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2022 At just 18, Acuna was an above average hitter in the Complex League, where he was over a year younger than the average player at that level. His brother, outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr of the Braves is one of the best players in the game, so that’s a fun tidbit about him. Acuna has shown a good eye at the plate, having walked at a high rate over the past two seasons. Here’s to hoping he continues to develop and can rise up some prospect boards in 2025. Daiber De Los Santos Level: DSL Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2024 Playing in 47 games in the Dominican Summer League, De Los Santos struck out at a very high rate (31%), but still hit for a solid average at .301. He’s going to be playing his age 18 season, so still a long way to develop, but a guy further down to check on from time to time. Hendry Chivilli Level: Complex League Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2023 Chivilli was ranked as the 38th best prospect in the 2023 international class. Still getting his feet wet in pro ball over the past two years, he will likely be at the Complex League and we will see if he continues to develop. An MLB scouting report prior to signing said “The teen has solid tools across the board, and those skills should improve as he matures and his body develops. He already shows good arm strength, and it projects to be above average as he makes his way through the Minor Leagues.” Santiago Leon Level: --- Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2025 Leon was ranked #24 in this year’s international free agent class and signed for $1 million. Check out JD Cameron’s breakdown of Leon here. Haritzon Castillo Level: --- Acquired: Amateur Free Agent, 2025 Signing for $950,000, Castillo was ranked #43 in this year’s international free agent class. JD’s breakdown on Castillo can be found here.

I think we'll see him in the majors at some point this year. Be interesting to see how much. I don't think he's more than an emergency type catcher, especially after the Cartaya acquisition. And best of luck to Moran with Boston!

I’ve decided to write a series of posts regarding the depth in the Twins system or possibly lack thereof depending on how you feel about a particular position. I plan to go position by position in hopes to shed some light on who could make an impact as early as 2025, or who may make an impact within a few years. I started doing this back in 2023 and then life happened, so let’s try again! I started with catchers , then discussed 1st base and 2nd base. I will work my way around the diamond to touch on all positions. I’ll be using Roster Resource’s depth chart, which can be found at FanGraphs. Here is a short write up of each player at 3rd base in the Twins System that is not on the 40-man roster. I’ll include how they were acquired, and the highest level played at in 2024. Anthony Prato Acquired: 7th round, 2019 Highest Level: AAA A 7th round pick in 2019 out of UConn, Prato has steadily climbed the minor league ladder, spending 2024, at age 26, with AAA St. Paul. In 106 games with the Saints, he hit .228/.370/350, so he left some to be desired offensively, racking up a wRC+ of 98. Playing in his age 27 season, he will likely serve as organizational depth unless he is able to take a step, or two, forward. One thing Prato has going for him is that he has played all over the diamond, logging games at 3rd, 2nd, LF, RF, and SS. He even pitched in one game and threw 2 innings, where he gave up 1 unearned run and struck one batter out. I don’t think he’ll be on the mound too much this year, but I wanted to share because it was a fun statistic. Rubel Cespedes Acquired: Amateur FA, 2019 Highest Level: A+ Cespedes was signed out of the Dominican Republic as part of the International Free Agent class of 2019. The left-handed hitter has taken a little time to develop but seemed to start turning a corner in 2024. For Cedar Rapids, he played 110 games and launched 12 home runs with a slash line of .282/.346.431. He has started to strike out less and make louder contact. In an article by Aaron Gleeman on the Athletic this past year, Aaron spoke with Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail where MacPhail said the following on Cespedes: “He’s making way better swing decisions and not chasing as much.” This is a good sign so it will be interesting to see how Cespedes develops and if he is able to take the next step forward in 2025. Tanner Schobel Acquired: 2nd round, 2022 Highest Level: AA Signed for just over $1 million after being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2022 draft, Schobel climbed up to AA in his first full year of professional ball in 2023. He repeated the level in his age 23 season, where he didn’t have quite as much success in his full year in Wichita. Listed at 5’9” and 170 lbs, Schobel is the type of player who could still carve out a role as a utility guy at the big league level in the future. He’s played the majority of his games at 3rd base, but also played games in AA at 2nd base, left field, and shortstop. Schobel was ranked as the Twins #17 prospect on Twins Daily and #19 on mlb.com this past year. Billy Amick Acquired: 2nd round, 2024 Highest Level: A Amick started his collegiate career at Clemson but after being limited to 1B and DH, he transferred to Tennessee, where he got the opportunity to play some 3rd base. A second round pick this past year, Amick got his first taste of pro ball with Fort Myers. Amick showed major power in his year with the Volunteers, hitting 23 HR and having an OPS over 1.000. Still young, Amick will likely start in the lower minors and continue to develop. If he continues to barrel up the ball, a path to the major leagues is a real possibility. Keep your eye on him as a guy who could make an impact at some point. Miguel Briceno Acquired: AAA Rule 5 Draft (from Milwaukee), Dec 2024 Highest Level: A Briceno was recently taken in the AAA Rule 5 draft. He’s going to be playing his age 21 season this coming year, so he’s still young, he is still getting his feet wet in professional baseball. Signed in 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Briceno played this past year with A Carolina, where he hit .277/.320/.365. Briceno has also played multiple positions, having played 1B, 2B, and in the corner OF in his professional career as well. Yohander Martinez Acquired: AAA Rule 5 Draft (from Houston), Dec 2022 Highest Level: A A previous top-40 prospect in the Houston Astros system, Martinez has been in the Twins organization the past 2 seasons. His 2024 season was disappointing where he hit .185 with 1 HR in 55 games played with single-A Fort Myers. He will likely be at A ball for a 4th season, so unless he starts to develop further, he may struggle moving up the minor league ladder. He’s played second base as well as third base, and even played a couple of games at first base, so there is some positional flexibility, but that flexibility is only useful if he hits enough. This coming season will be a big year for Martinez to see if he can take the next step forward. Isaac Pena Acquired: Amateur FA, 2021 Highest Level: A Pena has moved up one level each of his first three professional seasons, starting in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and playing the 2024 season with single-A Fort Myers. In his age 20 season, he didn’t hit much over 64 games with the Mighty Mussels. He had a great year in 2023 hitting.341/432/.434. He’s still developing so repeating a year in single-A will be likely and to see if he can tap into his success from previous years. Peyton Carr Acquired: 10th round, 2024 Highest Level: --- Carr has had a rough few years dealing with injuries, and only played in 27 games this past year at High Point University, where he only was in the DH spot due to the abdominal injury. From Fort Myers, Florida, Carr probably watched a lot of future Twins players while growing up. When healthy this past year for High Point, he hit .418/516/864. Yes, a small sample size but a good sign nonetheless. He has plus raw power and has proven to be a good hitter when healthy. It would be great to see a healthy 2025 season to see him make an impact in his first year of professional baseball.

I’ve decided to write a series of posts regarding the depth in the Twins system or possibly lack thereof depending on how you feel about a particular position. I plan to go position by position in hopes to shed some light on who could make an impact as early as 2025, or who may make an impact within a few years. I started doing this back in 2023 and then life happened, so let’s try again! I started with catchers and 1st base and will work my way around the diamond from there! I’ll be using Roster Resource’s depth chart, which can be found at FanGraphs. Here is a short write up of each player at 2nd base in the Twins System that is not on the 40-man roster. I’ll include how they were acquired, and the highest level played at in 2024. Luke Keaschall 2nd round, 2023 Highest Level: AA If you follow prospects closely, you probably know about Keaschall, whom the Twins selected in the 2nd round in 2023 and signed for $1.5 million. Keaschall is ranked as the #61 prospect on the most recent prospect rankings on mlb.com. Keaschall has hit since being drafted, moving up multiple levels, having most recently gotten up to AA Wichita in his second professional season. His 2024 season ended early due to an elbow injury, but he played 58 games at AA where he hit .281/.393/439 after hitting even better in Cedar Rapids. He will likely start the year in St. Paul and could get the call to the majors sometime in 2025 depending on how the major league team performs and where needs end up. I’m excited to see what his long term position ends up being, or if Keaschall will hit enough to be a super-utility player who doesn’t need a set position. Payton Eeles Non-drafted Free Agent, 2024 Highest Level: AAA Eeles seemingly came out of nowhere signing with the Twins in May of 2024 as an undrafted free agent and climbing as high as AAA St. Paul after starting in single-A. Eeles played college ball at Coastal Carolina and started the year in Independent league, playing for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League. Listed at 5’5”, 180 lbs, the 25 year old has put himself in prospect discussions and has climbed up to the top 30 prospects in the Twins system. Eeles has shown more power than you might expect, hitting 12 home runs over 111 games in 2024. He’s a guy who is easy to root for, given his background and I’m excited to see how he continues to develop. Jose Salas Trade, 2023 (with Pablo Lopez) Highest Level: AAA Acquired in 2023 along with some guy named Pablo Lopez from the Marlins for Luis Arraez. Salas’ prospect shine has lightened since acquiring him, having been a borderline top 100 prospect when the Twins acquired him. He is still only 21 years old, so maybe there is a chance he could still develop. He has stolen some bases, stealing 22 bases in 2024. While he has good tools, his offense needs to develop for him to be considered part of the long term plans. Dameury Pena Amateur Free Agency, 2023 Highest Level: Complex League Pena signed as part of the 2023 international free agent class and no one really knew what to expect. He’s listed at 5’9” and 150 lbs, so he lacks power, but has been compared to Luis Arraez, having had a 33:18 BB to K ratio. His future value, similar to Arraez, hinges on being able to hit for a high batting average. Kyle DeBarge 1st round, 2024 Highest Level: A Taken in the 1st round and signed for a slightly under-slot $2.4 million after hitting .356/.418/.699 with Louisiana-Lafayette, a college shortstop, DeBarge got his first taste of professional baseball playing with Fort Myers playing mostly at second base. He struggled a little bit, as many young hitters do, and will likely start at single-A and see if he can continue to develop. He has shown he has the potential to have massive power after hitting 21 home runs in his final year with the Rajun Cajuns. It will be interesting to see how he develops going forward, but the upside is definitely there. Angel Del Rosario AAA Rule 5, 2023 Highest Level: AA Taken in the AAA Rule 5 draft in 2023, Angel Del Rosario played 61 games in the Twins system and 56 with single-A Fort Myers in 2024 having hit .226/340/.287 so he has shown to have a decent eye at the plate but has also struck out in about a quarter of his at bats over the past couple of years. Del Rosario has also played quite a few games in the outfield, most specifically in left field.

Cartaya has upside but his prospect shine has faded some. At minimum, a part timer would be a great result for him.

Noted! I will absolutely be posting more blogs, so keep your eye out! If you have any topics you'd like to see discussed more in depth, I'm all for ideas!

I get what you're saying! Catchers develop in a very non-linear way. They have had a few decent catchers in Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers, but I do think it's tough because it's so easy as a Twins fan to hope for the next Joe Mauer. It is interesting because there is depth at the top in Jeffers, Vazquez, Gasper (if you count him) and Camargo. It will be interesting to see how a guy like Olivar develops, like you said.