Cody Christie

There is a temptation to look at a catcher’s defensive development through one statistic. For Khadim Diaw, that statistic does not tell the entire story. The Minnesota Twins catching prospect has allowed 123 stolen bases this season while throwing out just 10 runners. That eight-percent caught-stealing rate is difficult to overlook, particularly for a player whose long-term future could be tied to his ability to remain behind the plate. But within the Twins organization, there is a much different evaluation of Diaw's defensive progress. On a recent episode of Inside Twins, Twins Director of Player Development Drew MacPhail offered significant praise for the work Diaw has done behind the plate this season. “He’s made even more strides defensively,” MacPhail said. “He came in pretty raw and he’s grading now as one of our best receivers in the system.” That is a noteworthy development for a player who entered professional baseball with plenty of offensive intrigue but needed considerable refinement defensively. Diaw is showing that refinement. The Defensive Transformation Diaw was never viewed as a finished product when the Twins selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. His athleticism was one of his most intriguing traits. He moves well for a catcher and possesses enough athletic ability to spend time in the outfield, giving the organization some flexibility in how it deploys him. But catching is still the priority. The Twins have invested considerable time into making Diaw a better receiver and improving the physical tools that come with playing the position. That includes his throwing arm. “I think a big thing as well has been working on his arm strength,” MacPhail said. “He’s done a really nice job of that with both our pitching coordinator and our catching coordinator, Tucker Frawley, to being on an offseason program to work on his arm strength.” The stolen-base numbers suggest there is still work to be done. But receiving is about far more than controlling the running game. Framing, presentation, blocking, preparation and working with a pitching staff all contribute to a catcher’s defensive value. Diaw appears to be making meaningful progress in those areas. The Bat Has Continued to Play Diaw is not simply surviving his first exposure to Double-A pitching. He is thriving against it. Diaw began the 2026 season with High-A Cedar Rapids, where he hit .300/.405/.454 with an .859 OPS and a 127 wRC+. That earned him a promotion to Wichita. The move up the organizational ladder did not cause his offensive production to disappear. Through his first 40 games with the Wind Surge, Diaw posted a .312/.432/.422 line over that stretch in one of the most challenging environments of his professional career, producing a 128 wRC+. Andrew Cresci, the hitting coach at Double-A Wichita, also praised Diaw's preparation and attention to detail. “Double-A is probably the biggest jump they'll make until they go to the big leagues, just in terms of the quality of the pitching,” Cresci said. “He did an excellent job. The guy is a perfectionist in his attention to detail. I can definitely appreciate his work in the cage and his preparation.” Perhaps even more encouraging was his plate discipline. Diaw drew 23 walks while striking out just 18 times. That is a remarkable ratio for a young catcher adjusting to Double-A pitching. Diaw has always possessed an advanced understanding of the strike zone. He posted an 11.8% walk rate in 2025, and his ability to get on base has continued into his second professional season. There is another number that has helped him reach base, too. He gets hit. A lot. Diaw was hit by a pitch 18 times during his first full professional season. Through 98 games in 2026, he has already been plunked 19 times, including 11 times at Double-A. Some of that is likely a byproduct of his willingness to work deep into counts and his aggressive approach to getting on base. But there is a bigger point here. When Diaw is healthy and in the lineup, he has consistently hit. Finding More Power The question has never necessarily been whether Diaw can hit. It has been how much damage he can create. Diaw is likely always going to be a hit-over-power offensive player. His approach is built around contact, controlling the strike zone and doing damage early in counts rather than selling out for power. Still, the Twins have seen signs that there could be more pop coming. Diaw made swing changes during his second professional season, including adjustments designed to unlock more power to his pull side. His Pull% has increased by 6.4% this season His power numbers have dipped since his promotion to Double-A (his slugging percentage dropped 30 points), but some of the underlying contact metrics have moved in the right direction. He had a 17-game hit streak from July 11 to August 8th that was the longest in the Texas League this season. In the streak, he batted .373 (25-for-67) with 12 runs scored, 2 home runs and 6 RBI. Diaw fell one game short of the franchise record for the longest streak. A player who already has the ability to make consistent contact, avoid strikeouts and draw walks becomes considerably more interesting if he can add even modest additional power. The goal isn't necessarily to turn Diaw into a 25-home-run catcher. It is to make pitchers pay more often when they enter the strike zone. A Catcher Worth Watching There are still legitimate questions surrounding Diaw. The stolen-base numbers cannot simply be ignored. His arm strength needs to continue developing, and the offensive power remains more projection than certainty. But his trajectory is changing. Diaw entered professional baseball as an athletic catcher with an advanced offensive approach who needed significant defensive development. Now, the Twins believe he is one of their better receivers. His offensive profile makes the development even more intriguing. A catcher who can hit for average, control the strike zone, avoid strikeouts and consistently reach base already has a foundation. If the swing changes continue to produce better contact quality and more power, his offensive ceiling rises. Ultimately, Diaw's trajectory will depend on whether the defensive improvements continue to catch up with his offensive ability. The Twins clearly believe that process is moving in the right direction. And if the work behind the plate eventually matches what the organization already sees from his bat, Diaw could become much more than another piece of catching depth. He could become a legitimate part of Minnesota's long-term catching picture. What stands out about Diaw in 2026? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Torii Hunter had one final decision to make in the winter of 2014. After spending the first 11 seasons of his career with the Minnesota Twins, Hunter had already established himself as one of the most important players of his generation. He had left Minnesota as a free agent following the 2007 season, built an All-Star-caliber career with the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers, and reached the postseason multiple times. At age 39, though, Hunter had to decide where he wanted to play his final season. The Twins wanted him back. So did the Kansas City Royals, who were coming off a trip to the World Series. Looking back more than a decade later, Hunter still wonders what might have happened if he had chosen differently. Hunter recently appeared on the To The Majors podcast with Kevin Pillar and Cody Allen, where he revealed just how seriously he considered joining Kansas City. “I had a decision to make, and guess what the decision was: should I go to the Royals, or should I go to the Twins?” Hunter said. On paper, the Royals certainly presented an appealing option. Kansas City had just reached the World Series in 2014 and had a young core that looked capable of competing for years. Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain were emerging stars, while Alex Gordon remained one of the game's better two-way outfielders. Still, the Twins found a way to make their pitch more personal. One Last Chapter in Minnesota Hunter's relationship with the Twins was complicated. Minnesota drafted him in the first round of the 1993 MLB Draft, and he eventually became one of the most recognizable players in franchise history. But after the 2007 season, the Twins allowed him to leave in free agency. Hunter signed with the Angels and continued to thrive. When the opportunity came to return to Minnesota seven years later, there was understandably some hesitation. Hunter mentioned in the podcast that his wife didn't want to go back to Minnesota after the way his first tenure ended. Hunter also had a legitimate chance to join a Royals team that had just played for a championship. Then Mike Herman, who was part of the Twins' communications staff during Hunter's original Twins tenure, gave Hunter another reason to come home. He told Hunter that one more season with Minnesota could help cement his legacy among the franchise's all-time leaders. That argument worked. “He was like, ‘Hey, come back, and you’ve got an opportunity to be in the top five in every category with the Twins, and you’ll go down in history or whatever. And we love you,’” Hunter recalled. The Twins weren't simply selling him on another season of baseball. They were selling him on the chance to finish his career where it started. Hunter ultimately chose Minnesota. And while the 2015 Twins didn't reach the postseason, Hunter had a productive final season. He hit .286 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs and 81 RBIs while providing the veteran presence expected from a player entering his age-40 season. More importantly, he got the ending he wanted. Hunter retired as a Twin. The Part That Still Bugs Him There was just one problem. The Twins came remarkably close to making the postseason that year. Minnesota entered the final weekend of the 2015 season with a chance to secure an American League Wild Card spot. The Royals were also waiting at Target Field, having already established themselves as one of the American League's best teams. Then everything fell apart for the Twins. Kansas City swept Minnesota. The Royals secured the top seed in the American League, while the Twins watched their postseason hopes disappear. Kansas City eventually went all the way, defeating the New York Mets in the World Series. And that is where Hunter's alternate-history question comes into play. “If I would have chose the Royals, would I have won my World Series?” Hunter said. It's an understandable question. Hunter reached the postseason eight times during his career but never won a championship. He had plenty of opportunities, including multiple playoff runs with the Angels and Tigers, but a World Series ring remained missing from his résumé. Had he signed with Kansas City, Hunter could have been part of the team that finally broke through. Instead, he spent his final season chasing the Twins' playoff dream. And that dream ended at the hands of the very team he could have joined. The Right Decision for the Wrong Outcome? There is no way to know whether Hunter would have won a championship with Kansas City. Baseball doesn't work that way. One player doesn't guarantee a World Series, and an alternate decision can create an entirely different series of events. But from the Twins' perspective, Hunter's story is still significant. Minnesota wasn't the obvious baseball choice in that winter. The Royals had just reached the World Series, while the Twins were coming off a 92-loss season in 2014. Yet, the Twins had something Kansas City couldn't offer. They could give Hunter the opportunity to finish his career where it began. Hunter took that opportunity. He got to play in the new Target Field, a stadium that had been little more than a plan when he left Minnesota. He got to return to the clubhouse, reconnect with the organization, and officially retire as a member of the Twins. More than a decade later, Hunter can still wonder about the alternate ending. For Twins fans, though, there is something fitting about how it actually played out. Hunter started his career in Minnesota. He became a star in Minnesota. He left, built a borderline Hall of Fame-caliber résumé elsewhere and then came back for one final season. And when he walked away from the game, he did so wearing a Twins uniform. The World Series ring never came. But Hunter's place in Twins history was secure. What stands out about Hunter’s decision? Would the Twins have been better or worse without him in 2015? Leave a comment and start the discussion,

Not every prospect can live up to the hype. That's always been true in baseball, but it feels even more relevant in the modern game. Today, every at-bat can be watched, every swing can be dissected, and nearly every performance can be tracked in real time. A prospect can go from an unknown quantity to a household name in a matter of months. The Minnesota Twins have had their share of highly touted prospects in the Target Field era over the past decade and a half. Some became stars. Others became solid big leaguers. Some never came close to reaching the expectations placed upon them. For this list, I'm looking at the Twins' top prospects as they were viewed at the time, rather than how their careers ultimately unfolded. This isn't a ranking of the best big-league players. It is an attempt to put each prospect's hype into historical context. The rankings below are based primarily on each player's peak standing on major prospect lists. Honorable Mentions OF Trevor Larnach: Larnach was one of the organization's premier prospects after being selected 20th overall in 2018. His combination of power and patience made him one of the more intriguing bats in the system, but injuries and inconsistency prevented him from reaching the same prospect heights as those on this list. SS Nick Gordon: The fifth overall pick in 2014, Gordon immediately became one of the more recognizable names in the Twins' system. His prospect stock fluctuated as he moved through the minors, but his draft pedigree and shortstop potential earned him consideration. RHP Kyle Gibson: Gibson was one of the Twins' top pitching prospects after being selected in the first round of the 2009 draft. Much of his prospect hype came during the early part of the following decade as he moved quickly through the Minnesota farm system. 10. OF Max Kepler Peak Ranking: #30 by Baseball America (2016) Kepler doesn't immediately jump off the page when discussing the Twins' all-time prospect rankings, but his placement here is a testament to how much depth Minnesota has had in its farm system. The German outfielder was an international signing who steadily climbed through the organization. By 2016, Baseball America viewed him as the No. 30 prospect in baseball. Kepler's combination of size, athleticism, defensive ability and emerging power made him one of the more intriguing young players in the organization. He jumped up national rankings after posting a .947 OPS at Double-A as a 22 year old. He wasn't viewed as a future superstar on the level of some players higher on this list, but he was considered a legitimate top-30 prospect in the sport. 9. OF Aaron Hicks Peak Ranking: #19 by Baseball America (2010) Hicks was one of the first Twins prospects of this era to generate significant national attention. Selected 14th overall in the 2008 draft, Hicks developed a reputation as an athletic center fielder with impressive tools. His speed, defensive ability and switch-hitting potential gave scouts plenty to dream on. By 2010, Baseball America ranked him No. 19 overall. That ranking reflected the belief that Hicks could become an impact two-way center fielder. He eventually reached the majors with Minnesota before finding his best success later in his career with the Yankees. 8. SS Austin Martin Peak Ranking: #19 by Baseball America (2021) Martin arrived in Minnesota with plenty of prospect pedigree. The Twins acquired him from Toronto as part of the return for José Berríos at the 2021 trade deadline. He had been selected fifth overall by the Blue Jays in 2020 and entered the Twins' organization as a player with a strong offensive reputation based on his college experience. Baseball America ranked Martin as the No. 19 prospect in baseball in 2021. The former Vanderbilt standout's combination of contact ability, plate discipline and athleticism made him an intriguing prospect, even as questions about his ultimate defensive home remained. 7. OF Emmanuel Rodriguez Peak Ranking: #17 by Baseball Prospectus (2025) Rodriguez represents one of the more recent additions to this list. The Twins signed him as an international free agent in 2019, and his offensive potential quickly made him one of the organization's most exciting prospects. His combination of raw power, plate discipline and athleticism allowed him to climb national prospect rankings despite some questions about his long-term defensive home. By 2025, Baseball Prospectus ranked Rodriguez No. 17 overall. There was legitimate belief that Rodriguez possessed some of the best offensive upside in the Twins' system. However injuries have slowed his development and he has yet to debut. 6. RHP José Berríos Peak Ranking: #17 by Baseball Prospectus (2016) Berríos was one of the most highly regarded pitching prospects in the Twins system during the early 2010s. Minnesota selected him 32nd overall in 2012, and he quickly began climbing prospect rankings. His fastball, breaking ball and athletic delivery gave scouts the ingredients of a potential frontline starter. By 2016, Baseball Prospectus ranked Berríos No. 17 overall. Unlike some names on this list, Berríos ultimately came relatively close to meeting his prospect expectations. He became a durable major-league starter and earned multiple All-Star selections after establishing himself in Minnesota. 5. OF Alex Kirilloff Peak Ranking: #9 by MLB Pipeline (2019) Kirilloff was viewed as one of the best pure hitters in the minor leagues. The Twins selected him 15th overall in 2016, and he immediately began making a name for himself. After missing significant time with an elbow injury, Kirilloff returned to the field and quickly reminded everyone why Minnesota had been so excited about his offensive potential with a .970 OPS in 2018. By 2019, MLB Pipeline ranked him ninth overall. Kirilloff's combination of hitting ability, power and offensive polish made him look like a potential middle-of-the-order cornerstone. He was one of the rare Twins prospects who entered the top 10 nationally before reaching the majors. Unfortunately, injuries forced him to retire early. 4. SS Royce Lewis Peak Ranking: #5 by MLB Pipeline (2019) The Twins selected Lewis first overall in 2017, and the expectations were enormous from the beginning. His athleticism immediately stood out. Lewis had plus speed, impressive defensive tools and the potential to develop into a dynamic offensive player. As he moved through the minors, his tools continued to make him one of the most exciting prospects in baseball. MLB Pipeline ranked Lewis No. 5 overall in 2019. At that point, the Twins had a potential franchise shortstop developing in their system. Injuries would dramatically alter his development path, but that doesn't change how highly he was regarded before reaching the majors. 3. 3B Miguel Sanó Peak Ranking: #4 by MLB Pipeline (2014) Few Twins prospects generated as much excitement as Sanó. Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Sanó quickly became known for his enormous raw power. His physical tools were impossible to ignore, and scouts believed he had the potential to become one of baseball's most dangerous power hitters. MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 4 overall in 2014. There were questions about his strikeout rate and defensive home, but the offensive upside was so significant that those concerns didn't prevent Sanó from reaching the top tier of the prospect rankings. For a period of time, Sanó looked like the potential centerpiece of the next great Twins lineup. 2. OF Walker Jenkins Peak Ranking: #3 by MLB Pipeline (2025) Jenkins doesn't have the longest track record on this list, but his prospect pedigree is undeniable. The Twins selected Jenkins fifth overall in 2023, and he immediately began showing why Minnesota believed he could become a cornerstone player. His combination of hitting ability, power, athleticism and defensive potential gave him one of the highest ceilings in the organization. By 2025, MLB Pipeline ranked Jenkins No. 3 overall. More importantly, it wasn't based on one loud tool. Jenkins' profile was remarkably well-rounded, giving evaluators confidence that he could become an impact major-league player. The hype surrounding Jenkins has been enormous, and it puts him in rare company in Twins history. 1. OF Byron Buxton Peak Ranking: #1 by Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Pipeline (2014) There is really only one choice for the top spot. Buxton wasn't simply one of the best prospects in Twins history. He was considered the best prospect in all of baseball. The Twins selected him second overall in 2012, and his combination of elite speed, center-field defense, athleticism and emerging offensive ability quickly pushed him toward the top of every prospect ranking. In 2014, all three major prospect publications agreed: Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Pipeline ranked Buxton No. 1 overall. That's an extraordinary level of consensus. Prospect rankings can vary significantly from one publication to another. One evaluator might love a player's power while another questions the hit tool. Buxton didn't have that problem. Across the industry, there was widespread belief that he possessed the tools to become a franchise-changing player. He eventually became an All-Star and one of the most dynamic players in the sport, even if injuries prevented him from reaching the consistent superstar production many envisioned. And that is ultimately what makes this exercise interesting. The question isn't who had the best Twins career. It's who generated the most excitement before their career had been written. By that standard, Buxton’s unanimous No. 1 ranking remains the benchmark. Walker Jenkins came close to reaching that level before his major-league debut, and he will still be considered a prospect this winter. There’s a chance he could move up this list before next season, but it’s already difficult to ignore what he has accomplished throughout his professional career. How would you rank the prospects of the Target Field era? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Joe Ryan’s return to the Minnesota Twins’ rotation may be close. After completing a three-inning rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday night, Ryan appears to have put himself in position to potentially make his return to the Twins before the middle of September. Manager Derek Shelton acknowledged Wednesday that the possibility of Ryan starting during the team’s upcoming road trip to Chicago and Detroit is being discussed. “I think it’s on the table,” Shelton said. “I wouldn’t say 50-50, one way or another, but I don’t think it’s completely off the table.” That represents a significant step forward for a pitcher the Twins have been without since early August. Ryan threw 42 pitches during Tuesday’s outing in Omaha, with 29 of those pitches finding the strike zone. He then added roughly 10 additional pitches in the bullpen. If everything continues to progress as planned, Ryan could be stretched beyond 60 pitches and potentially work four or five innings in his next appearance. Before that happens, Ryan is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend, most likely while the Twins are in Chicago. His next competitive outing would then likely come either with St. Paul or with Minnesota a couple of days later. That timeline could put a Major League return firmly within reach. The Velocity Question One of the most notable aspects of Ryan’s rehab appearance was his fastball velocity. Ryan sat around 91-92 mph with his fastball in Omaha, well below his 93.4 mph average for the season. On the surface, that could be viewed as a potential concern for a pitcher whose margin for error is already relatively small. Neither Ryan nor Shelton seemed particularly worried about the radar gun, however. The conditions in Omaha were extremely hot, and Ryan acknowledged that he wasn't trying to reach back for the same kind of velocity he would during a regular-season Major League start. More importantly, he came away encouraged by the overall quality of his pitches. That will be the bigger takeaway as Ryan continues building back toward a full workload. After all, velocity wasn't the only issue Ryan was dealing with before landing on the injured list. A Tale of Two Seasons Ryan's first half was everything the Twins could have hoped for. He looked like a legitimate frontline starter, posting an ERA below 3.00 and earning his second career All-Star selection. Then something changed after the All-Star break. Ryan lost all three of his starts following the break and allowed 17 runs over his final 15 1/3 innings. His strikeout numbers also dropped considerably, with just 10 strikeouts against his final 73 batters faced. His final start before the injured list provided another clue. Ryan's four-seam fastball averaged just 92.1 mph that day, his lowest average in a start since early May and more than a mile per hour below his season average. An Important Addition for September Minnesota's postseason chances may be slim, but Ryan's return still carries plenty of importance. The Twins need to determine what their rotation looks like moving forward, and getting Ryan back on the mound would provide valuable information heading into the offseason. The immediate goal isn't necessarily to see Ryan return and suddenly become the first-half ace he was. It's to see the fastball tick back up, watch his delivery become more consistent and allow him to rebuild the foundation that made him so effective before the All-Star break. And if Ryan continues moving in the right direction, his return to the Twins' rotation may not have to wait as long as initially anticipated.

For much of the past decade, the Minnesota Twins haven't exactly been known for developing waves of international position-player talent. There have been individual successes, of course. But compared to some of baseball's better organizations in the international market, the Twins haven't consistently produced prospects who climb through the system and eventually become significant pieces at the major-league level. That could be changing. The Twins have revamped their international operations, and the results are beginning to show up throughout the minor leagues. There are still plenty of questions surrounding these players, but the organization is developing an intriguing collection of athletic position players with offensive upside and defensive versatility. On a recent episode of Inside Twins, Twins Director of Player Development Drew MacPhail discussed some of the changes happening within the organization's player-development system. “The international group does a fantastic job scouting to toolsyness and prioritizing defense as well and kind of projecting out what they might look like as a major leaguer. Defense is a big part of that and I’d give a lot of credit to our PD group. We have really solid basic training at the complexes and put a huge emphasis on the importance of defense as well." MacPhail believes the organization is starting to see the benefits of that approach. “We are starting to see the fruits of that labor of these athletic players that are very routine oriented, have really solid swings, they have twitch, and can play defense.” Several of those players are already putting together impressive seasons. Here are four players who are among the organization’s top ranked position players. OF Yasser Mercedes – Cedar Rapids Kernels .251/.341/.458 (.799), 18 HR, 26 2B, 49 SB, 106 wRC+, 27.9 K%, 11.2 BB% Mercedes has been around longer than most of the names on this list, entering his fifth professional season after signing with the Twins for $1.7 million in January 2022. At the time, Minnesota was betting on an intriguing collection of raw offensive tools from one of the more highly regarded outfielders in that year's international class. His development hasn't been perfectly linear. Mercedes impressed during his first season in the Dominican Summer League before experiencing some struggles in his first taste of stateside baseball. He eventually found his offensive footing again in the Florida Complex League, but moving into the Florida State League exposed some significant swing-and-miss issues. This season has been different. Mercedes opened 2026 by taking a major step forward against FSL pitching. His performance earned him a promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids in May, where he's continued to show a combination of power and speed. The 49 stolen bases stand out, but so do the 18 home runs and 26 doubles. The strikeout rate remains something to monitor, but Mercedes is finally showing the offensive impact the Twins hoped to see when they signed him. At 23 years old, he's also beginning to enter an important stage of his development. OF/3B Luis Fragoza – Cedar Rapids Kernels .311/.404/.551 (.954), 14 HR, 22 2B, 21 SB, 148 wRC+, 26.5 K%, 9.1 BB% If there's one international prospect who has seemingly come out of nowhere this season, it's Fragoza. MacPhail specifically identified him as the clear breakout prospect in the organization during 2026, and the numbers make it easy to understand why. Fragoza signed for just $77,500 during the 2024 international signing period. That was a relatively small investment compared to the seven-figure bonuses given to some of the Twins' other signees that year, including Daiber De Los Santos and Eduardo Beltre. But bonus size doesn't determine where a player eventually ends up. Fragoza posted a respectable .784 OPS during his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League. He struggled to find the same consistency after moving to the Florida Complex League in 2025. The Twins sent him back to the FCL to begin 2026, but he didn't stay there for long. After quickly establishing himself offensively, Fragoza earned a promotion to full-season Fort Myers. He continued to rake with the Mighty Mussels before moving up to Cedar Rapids, where he has remained one of the organization's more productive young hitters. A .954 OPS and 148 wRC+ are difficult to overlook. The versatility also adds to his appeal. Fragoza has experience at both third base and shortstop while bringing enough athleticism to contribute on the bases. There are still questions about how his offensive game will translate as he climbs the ladder, but this has been an impressive breakout campaign. OF Yovanny Duran – Fort Myers Mighty Mussels .273/.408/.419 (.827), 5 HR, 10 2B, 4 3B, 43 SB, 120 wRC+, 23.9 K%, 18.0 BB% Duran represents another example of the Twins getting encouraging returns from their international investment. Minnesota handed out 13 bonuses of at least six figures during the 2025 international signing period, with Santiago Leon and Carlos Taveras leading the way with seven-figure bonuses. Duran received a $277,500 bonus. He's quickly shown why the Twins were willing to make that investment. After a solid debut in the Dominican Summer League, Duran moved stateside and continued producing in the Florida Complex League. He finished sixth in the league with a .943 OPS, just behind Jhomnardo Reyes, who was eventually traded to Baltimore as part of the deal that brought Dean Kremer to Minnesota. Duran has continued that progression with Fort Myers. The .827 OPS doesn't jump off the page quite like Fragoza's does, but the underlying profile is intriguing. Duran has already stolen 43 bases, owns an 18% walk rate and has produced a 120 wRC+. That's a pretty good combination for a young player still learning how to handle professional pitching. His ability to get on base is particularly encouraging. Duran isn't relying solely on batting average to create offensive value, and his speed gives him another avenue to impact games. There's still plenty of development ahead, but he's quickly becoming one of the more interesting players from the Twins' 2025 international class. 3B/SS Enmanuel Merlo – DSL Twins .311/.422/.429 (.851), 3 HR, 6 2B, 3 3B, 5 SB, 115 wRC+, 17.7 K%, 15.1 BB% Merlo is the youngest and least-developed player on this list, but he's also one of the most significant investments the Twins made during the 2026 international signing period. Minnesota entered the signing period with one of baseball's larger international bonus pools, and Merlo received the biggest chunk of that money. The Twins ultimately gave him a bonus of nearly $1.5 million, making him one of 13 players who received at least six figures from Minnesota's 2026 class. His professional career is only beginning. Merlo has spent his first season with the Twins' Dominican Summer League club, where he has already shown an intriguing combination of plate discipline and offensive ability. His .311 batting average is impressive, but the .422 on-base percentage might be even more encouraging. He's also struck out in just 17.7% of his plate appearances while walking 15.1% of the time. For a teenager beginning his professional career, that's an encouraging foundation. There will be plenty of challenges ahead as Merlo eventually moves to the United States and begins facing more advanced pitching. His defensive home also remains something to watch as he develops at third base and shortstop. But the early returns are promising. The Next Wave The Twins aren't suddenly going to become an international-development powerhouse because four prospects are having strong seasons. That's not how player development works. These players are still far away from making their major-league debuts, and there are countless hurdles between the Dominican Summer League and Target Field. Injuries happen. Hitters stop hitting. Pitchers adjust. Defensive limitations become more apparent. Prospects who look like future stars at 18 or 19 sometimes never make it past Double-A. That's why the Twins need to continue building depth rather than relying on any individual player. Still, something appears to be changing. The Twins are finally starting to see some of the fruits of their changes to international scouting and player development. The organization is emphasizing athleticism, defensive ability, swing quality and long-term projection when identifying these players. But for an organization that has been searching for more consistent international success, having this many intriguing players at different stages of development is a very good place to start. What stands out about this group of prospects? Have the Twins solved some of their issues with developing international prospects? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

For the second consecutive season, the Minnesota Twins are entering September with more questions than answers. There was a point this summer when the Twins looked like a legitimate postseason contender. On July 28, Minnesota was 54-54 and just a half-game out of the American League's final Wild Card spot. General manager Jeremy Zoll publicly stated that the organization intended to be a buyer at the Trade Deadline, and ownership followed through by adding A.J. Minter, Dean Kremer and Jeff Hoffman. Then August happened. The Twins went 10-17 during the month, dropping to 66-72 heading into September. They remain within striking distance of a crowded Wild Card race, but the margin for error has nearly disappeared. This is not the first time Minnesota has watched a season go sideways during the second half. That makes it fair to ask a difficult question: Who deserves the blame? The answer isn't one person. Tom Pohlad Ownership deserves a significant portion of the blame because the roster's limitations ultimately fall on the people responsible for funding and building it. To be fair, Pohlad has done something previous ownership groups have been reluctant to do. He has publicly acknowledged that simply being competitive isn't good enough, and he committed to increasing payroll again in 2027. He also approved more than $8 million in prorated salary at this year's Trade Deadline. That is important progress. But Minnesota still entered the season with too many holes for a team expecting to contend. The bullpen needed significant help. The rotation could have used more depth. The lineup had areas that could have been upgraded. The front office did address the bullpen at the trade deadline, but the additions haven't magically transformed the roster into a postseason-caliber team. It was too little, too late. Pohlad can't control what happens on the field. He can control whether the organization has enough resources to build a roster capable of surviving injuries, slumps and the long grind of a 162-game season. For years, Twins fans have been told that the organization wants to contend. Eventually, those words have to be supported by a roster that leaves fewer excuses. Jeremy Zoll Zoll deserves blame, too, although this is where things get more complicated. This is his first season truly operating as the person in charge of baseball operations, and there were signs that he understood what the team needed. He identified the bullpen as an area worth improving and followed through at the deadline. The problem is that the Twins' issues were bigger than three additions. Minnesota entered the stretch run needing everything to go right. Instead, injuries piled up and several important players failed to provide consistent production. Byron Buxton is now back on the injured list with a right hip impingement, his third IL stint of the season. Joe Ryan missed much of the second half with a glute injury, and performed poorly when on the field. Zoll deserves credit for being aggressive enough to add talent. But the responsibility of a general manager goes beyond making a few deadline moves. The roster construction matters. When a team falls from .500 and into a 66-72 record in the span of a little more than a month, the front office has to examine whether it built a roster with enough depth and enough impact talent to withstand adversity. Derek Shelton Shelton will naturally receive plenty of criticism when a team collapses. Managers always do. There have certainly been decisions worth questioning throughout the season. Bullpen usage, lineup construction and individual matchup decisions will be debated, especially when losses pile up. But blaming Shelton for everything would be taking the easy way out. A manager can put players in advantageous positions. He cannot make them execute. The Twins have scored 652 runs this season, but they have also allowed 685. Their -33 run differential is a much better representation of their overall performance than their record alone. There is a limit to how much a manager can fix with strategy when the roster isn't performing consistently. Shelton deserves scrutiny, but this collapse shouldn't become an excuse to avoid examining the larger organizational problems. The Players Ultimately, the players have to accept the largest share of the blame because they are the ones playing the games. That's especially true after a month like August. The Twins didn't simply lose a few close games. They went 8-17, and the club spent much of the month struggling to string together quality performances. There are some clear players that have fallen short of expectations. Entering the season, ZiPS projected Matt Wallner to be the batter with the second highest fWAR, but he struggled enough (-0.8 fWAR) that Minnesota sent him to Triple-A. Royce Lewis has also had an up-and-down year (literally and figuratively). He is only 0.2 fWAR from hitting his ZiPS projection, but has a below average wRC+ and has posted a .633 OPS over his last 23 games. Pablo Lopez and his 2.6 projected fWAR never made a pitch this season. Bailey Ober was expected to have the third highest fWAR among starters (2.0 fWAR), but has struggled with velocity and sits at 1.2 fWAR. Simeon Woods Richardson was the biggest disappointment among starters. He was projected at a 1.8 fWAR and left the Twins with a -0.4 fWAR. Too many players have taken turns disappearing from games offensively. Too many pitchers have struggled to string together quality outings. Too many mistakes have turned manageable games into losses. At some point, the players have to be accountable for that. The Real Answer So, who deserves the blame? Probably everyone. Pohlad deserves blame for an organization that still hasn't provided enough financial resources to build a deep, star-powered roster. Zoll deserves blame for a roster construction that has exposed too many weaknesses and hasn't produced enough impact talent at the major-league level. Shelton deserves blame for the decisions that haven't worked during the team's collapse. And the players deserve the most immediate blame because they are the ones who have failed to consistently execute. But this is bigger than one bad month. The Twins are a below .500 team. A postseason berth remains mathematically possible, but Minnesota has spent another season turning September into an exercise in scoreboard watching and hoping. That's the part that should concern the organization most. When the same organization keeps finding itself asking what went wrong after another promising season fades away, the answer probably isn't sitting in one office, one dugout or one locker. It's the entire structure. The Twins have spent plenty of time talking about building a sustainable contender. Now they have to prove they know how to actually do it. Who deserves the most blame? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

There was a time when Matt Canterino looked like one of the highest-ceiling pitching prospects in the Minnesota Twins organization. Now, the biggest question is much simpler: Can he stay on a mound? The Twins announced Tuesday that Canterino will begin a rehabilitation assignment with the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels. When he takes the ball, it will mark his first professional inning since July 30, 2022, bringing an end to a wait that has stretched for more than four years. For a pitcher whose career has been defined by long stretches away from competition, simply seeing Canterino appear in a game will be significant. For the Twins, there is still a reason to pay attention. A Long Road Back Canterino was selected by Minnesota in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft, 54th overall, out of Rice. His combination of a mid-90s fastball, sharp slider and ability to attack hitters made him one of the organization's most intriguing pitching prospects. The results backed up the scouting reports. Across 85 minor league innings, Canterino owns a 1.48 ERA with 130 strikeouts, 35 walks and only 38 hits allowed. His 0.86 WHIP is equally impressive. Those numbers came across parts of three minor league seasons, but injuries repeatedly interrupted whatever momentum he built. His 2022 season offered perhaps the clearest glimpse of what he could become. Canterino posted a 1.95 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 37 innings for Double-A Wichita, dominating hitters before elbow problems eventually forced him from the mound. That season ultimately ended with Tommy John surgery in August 2022. He would not pitch in 2023. Then came another setback. Canterino suffered a right rotator cuff injury during Spring Training in 2024 and missed the entire season. The Twins had hoped to gradually bring him back and even considered moving him into a bullpen role to better manage his workload. Instead, another shoulder problem emerged during Spring Training in 2025, leading to surgery in March. At that point, the timeline became even more uncertain with Twins trainer Nick Paparesta saying the recovery could be more than 12 months. The Twins released Canterino in April 2025 after designating him for assignment, but the story didn't end there. Just eight days later, Minnesota re-signed him to a two-year minor league contract. The organization gave Canterino another opportunity to continue rehabbing with the team, and that decision has now brought him to this moment. That investment is about to become tangible. Pitching in a game is different from throwing bullpen sessions. Hitters swing. Adrenaline changes the environment. Mechanics are tested under pressure. Most importantly, Canterino will finally have the opportunity to measure his stuff against professional hitters again. What Can the Twins Expect? There is no reason to expect Canterino to immediately resemble the pitcher who overwhelmed Double-A hitters four years ago. He will have to rebuild his workload. The Twins will have to monitor his velocity, command and recovery between appearances. There will almost certainly be limitations during the early stages of this assignment. But there is still something intriguing about the possibility. Canterino's career minor league numbers are not the result of a handful of dominant outings. He made 26 appearances and 25 starts while producing a 1.48 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 85 innings. His strikeout ability has always been the calling card, and his arsenal has given him the potential to work either as a starter or out of the bullpen. The bullpen route may eventually make the most sense. It could allow Minnesota to leverage his fastball and slider in shorter bursts while limiting some of the workload that has contributed to his injury history. But there is no need to make that decision right now. For the moment, Canterino just needs to pitch. That sounds incredibly simple, especially for someone who was once viewed as one of the organization's brightest arms. Yet it represents the biggest accomplishment of his professional career to this point. Four years after his last competitive inning, Canterino is finally getting another chance. The prospect rankings, projections and future role can come later. First, he gets to pitch. What stands out about Canterino's professional journey? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Woo-Suk Go’s time with the Minnesota Twins is over, and the right-hander is heading back to familiar territory. After going unclaimed on waivers following his designation for assignment last Friday, Go elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to Triple-A St. Paul. According to Yoo Jee-ho of Yonhap News Agency, Go has agreed to return to the Korea Baseball Organization and sign with the LG Twins. “An official with the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Tuesday the 28-year-old pitcher is on his way back to Seoul and could sign his deal before the end of the day,” Yoo reported. It marks the end of a strange few months for Go, who arrived in Minnesota with some intriguing upside but never found his footing with the organization. Go spent the first seven seasons of his professional career with the KBO’s LG Twins. He emerged as one of the league’s better late-inning options, recording at least 30 saves three times. His best season came in 2022, when he converted 42 saves. That success earned Go an opportunity in Major League Baseball. The San Diego Padres signed him in January 2024, but his stay in the organization was short-lived. He was traded to the Miami Marlins as part of the package that brought Luis Arraez to San Diego. After being designated for assignment by Miami in May 2024, Go exercised his right to reject a minor-league assignment and became a free agent. He bounced around the American baseball landscape before eventually landing with Detroit. The Tigers gave him an opportunity in Triple-A Toledo, where Go looked like an interesting relief option. That performance ultimately caught Minnesota's attention. The Twins acquired Go from Detroit in a minor trade at the beginning of July. Across 27 2/3 innings with Toledo, he had posted a 2.60 ERA while striking out 29% of opposing hitters. Minnesota decided to give him his first opportunity in the majors. It did not go particularly well. Go appeared in four games for the Twins, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in four innings. Two of those hits left the ballpark. He struck out five and walked two, finishing his brief MLB stint with a 9.00 ERA. The Twins optioned Go to St. Paul in late July, but things quickly went sideways. In what would have been his Saints debut, Go was ejected after umpires determined he had an illegal substance in his glove. He initially received a 10-game suspension, which was reduced to eight games following an appeal. Unfortunately, his struggles continued after the suspension. Go posted a 12.54 ERA across eight appearances, allowing 13 earned runs and issuing 11 walks over just 9 1/3 innings. At one point, he walked 10 hitters across four innings over a three-game stretch. Overall, Go posted a 3.91 ERA across 50 2/3 innings between the Detroit and Minnesota systems. The Twins gave Go his first taste of the majors, but the organization ultimately decided it was time to move in another direction. Now, Go gets an opportunity to reset his career where it began. The LG Twins were his team for seven seasons before his MLB journey began. After stops with several organizations in the United States, Go is heading back to Seoul looking to rediscover the pitcher who once dominated the ninth inning in the KBO. For Minnesota, it was a short experiment that never quite worked. For Go, the return home could provide a chance to get his career back on track.