Cody Christie

Breakout your crystal ball or shake-up your Magic 8 ball as we investigate the future of the Minnesota Twins. Luckily, the organization is amid their winning window with a core of young talent already in the big leagues and other top prospects getting close to knocking on the door. As I do every winter, let’s prognosticate what the team’s line-up might look like four years from now.Catcher: Ryan Jeffers Mitch Garver can be a free agent following the 2023 season, so it seems most likely for the Twins to turn over catching duties to Ryan Jeffers. The 2021 campaign will see Garver and Jeffers splitting time behind the plate. Jeffers is six years younger than Garver and he is a defensive upgrade behind the plate. Another name to consider is Ben Rortvedt who was added to the 40-man roster this winter. He has a chance to join Jeffers on the 2024 squad to be the team’s new catching duo. First Base: Alex Kirilloff Miguel Sano transitioned to first base in 2020, but he might be relegated to the role of designated hitter by 2024. Kirilloff has experience as an outfielder or as a first baseman and his bat is ready for the big leagues. He will likely take over for Eddie Rosario in the Twins outfield for 2021, but first base might end up being his long-term home. Minnesota has other big bats like Brent Rooker and Aaron Sabato that will need a line-up spot too, so it will be interesting to see how all these players progress in the years ahead. Second Base: Luis Arraez Arraez didn’t have a perfect 2020 season as he dealt with knee issues, but he was still able to post an impressive .321 batting average with nine doubles in 32 games. His defense is never going to be fantastic at second, but the Twins might help him improve by working on his defensive positioning or getting better defenders around him in the infield. Also, none of the second base options behind him in the organization will be pushing him out of the way. His bat is his ticket to a long-term big-league job and the Twins will still be happy to have him in the line-up in 2024. Shortstop: Jorge Polanco There is no guarantee that Polanco will even be the Twins starting shortstop in 2021, let alone still be playing the position in 2024. It seems more likely for the Twins to have another option at shortstop over the next couple seasons, which would allow Polanco to shift to a utility role. At this point, there are options in the minors like Royce Lewis, Wander Javier, and eventually, Keoni Cavaco. No, I don’t believe Polanco can stick at shortstop, but I also don’t think the team’s 2024 shortstop is in the organization yet. Third Base: Josh Donaldson Minnesota would need to pick up Donaldson’s 2024 option for him to make it into this line-up and that might be questionable in his age-38 season. It is a $16 million option, but the buyout is $8 million, which means the Twins will have an $8 million decision to make following the 2023 season. The Twins have some third base options in the minors and there is always a chance the team moves Royce Lewis from shortstop to third base. Left Field: Trevor Larnach Larnach doesn’t get as much hype as Kirilloff and Lewis, but he would be the top hitting prospect for other organizations. Also, he’s older than Kirilloff and the same age as Jeffers and Arraez. Back in 2019, the Twins named him their Minor League Player of the Year after he hit .309/.384/.458 with 44 extra-base hits. There’s a good chance he makes his debut in 2021 and he has a chance to be part of the Twins line-up for the better part of the next decade. Center Field: Royce Lewis Byron Buxton is a free agent following the 2023 season, so there a few different ways the team can go by 2024. Lewis has had questions about his defensive future since the Twins drafted him and he showed some positive signs when playing outfield in the 2019 Arizona Fall League. Minnesota is committed to him as a shortstop for now, but the story might be different in four years. Few question his athletic ability and playing another up-the-middle defensive position might be his long-term ticket to the big leagues. Right Field: Max Kepler Kepler, along with Sano, can fill the role the aging veteran on the 2024 Twins as they will both be in their age-31 seasons. The Twins would need to pick-up Kepler’s $10 million option for the 2024 season or work out a different extension to keep him on the roster. Since the start of the 2019 season, he has an .831 OPS and a 119 OPS+ while being a strong defender in the outfield. He seems like the type of player that can fill a veteran leadership role as younger pieces start to join the core that is already in place. Designated Hitter: Miguel Sano I was tempted to pencil in a 43-year-old Nelson Cruz as the team’s designated hitter with how ageless he has seemed during his Twins tenure. Sano is the logical choice to be the team’s DH by 2024, especially with his move to first base last year. Minnesota will have better defensive options at first and Sano can concentrate on doing what he does best, hitting monster home runs. Sano is only under team control through 2023, so the Twins will have the option to turn to one of the other big bats (Rooker, Sabato) in the organization as well. What do you think the 2024 line-up will look like in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. PREVIOUS YEAR’S PREDICTIONS — 2021 Line-Up — 2022 Line-Up — 2023 Line-Up MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

When the Twins drafted Byron Buxton, he was expected to be a superstar player that can alter the future of a franchise. There have been glimpses of this Buxton in his big-league career, but the organization has also needed depth in centerfield because of his lengthy injury history. What does the future hold for Buxton and how deep is the centerfield position in the Twins organization?Current Center Fielder: Byron Buxton Since he made his debut, there have been times when Byron Buxton was the best player on the Twins roster. His elite defensive abilities, speed, and offensive talent make him the true definition of a five-tool player. Unfortunately, he has played fewer than 92 games in all but one professional season. Buxton is a second-year arbitration eligible player, so the Twins have team control over him for the next two seasons. Would the Twins be willing to extend him this winter? 40-Man Options Jake Cave, LaMonte Wade Jr. and even Max Kepler have seen time in centerfield. Cave and Wade might be a little stretched up the middle, but Kepler has shown the ability to fill-in nicely for Buxton when needed. All three fit into the team’s corner outfield projections with Kepler and Cave line-up to be the Opening Day starters if the club wants to hold off on having Alex Kirilloff make his regular season debut. Outside of Buxton, Gilberto Celestino might be one of the purest centerfielders in the Twins organization. He was acquired from the Astros as part of the Ryan Pressly trade and he was added to the 40-man roster after a breakout season in 2019. He has always been a strong defender, but he hit .303/.374/.464 with 38 extra-base hits over his last 98 games that season. If Buxton suffers an injury, Celestino’s defense is big-league ready and his bat might not be far behind. On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other corner options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Twins Centerfield Minors.JPG Kerrigan is an interesting story as he went undrafted after four-years of college and started playing independent baseball. He’s got a good power and speed, but he might be a little stretched defensively in center field. Whitefield got a brief taste of the big leagues last season as he appeared in three games, but the Twins removed him from the 40-man roster. He’s one of the best defensive outfielders in the system. Maciel came to the Twins as part of the Eduardo Escobar trade and he split time between Low- and High-A back in 2019. He can drive the ball to all fields and he’s not overmatched in center. Keirsey was a fourth-round pick back in 2018 and he topped out at Cedar Rapids in 2019. His speed and college experience should help him play all over the outfield. Urbina is an intriguing prospect with lightening fast speed. He was signed as part of the 2018 international signing period out of Venezuela and he made his first professional starts in the 2019 Dominican Summer League. He has all the tools, and he is a prospect to watch in the years ahead. Garry Jr. was young for the E-Twins back in 2019, but he showed that he can hold his own. He continues to improve on both sides of the ball. What do you think about the future of centerfield in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -Corner Outfield -Catcher -Second Base -First Base -Third Base -Shortstop MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

For the last six seasons, Eddie Rosario has manned a corner outfield spot for the Minnesota Twins. That will change in 2021 as the team didn’t offer him arbitration and now, he is a free agent. Luckily, two of Minnesota’s top position player prospects happen to play in the corner outfield. So, what does this mean for the 2021 Twins and what does the future hold for the organization’s corner outfield spots?Current Corner Outfielders: Max Kepler, Alex Kirilloff Minnesota locked up Max Kepler at the right time as the 27-year-old is under team control for four more seasons with a team-friendly deal. Over the last two seasons, he has hit .246/.332/.499 with 45 home runs and 41 doubles in 182 games. Not to mention, he represented MLB in Germany last winter by “promoting baseball and inspiring the next generation of players.” Kirilloff’s 2020 debut was well documented because he became the first player in league history to make his debut by starting a playoff game. He went 1-for-4 in the game as the Twins were swept by the Astros. Kirilloff has been one of the team’s top prospects since he was drafted in the first round back in 2016. Entering last season, he was a consensus top-100 prospect with MLB.com and Baseball America having him ranked in the top 32. 40-Man Options While Kirilloff is expected play the majority of the team’s games in the outfield, Jake Cave has a chance to start the year in left field so they Twins can control Kirilloff’s service time. Since joining the Twins, Cave has hit .254/.321/.451 while showing the ability to play all three outfield positions. He does a good job of fitting into the fourth outfielder role, but some of the younger players mentioned below might start encroaching on his playing time in the coming year. Brent Rooker made a strong impression last year as he hit .316/.381/.579 with three extra-base hits. Unfortunately, his season only last seven games as he suffered a fractured forearm on a hit by pitch. LaMonte Wade Jr. has played 42 big-league games over the last two seasons and he has compiled a .684 OPS. Defensively, the Twins have used him at all three outfield positions, and he has even seen some time at first base. On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other corner options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Twins Minors Corner OF.JPG Trevor Larnach is actually older than Kirilloff and he has been right behind him when it comes to prospect rankings in the organization. He spent the 2020 season with Kirilloff at the alternate training site after coming off a 2019 season where he was the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year. Larnach likely fits into the team’s long-term plans in the outfield which allows Kirilloff to switch to first base in the years to come. Kerrigan showed some up in the upper levels of the minor leagues last season as he accumulated 31 extra-base hits in just 98 games. He adds to the organizational depth and he can play all three outfield positions. Wallner was drafted out of college in 2019 and saw time in Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids in his professional debut. He posted an .810 OPS with 31 extra-base hits in 65 games with all his defensive innings coming in right field. Soularie and Rosario joined the Twins as part of the 2020 draft class. Soularie was the team’s second round pick out of the University of Tennessee. In his two collegiate seasons, he hit .336/.448/.586 with more walks (49) than strikeouts (47). Rosario was Minnesota’s final draft pick in the 2020 draft since it was shortened to five rounds. He has a lot of raw power and impressive exit velocities for a prep player. Aguiar, a native of Venezuelan, has been in the Twins system for two years. In 2019, he was limited to seven games, but he was the youngest player on the GCL Twins. What do you think about the future of corner outfielders in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -Catcher -Second Base -First Base -Third Base -Shortstop MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Cincinnati Reds have made it quite clear that they are open for business this winter as the team is trying to cut payroll. Already, the club has dealt away closer Raisel Iglesias in a trade that seemed to favor the Angels and not the Reds. Are there other available players the Twins can target to bolster their roster for 2021?Sonny Gray Contract: 2-years, $20.33 million ($12 million team option for 2023) Gray has revamped himself since joining the Reds rotation. Over the last two seasons, he has a 3.07 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP and 277 strikeouts in 231 1/3 innings. He might be the best starting pitcher available on the trade market this winter and the asking price will likely be high based on his recent performance and his years of team control. Gray would help bolster the top of Minnesota’s rotation that already includes the trio of Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, and Michael Pineda. Gray would help the team in the short-term, but the asking price might be higher than the front office wants to pay. Luis Castillo Contract: First-year arbitration eligible (Earliest Free Agency 2024) While Gray can help the Reds to cut cost, Castillo is still relatively cheap since he is entering his first year of arbitration. A team looking to acquire Castillo might also have to be willing to take on a veteran with a higher salary to help the Reds cut costs (see below). Since the start of the 2019 season, the 28-year-old has posted a 3.35 ERA and a 3.42 FIP in 260 2/3 innings. He has an electric fastball that sits in the upper-90s and his slider is improving. It seems like someone Wes Johnson would love to help take to the next level. Nick Castellanos Contract: 3-years, $46 million ($20 million mutual option for 2024) Twins fans are likely familiar with Castellanos from his time in a Tigers uniform and his contract might be one that a team will have to acquire to have a chance at Castillo. Castellanos can fit multiple roles with the Twins including corner outfielder or designated hitter. Over the last two seasons, he has hit .273/.327/.515 with 41 home runs and 69 doubles in 211 games. Making a deal that includes Castellanos likely puts the Twins out of the running for Nelson Cruz, but it can mean the club acquires a big-time arm like Castillo. Amir Garrett Contract: First-year arbitration eligible (Earliest Free Agency 2024) Garrett is one of the players that will have a chance to take over the closer’s role in Cincinnati following the departure of Iglesias. Like Castillo, he is in his first year of arbitration so there won’t be urgency to trade him unless a perspective team is willing to take on other salary. Since the start of 2019, he has a 3.03 ERA and a 4.19 FIP while racking up 104 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings. Minnesota has multiple holes to fill in their bullpen, so would the team be willing to overspend to get a very good left-handed arm. Lucas Sims Contract: Pre-arbitration eligible (Earliest Free Agency 2025) Sims was a first-round pick in 2012 out of high school and he joined the Reds organization back in 2018 in a deadline deal with the Braves. He hasn’t even reached arbitration yet and so the cost to acquire him will be steep. Over the last two seasons, he strikes out nearly 12 batters per nine innings with a 1.08 WHIP and a 125 ERA+. Cincinnati can put him in the closer’s role for a couple seasons and get a higher return for him after he has the “proven closer” label applied to him. Which players would you like the Twins to target? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

The Twins might have baseball’s best catching duo following a season that saw Ryan Jeffers emerge to go along with Mitch Garver. Garver struggled through most of 2020, but it’s hard to ignore his production from 2019 when he had one of the best offensive performances in catching history. Minnesota is lucky to have these two under team control for multiple years, but there is also some strong depth in the organization.Current Catchers: Mitch Garver and Ryan Jeffers Garver was limited to 23 games in 2020 and he hit .167/.247/.264 with three extra-base hits. It was going to be hard to live up to his 2019 season when he posted a .995 OPS with 31 home runs and 16 doubles in 93 games. While it’s unlikely for Garver to replicate those totals, his 2020 season was impacted by a right intercostal strain. He will be 30-years old next year and the Twins have team control over him for three more seasons. Jeffers impressed in his first taste of the big leagues, especially on the defensive side of the ball. His Strike Rate was the highest in the American League and he was especially good at getting strike calls on the edges of the zone. His offensive numbers weren’t too shabby either as he posted a .791 OPS with three home runs. Many scouts saw him as a bat-only catcher coming out of college, so it shows how much the Twins have been able to do with him since he joined the system in 2018. 40-Man Options Garver and Jeffers figure to get the bulk of the time behind the plate in 2021, but the Twins have other options that add depth to the organization. Willians Astudillo still has options remaining so the Twins can stash him at St. Paul and then bring him up when needed at the big-league level. Since joining the Twins, he has hit .294/.319/.428 with only 13 strikeouts in over 317 plate appearances. Before this year’s Rule 5 Draft, the Twins added Ben Rortvedt, a 2016 second-round pick, to the 40-man roster. He finished the 2019 season at Double-A and his OPS has risen in every professional season. He will likely start the year at Double-A, especially with some of the other more veteran catchers in the organization. On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other catching options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Twins Catchers Minors.JPG Telis has over 120 games played at the big-league level and he did well during his first year in the Twins organization. At Triple-A, he hit .330/.364/.490 with 31 extra-base hits and a 33 to 16 strikeout to walk ratio. Hamilton, a 2016 draft pick, reached Triple-A in 2019 and he has shown the ability to play multiple defensive positions. He ended 2019 with a .660 OPS and 26 extra-base hits in 99 games. Williams spent time at Low- and High-A in 2019 and he was limited to a .192 batting average. However, he got on base over 33% of the time and ended with a .749 OPS after collecting 26 extra-base hits in 74 games. Casanova was a 2018 draft pick and he spent 2019 at the same levels as Williams. His 2019 strikeout percentage is the highest among all the catchers in the system. Minnesota took Isola out of college in 2019 and he made it all the way to Low-A in his professional debut. He destroyed the ball in seven games with the E-Twins as he went 10-for-25 and posted a 1.029 OPS. Salva has been in the organization since 2016 and he spent his first three years in the GCL. Last season at E-Town, he posted a .710 OPS, his highest total of his professional career. Morales made his stateside debut in 2019 and he will have a chance to move to Low-A in 2021. What do you think about the future of catcher in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -Second Base -First Base -Shortstop -Third Base MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Pitching prospects can be fickle, especially in a modern era that sees players develop shoulder, elbow, and other arm problems from hurling a round object at over 90 mph. Just three years ago, Fernando Romero was considered the Twins best pitching prospect, but word came out on Thursday that the team had released him. So, what happened to this once promising arm?Romero’s Rise Romero joined the Twins organization as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic. He signed with the Twins on February 2, 2012 and his first professional season came as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League. He posted a 4.65 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP in 31 innings that season. His next season was even better as he came stateside with the GCL Twins. He lowered his ERA to 1.60 and struck out more than a batter per inning. Minnesota continue to be aggressive with Romero in 2014 as he got his first taste of a full-season league. He was nearly three years younger than the average age of the players in the Midwest League. Unfortunately, he would only pitch 12 innings that season after tearing his UCL which required Tommy John surgery. Romero wouldn’t make another professional appearance until the 2016 season. Some players can struggle when returning from Tommy John surgery as they try and shake off the rust, but Romero certainly didn’t find those struggles. He pitched at Low- and High-A in his return and posted video game like numbers while still being young for both levels. His ERA was under 1.95 in both stops that season and he had a miniscule 0.897 WHIP. He was firmly back on the prospect map. Romero spent all of 2017 at Double-A where he made 23 starts and pitched over 120 innings for the first time in his career. He ended the year with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP with a 120 to 45 strikeout to walk ratio. He was on the cusp on cracking into the big leagues and he got that call in 2018. On May 2, 2018, Romero made his big-league debut against the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings by limiting Jays batters to four hits. He walked three, struck out five, and was credited with his first win. His next start against St. Louis was even better as he struck out nine over six shutout innings and picked up another win. Obviously, things couldn’t continue to go that well. He ended his rookie season with a 4.69 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 11 starts, but he had clearly shown some positive signs throughout the season. Romero’s Fall Things weren’t as promising during the 2019 season. The Twins started using Romero as a relief option at Triple-A and he posted a 4.37 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in 57 2/3 innings. At the big-league level, there was some good and some bad as he adjusted to his new role. He allowed multiple runs in five of his 15 appearances and there were multiple times he pitched less than an inning. In his other 10 appearances, he didn’t allow a run, but the damage was already done. He ended the year with an ERA north of 7.00 and a 2.14 WHIP. Romero was supposed to enter the 2020 season with a chance to make the Twins bullpen coming out of spring training. That didn’t happen as Romero dealt with visa issues and was placed on the restricted list for the entire season. According to MLB.com reports, Romero flew from his native Dominican Republic to Atlanta ahead of the February 12 reporting date for pitchers and catchers. When he arrived, he got into a customs issue and was sent back to the Dominican Republic to submit paperwork for a new visa. Few other reports came out about the issue before the Twins released him this week. Romero will turn 26-years old in the coming days and the one-time top prospect is going to be searching for a new organization. Minnesota’s release of Romero might seem like a surprise, but the club likely has more information on the reasons he continued to have visa issues this year. He still has the plenty of potential, but like all pitching prospects, time could be running out. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Luis Arraez was supposed to hit .400 last season and run away with the American League batting title. Sure, expectations were high after his tremendous rookie campaign, but expectations were bound to outlast the reality of the situation. Arraez struggled through knee issues in his sophomore campaign, and one must wonder if that changes the future of second base for the Minnesota Twins.Current Second Baseman: Luis Arraez Arraez burst onto the scene in 2019 with a rookie campaign unseen in Minnesota for quite some time. He hit .334/.399/.439 with a 29 to 36 strikeout to walk ratio. In the batter’s box, he seemed to be able to know what the pitcher was throwing and spit on pitches on the edges. Arraez was never seen as a top-tier prospect, but the 2019 season might have changed that perspective. To be clear, the 2020 season saw Arraez play through a knee injury that plagued him during spring training and the team’s summer camp session. With that being said, he still hit .321/.364/.402 with an 11 to 8 strikeout to walk ratio in 32 games. The shortened season certainly impacted his injury and it also impacted the numbers he was able to produce at the big-league level. Arraez should be the Twins present and future, but it’s hard to predict how his knee will react. 40-Man Options Besides Arraez, the Twins have other 40-man roster options to play second base. Travis Blankenhorn is a legitimate option that could surprise some fans in 2021. If the Twins are able to sign another shortstop, Jorge Polanco could move to a utility role to put less pressure on Donaldson and Arraez. Blankenhorn has accumulated over 1900 defensive innings at second base during his professional career which is more than any other defensive position. On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other second base options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Second Base Minors.JPG Lin was an intriguing signing this winter and Severino has all the skills to be an impact option at the big-league level. Lin will likely get multiple opportunities to fill-in for full-time players. Also, Severino has been in the Twins system long enough to build up equity with the coaching staff. Arraez might be the current second baseman Prato joined the Twins organization as a 7th round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He split his professional debut between Elizabethton and Cedar Rapids while hitting .268/.373/.730 with 10 extra-base hits in 4 games. Santana played three full seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making his stateside debut. In E-Town, he hit .276/.371/.372 with 10 extra-base hits in 40 games. He should have the chance to debut with Fort Myers in 2021. Julien is another intriguing option because of his college experience. Minnesota drafted him out of Auburn in 2019 and he has yet to make his professional debut. The Canadian native could make a big impact on the organization if he is able to move quickly in the years ahead. What do you think about the future of second base in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -First Base -Shortstop -Third Base MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Miguel Sano got his first full-time taste of first base last season albeit in a shortened campaign. Sano is under contract for the next two seasons with a team option for 2023. The team also has other first base options getting closer to Target Field including some of the team’s top prospects. When it all gets put together, what does that mean for the future of first base in Minnesota?Current First Baseman: Miguel Sano Last winter, the Twins locked up Miguel Sano to a three-year, $30 million contract extension that includes a $14 million team option for 2023 or a $2.75 million buyout. Sano struggled early in the 2020 season as he missed most of Summer Camp after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Through his first 13 games, he went 5-for-45 (.111 BA) with 23 strikeouts and a .504 OPS. He led all of baseball with 90 strikeouts, but he was able to hit double digit home runs for the sixth consecutive season. Sano’s defensive transition had its ups and downs as one would expect. There were games where it was a little more obvious that his footwork and approach were lacking at first base, but that can certainly be expected at a position where he lacked familiarity. According to SABR’s Defensive Index, only two AL first baseman had a lower SDI total. Sano can move to DH depending on what the Twins decide with Nelson Cruz. 40-Man Options Besides Sano, the Twins have other 40-man roster options to play first base. Two of the team’s top prospects, Alex Kirilloff and Brent Rooker, made their debuts last season. During the 2019 campaign, Kirilloff hit .283/.343/.413 with 29 extra-base hits in 94 games while playing nearly 42% of his defensive innings at first base. This came on the heels of a tremendous 2018 campaign where he posted a .970 OPS and was named MiLB’s Breakout Player of the Year. Minnesota’s front office has a lot of trust in him and he seems like a likely candidate to take over for Eddie Rosario in the outfield. Rooker got off to a tremendous start last season before suffering a fractured forearm that ended his season. In seven games, he hit .316/.381/.579 with three extra-base hits and five RBI. Back in 2019, he made his Triple-A debut and hit .282/.399/.530 with 30 extra-base hits, but he was limited to 67 games while dealing with a wrist injury and a groin injury. Rooker should be ready for season’s start and there are multiple roles he can fill on the 2021 Twins. On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other first base options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Twins First Base Minors.JPG Minnesota took Gabe Snyder with their 21st round pick back in 2018 after he spent four years at Wright State. His 2019 campaign was spent entirely at Low-A where he hit .259/.338/.462 with 44 extra-base hits in 114 games. With his college experience, he has been old for each level he has played at during his professional career. Snyder turns 26 in March and the team should push him to Double-A. In the 2020 MLB Draft, Minnesota took Aaron Sabato with the 27th overall pick after two impressive seasons at the University of North Carolina. Sabato was known as a slugger after hitting .332/.459/.698 (1.158) with 57 extra-base hits in 83 games. The jury is still out on if he will have the defensive skills to play a position in the big-leagues or if he will be limited to playing DH. Weiss was the Twins 23rd round pick in 2018 out of Cal State-Northridge. He played at three different levels in 2019 with High-A being the highest level he reached. Weiss was also older than the competition at every stop in his professional career. Phillips is roughly a year behind Weiss as he was taken out of college in 2019. It will be interesting to see how aggressive the Twins are with these two players following the absence of a 2020 minor league season. What do you think about the future of first base in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POSTS IN THE SERIES -Shortstop -Third Base MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Minnesota surprised some last offseason by signing Josh Donaldson to a four-year, $92 million contract. The former MVP was coming off a tremendous season with Atlanta where he posted a .900 OPS and won MLB’s Comeback Player of the Year. Donaldson has the biggest free agent contract in team history, but what does that mean for the future of third base in Minnesota?Current Third Baseman: Josh Donaldson Donaldson’s first season in a Twins uniform didn’t go exactly as planned as he was limited to 28 games. When he was on the field, he hit .222/.373/.469 with eight extra-base hits in 81 at-bats. Injuries have been the story of the second half of Donaldson’s career. Outside of his 2019 season in Atlanta, he missed time in 2017, 2018, and 2020. Minnesota was well aware of Donaldson’s injury history and now he is under contract for at least the next three seasons. For all players, the 2020 season came with unique challenges and this can impact players in different ways. Minnesota can hope that a more normal 2021 season will allow Donaldson to get back being close to the player he was in Atlanta a few seasons ago. On the other hand, Minnesota is going to need to have some back-up options if Donaldson’s calf issues continue to plague him. 40-Man Options Besides Donaldson, the Twins have other 40-man roster options to play third base even with the possible departures of Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza as free agents. Travis Blankenhorn got a brief call-up last year as he appeared in one game and went 1-for-3 with a double. There is a chance he is given the opportunity to serve in the team’s utility role during the 2021 campaign. Another option for the Twins is to sign or trade for a shortstop and this allows Jorge Polanco to move into a utility role. Polanco has undergone off-season ankle surgery in each of the last two off-seasons and the Twins might want to add some infield insurance On the Farm Options Outside of the options mentioned above, there are other third base options in the minor leagues including some strong prospects. Download attachment: Twins Minor League 3B.JPG Miranda, a 2016 second round pick, was available to be selected in last week’s Rule 5 Draft, but no other organizations selected him. He showed a good balance of power and plate discipline in 2019, and he can play multiple infield positions. Bechtold, a 2017 fifth round pick, split time between Low- and High-A back in 2019. Both players will see time at Double or Triple-A next season. Mack, Steer and Gray all spent some of the 2019 season in Elizabethton with Gray and Steer making appearances at Low-A before season’s end. Mack was taken out of high school while Gray and Steer have multiple years of collegiate experience. All three players have a chance to reach Double-A by the end of the 2021 season. What do you think about the future of third base in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. OTHER POST IN THE SERIES - SHORTSTOP MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

In recent years, shortstop has been a revolving door for the Minnesota Twins. Since Cristian Guzman left in 2004, no player has been the team’s Opening Day starter in three consecutive seasons. During the current 16-year stretch, 11 different players have opened the year as the team’s shortstop. Jorge Polanco is under contract for multiple more seasons, but what does that mean for the future of shortstop in Minnesota?Current Shortstop: Jorge Polanco Polanco is signed thru the 2023 season when he would be age-29, but the team has a $10.5 million option for 2024 and a $12 million for 2025. After signing his extension, Polanco rewarded the Twins with a tremendous first half to the 2019 campaign as he hit .312/.368/.514 with 41 extra-base hits in 85 games. He’d be named as the starter for the AL All-Star team, but things have changed over the last calendar year. In the second half of 2019, his OPS dropped by nearly 100 points and there have been some defensive concerns throughout his professional career. The 2020 campaign didn’t go much better as he posted a career worst .658 OPS. In each of the last two offseason, Polanco has been forced to have surgery on his right ankle. So, what does this mean moving forward? 40-Man Options With Ehire Adrianza hitting free agency, there’s only one other 40-man option with significant shortstop experience. Nick Gordon was the team’s first round pick back in 2014 and he spent the 2019 season at Triple-A where he hit .298/.342/.459 in 70 games. Unfortunately, he spent much of the 2020 season trying to recover from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. He was never able to report to the team’s alternate site camp in St. Paul. By the time he recovered, he spent the rest of the season recovering in Fort Myers. While Gordon has shortstop experience, the 2019 season was the first time he spent roughly half his defensive innings at second base. The lack of a minor league season and his battle with COVID-19 really hurt Gordon’s chances to make improvements in 2020. He already turned 25 and he has yet to make his big-league debut. On the Farm Options Outside of Gordon, there are other shortstop options in the minor leagues including some of the team’s top prospects. Download attachment: Twins Minor League SS.JPG Lewis has been considered the organization’s top prospect and he spent the entire 2020 season at the team’s alternate site. He struggled through parts of 2019 at High- and Double-A before going to the Arizona Fall League and being named the league’s MVP. Questions have been raised about his long-term ability to stick at shortstop, but he still should be knocking on the door to the big leagues in 2021. Lin was picked up on a minor league deal at the beginning of December. He was a former top-20 prospect for the Red Sox before serving in a utility role over the last four seasons. For his career, he is a .223/.298/.316 with 13 extra-base hits in nearly 220 big-league plate appearances. He has also shown the ability to play nearly every defensive position. Javier and Holland have taken different routes to this point in their career. Javier signed for $4 million as an international free agent back in 2015, but he has been limited to 130 games as a professional. Holland was drafted out of Auburn University in 2019 after posting an .812 OPS over three collegiate seasons. Both have a chance to reach Double-A next season. Cavaco will be one of the more intriguing names to watch on this list since he was a first-round draft pick under the current front office regime. Coming into the draft, he was viewed a late riser, but the Twins liked the tools he possessed. Will the Twins bump him up to Low-A as a teenager? What do you think about the future of shortstop in Minnesota? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

Last week, former Twin Lance Lynn was traded back into the AL Central as the Rangers dealt him to the White Sox. His career has certainly taken a different path since he left the division, but the Twins were able to acquire a pair of prospects back in 2018. New York sent infielder Tyler Austin and right-hander Luis Rijo to Minnesota, so who ended up winning this trade?Time can change the view of a trades, so here’ what was said back in 2018 at the time of the deal. What Did People Say at the Time of the Trade? Lynn had only made 20 starts for the Twins at the time of the deal and he was excited to be heading to a contender. "As a fan of the game growing up, it's exciting for me as a young kid seeing them in their heyday winning a lot of World Series championships," Lynn said at the time. "You look at their team now, they're going for it. I'm excited for that opportunity and that challenge. It's going to be a different experience. I'm just going to go in there and try to do everything I can to help wherever that may be." Baseball Prospectus discussed Austin’s prospect status before he finally broke into the big leagues. “the Yankees have mostly used Austin as an up-and-down fill-in when their better plans at first base or designated hitter have gone awry. He’s continued to put up big numbers for the International League in his Triple-A stints, and he’s consistently hit for power if not average when in the bigs.” At the time, Tom wrote at Twins Daily and gave the Twins an A-grade for this trade. Lynn had been lackluster during his Twins tenure and Tom was surprised Lynn had this kind of trade value. He wrote, “Honestly, if this was Lynn for Luis Rijo straight up, I would have been impressed. Rijo has an insane 8.36 K:BB ratio in 125 ⅓ innings over his minor league career. He also tops out at 93 mph, so it’s not like it’s all just smoke and mirrors.” Lynn’s New York Tenure Lynn was joining a Yankees pitching staff that already had five starters in front of him. Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Sonny Gray and JA Happ were ahead of Lynn in the rotation. Even with that depth, nine of Lynn’s 11 appearances with New York came as a starter. He posted a 4.14 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in 54 1/3 innings. He posted a 102 ERA+ and struck out 61 while only walking 14. It was an improvement over his time with the Twins. In the playoffs, Lynn made two relief appearances in the ALDS and things didn’t go as well. He allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings with a 2.14 WHIP and as many walks (2) as strikeouts (2). New York fell to Boston in four games and Lynn signed a free agent deal with Texas that winter. Minnesota’s Return Austin played 37 games for the Twins over the next two seasons and hit .236/.298/.488 with nine home runs and five doubles. He struck out in nearly 32% of his plate appearances and the Twins dealt him to the San Francisco Giants for outfielder Malique Ziegler. Since joining the Twins, Ziegler played in 18 games at High-A where he posted a .442 OPS and dealt with some injuries. He turned 24-years old in September and a lost 2020 season hurt his chances to get closer to the big leagues. Luis Rijo is a little more intriguing even though the Twins have left him unprotected in each of the last two Rule 5 Drafts. His last appearances came at Low-A back 2019, so that’s likely one of the biggest reasons a team hasn’t claimed him. In that season, he posted a 2.86 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 107 innings. All those appearances were as a starter, but the bullpen might be an intriguing option moving forward, especially since his fastball already sits in the mid-90s. Who Won the Trade? Another part of the trade was the fact Minnesota had to eat $4.5 million of Lynn’s contract. This likely allowed the Twins to get any kind of value back in this trade. While Austin didn’t exactly pan out, Rijo still has potential to be a viable pitcher at the big-league level and he might have a better chance to contribute if he can make a successful transition to the bullpen. It was lucky the Twins could get anything for Lynn after the way his career started with the team. Looking back, what do you think about the trade? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. If you missed any of the previous posts in this series: -Brian Dozier Trade -Ryan Pressly Trade -Eduardo Escobar Trade MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article

This winter Trevor Bauer is widely considered the best free agent pitcher on the planet. He’s is coming off a tremendous 2020 campaign where he won the NL Cy Young Award, which puts him in place for a contract north of $100 million. Some Twins fans are clamoring for the team to sign Bauer, but how does he compare to one of Minnesota’s best starters?The Trevor Bauer Argument Trevor Bauer dominated the 2020 season as he posted a 1.73 ERA with a 0.80 WHIP while leading the National League in ERA, CG, ERA+, WHIP, and H/9. It was a truly dominant season, but he only made 11 starts. To put this in perspective, he was traded from Cleveland to Cincinnati in 2019 and made 10 starts. During that span, his ERA was 6.39 and his WHIP was 1.35. Sample size is an important thing to consider in baseball and all professional sports. Looking at Bauer’s full career, adds a little more intrigue to the argument. Through his first six big-league seasons, he had a 4.36 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP. His ERA+ was 99 and his FIP was 4.15, so there was certainly some room for improvement. Even with his 2018 All-Star season and last year’s Cy Young campaign, he has a career 3.90 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. There’s only been one season where he has thrown over 190 innings and he only has an ERA less than 4.18 in two seasons. Will the team signing Bauer get the 2018 and 2020 version or the version that has been present throughout the rest of his career? The Jose Berrios Argument Minnesota could try and sign Jose Berrios to an extension this winter, but it will likely cost the club north of $100 million. Berrios is under team control for the next two seasons before reaching free agency as a 29-year old. The Twins have approached him about an extension in the past, but he betted on himself and is taking the arbitration process one year at a time. This could be the smart play for Berrios as he has direct control over his future because his future earnings will increase if he plays well. Compared to Bauer, Berrios has plenty of things in his favor. Outside of the abbreviated 2020 season, he had posted sub-3.90 ERA marks in three consecutive seasons. Bauer has only been able to match that total in one season where he made more than 11 starts. For his career, Berrios also has a better strikeout per walk total and a very similar WHIP to Bauer while pitching over 190 innings in 2018 and 2019. Trevor Bauer is a very good pitcher, and he has made some tremendous strides over the last three seasons. However, the Twins already have a similar pitcher under team control. Adding Bauer to the Twins rotation would certainly improve the rotation, but Minnesota also needs to figure out a way to keep a pitcher that has developed in their own organization. Who would you rather have over the next five years, Bauer or Berrios? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. MORE FROM TWINS DAILY — Latest Twins coverage from our writers — Recent Twins discussion in our forums — Follow Twins Daily via Twitter, Facebook or email Click here to view the article