Cody Christie

Image courtesy of Jesse Johnson, Matt Krohn, Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association appear headed for another lengthy negotiation cycle, and the league’s latest proposal added fuel to the fire. MLB’s initial economic proposal for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) included the framework for both a salary cap and a salary floor, a concept that has long been discussed around the sport but never implemented. Under the proposal, teams would be required to meet a minimum payroll threshold, while also staying below a maximum spending limit. The league says the structure would improve competitive balance while also encouraging clubs to invest more heavily in their major-league rosters. (They're pointedly not saying that it would allow them to define "baseball revenue" and wall off a greater portion of what they make from each other and from players, or the biggest reason for wanting a cap: cost certainty that would be worth tens of millions per year in rising franchise values.) The proposed floor for 2027 would sit at $171.2 million. Based on current Opening Day payroll projections, a dozen teams would need to increase spending to comply with the new rules. According to FanGraphs, the Twins currently have a $107 million payroll, leaving Minnesota more than $64 million short of the proposed floor. That creates an interesting question. If this proposal eventually becomes reality, how could the Twins realistically add that much payroll? The answer is that there are several ways to get there, and some of them could actually strengthen the organization’s long-term outlook. Lock Up the Current Core The easiest way for Minnesota to add payroll responsibly would be by extending players already in the clubhouse. Joe Ryan immediately stands out as one of the organization’s most logical extension candidates. He has developed into one of the American League’s steadiest starters, and front offices around baseball are always looking for controllable pitching. That reality also means Ryan could become a trade deadline target for other clubs if the Twins fall out of contention. Minnesota must decide whether it views him as part of the next competitive window or as a trade asset. Ryan Jeffers falls into a similar category. Catchers with offensive upside are difficult to replace, and while his production has fluctuated at times, Jeffers remains one of the better offensive catchers in the league when healthy. Extending him would provide some stability behind the plate, while also raising payroll organically. Then there is Pablo López, whose situation may be the most fascinating of the group. López is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has only one year of team control remaining. Normally, pitchers approaching free agency after a major surgery carry substantial risk, but that risk can also create an opportunity for a team-friendly extension. If Minnesota believes López can return to form, it may be able to negotiate a deal that adds multiple seasons at a more manageable annual value than a healthy frontline starter would command on the open market. Rather than viewing extensions strictly as financial burdens, the Twins could use them to create certainty around a roster core, while simultaneously moving closer to the salary floor. Bet on Young Pitching Before the Price Explodes Across baseball, teams have become increasingly aggressive about extending young pitchers before they fully establish themselves at the major-league level. The Twins could follow that blueprint. Taj Bradley already looks like a potential long-term rotation fixture. His power arsenal gives Minnesota something it has lacked consistently near the top of the rotation, and if he continues trending upward, his arbitration years could become expensive quickly. An extension now could save the organization money in the long run while also helping boost payroll in the short term. Connor Prielipp and Mick Abel are more complicated cases because of their injury histories, but both possess legitimate upside. Pitching is expensive on the open market, and teams willing to take calculated risks on talented young arms can sometimes create tremendous surplus value. Minnesota has historically operated carefully in this space. If a salary floor becomes reality, the Twins may need to become more proactive about buying out arbitration and free-agent years before prices escalate. Join Baseball’s Pre-Arbitration Extension Movement One of the biggest trends around baseball has been teams extending players before they even establish themselves in the major leagues. Clubs are increasingly willing to guarantee money early in exchange for long-term cost certainty and additional years of team control. The Twins have mostly stayed away from these types of contracts (sure, they signed Jorge Polanco and Max Kepler, but that was a long time ago, now), but that may need to change. Kaelen Culpepper could make a great deal of sense as a candidate, if Minnesota believes he's a long-term answer somewhere in the infield. He offers athleticism, defensive versatility, and a skill set that could age well. Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez possess enormous ceilings, but both players carry obvious injury risks. That uncertainty could actually create an opening for Minnesota. If the organization still believes either player can become a foundational star, a creative extension could protect the player financially while giving the Twins a chance at massive long-term value. These deals are becoming increasingly common because they allow teams to spend aggressively without necessarily diving headfirst into free agency. For a club attempting to reach a salary floor while maintaining long-term flexibility, this approach may become essential. Make Byron Buxton a Twin for Life There are certain players who define an era of Twins baseball, and Buxton unquestionably fits into that category. When healthy, Buxton remains one of the most electric players in baseball. His combination of defense, speed, and power still changes games in ways very few players can replicate. More importantly, he has become one of the faces of the franchise. If Minnesota is eventually required to spend significantly more money, keeping Buxton in a Twins uniform through the remainder of his career should become a priority. Even with the injury concerns, there is value in maintaining continuity and rewarding a player who has remained loyal to the organization throughout his career. The Twins have often struggled to keep star-level talent long term. Ensuring Buxton retires in Minnesota would send a meaningful message about the franchise's direction. Finally, Invest Real Money in the Bullpen The bullpen has too often been treated like a clearance rack project. Minnesota has consistently attempted to patch together relief groups through waiver claims, minor-league signings, and bounce-back candidates. Occasionally, that strategy works. More often, it leaves the bullpen lacking reliable late-inning options. If the Twins suddenly need to add tens of millions of dollars to payroll, the relief market provides one of the easiest opportunities to do so quickly. Elite relievers are expensive, but they also dramatically improve roster stability. Adding proven bullpen arms would not only help Minnesota reach the proposed salary floor but address one of the organization’s most persistent weaknesses. The Twins do not necessarily need to hand out reckless contracts, but they can no longer operate as though every bullpen spot should be filled through bargain hunting. Right now, MLB’s salary cap-and-floor proposal remains exactly that: a proposal. There is still a long road before any new CBA becomes a reality, and the players union has already made clear that it detests the idea of a cap. Still, the concept forces teams like the Twins into an uncomfortable but fascinating discussion. If Minnesota were suddenly required to spend another $64 million, the organization could no longer rely exclusively on short-term fixes and payroll restraint. The encouraging part for Twins fans is that there are logical ways to add that spending without abandoning the future. Extensions for core veterans, aggressive deals with young talent, long-term commitments to franchise players, and meaningful bullpen investments could all help bridge the gap. For years, fans have begged ownership to act more aggressively. A salary floor might eventually force the issue. How would the Twins spend the money needed to get to the salary floor? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Few prospects in baseball carry the combination of hype, polish, and expectation that surrounds Walker Jenkins. Ever since the Twins selected Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the organization has viewed him as a potential franchise cornerstone. When healthy, he has looked exactly like the type of hitter scouts envisioned during his rise through the North Carolina prep ranks. The problem is, Twins fans haven’t gotten nearly enough opportunities to see him healthy for extended stretches. The same can be said for Emmanuel Rodriguez, for whom a fan's panic level might be a little higher than on Jenkins. The disruptions to Jenkins's progress have started to create an uncomfortable question surrounding one of baseball’s best prospects: How worried should fans actually be about the growing injury history? Panic Level: Low — But No Longer Nonexistent There’s still a massive difference between “concerned” and “panicked” when it comes to Jenkins. In his age-20 season, he climbed to Triple-A, and he owns a career .863 OPS in professional baseball. Even with multiple injuries interrupting his development, Jenkins continues producing whenever he returns to the lineup. At the same time, the injuries are beginning to pile up enough that they can’t simply be brushed aside anymore. Jenkins played only 192 total games across his first two-plus professional seasons. He battled a quad strain and hamstring injury in 2024 before suffering an ankle sprain last season. Now, another setback has arrived in 2026, after Jenkins suffered a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, crashing into an outfield wall while making a catch. The Twins have yet to establish a firm recovery timeline, but it’s another interruption for a player still searching for his first truly uninterrupted professional season. That’s where some of the anxiety starts creeping in. Jenkins has yet to appear in more than 84 games during any professional campaign. For a prospect whose advanced hit tool is supposed to carry the profile, consistent reps are incredibly important. Lost development time is never ideal, especially against upper-level pitching. Still, this situation feels very different from some other injury-prone prospects, because the performance hasn’t disappeared whenever Jenkins does play. Even after a slow offensive start this year at Triple-A St. Paul, Jenkins had begun finding his rhythm before the shoulder injury. He currently owns a .256/.396/.389 line across 111 plate appearances, continuing to show elite on-base ability despite inconsistent playing time. Why the Ceiling Still Looks Elite The reason Twins fans shouldn’t spiral into full panic mode is simple: Jenkins still looks like a future impact big-leaguer every time he steps on the field. His offensive foundation remains incredibly advanced for his age. Using a smooth and repeatable left-handed swing, Jenkins consistently finds the barrel and controls the strike zone at a level rarely seen from players this young. He doesn’t sell out for power, but the strength and bat speed still allow him to drive the baseball with authority, particularly to the pull side. Perhaps most encouragingly, he has continued adding more game power without sacrificing contact quality. That blend of plate discipline, bat-to-ball skills, and emerging power gives Jenkins one of the safer offensive profiles in the minors, even with the missed time. He has also handled left-handed pitching reasonably well, another encouraging sign for his long-term projection as an everyday middle-of-the-order hitter. The athleticism remains obvious, too. An above-average runner with strong instincts both on the bases and in the field, Jenkins has spent most of his professional career in center field. While many evaluators believe right field could eventually become his best long-term fit, that’s hardly a negative outcome. His strong throwing arm and offensive upside profile perfectly in a run-producing corner outfield role. The bigger issue is simply staying on the field long enough to let all those tools fully develop. Can Jenkins Shake The Injury-Prone Label? This is where the conversation becomes tricky. Right now, Jenkins is probably approaching the stage where people will begin casually labeling him as injury-prone. Fair or unfair, repeated lower-body injuries followed by another significant setback naturally create that perception. But unlike some prospects who see their tools diminish after injuries, Jenkins keeps returning and looking like the same player. Nothing about his offensive approach, athleticism, or physical tools suggests his long-term upside has changed dramatically. In fact, he arguably looked stronger offensively in 2025 despite the interruptions, posting a .286/.399/.451 line across four levels, including rehab assignments. Jenkins doesn’t necessarily need to prove he can become a star. Most evaluators already believe he can do that. The bigger challenge now is proving his body can handle the grind of a full professional schedule. That’s the key point for Twins fans to remember. If he eventually puts together a healthy 130-plus game season, much of the injury conversation likely fades into the background quickly. Twins fans have every right to feel uneasy seeing another injury attached to Jenkins’s name. At some point, repeated absences become part of the overall evaluation, and the Twins would undoubtedly love to see their top prospect finally put together an uninterrupted season. The lost developmental reps are real, especially for such a young player climbing aggressively through the minors. But panic still feels premature. Jenkins continues to perform at an extremely high level when healthy, and the overall profile remains among the best in the organization. The hit tool, approach, power projection, athleticism, and defensive versatility all still point toward a potential impact major-league outfielder. The injuries are concerning. The upside, however, is still enormous. That balance is what makes Jenkins one of the most fascinating prospects in baseball, and why Twins fans are still dreaming about what happens if everything finally clicks at once. Should fans be panicked about Jenkins? Can he shake the injury-prone label? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images When the Twins hired Derek Shelton, the early reaction around the organization felt overwhelmingly positive. After years of watching Rocco Baldelli manage with a calm and measured personality, Shelton brought a more energetic and outwardly emotional style to the dugout. That difference has been noticeable from Day One. Shelton has always been comfortable in front of a microphone and has shown a natural ability to connect with both players and the media. That doesn’t automatically make someone a good manager, but it helped establish confidence, during a season wherein the Twins were already facing plenty of uncertainty. The real question was whether Shelton could navigate a flawed roster while keeping the club in contention. So far, the answer has mostly been yes. Lineup Construction One of the biggest talking points entering the season was the top of the lineup. The Twins had multiple candidates to hit leadoff, including Luke Keaschall, Ryan Jeffers, and Brooks Lee. Instead of endlessly rotating options, the club quickly settled on the obvious answer. Byron Buxton wanted the role, and Shelton embraced it. It has been the right decision, and it wasn't an easy one. Buxton remains the team’s most dynamic offensive player, but if he could hit equally well regardless of lineup position, you'd want him to bat second, third or fourth. More than Baldelli, Shelton came in trying to make that work, but once he recognized how big a difference it makes for Buxton in matters of preparation and mindset, he changed tack. The Twins have not spent the season overcomplicating lineup construction with constant matchup-based shuffling. Injuries have forced adjustments, but the everyday structure has largely remained stable. Shelton also deserves some credit for the organization’s willingness to make difficult decisions with struggling veterans and former stars. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner were both expected to anchor significant portions of the offense this season. Instead, both players played themselves into demotions. While Shelton wasn’t the sole voice behind those moves, he deserves credit for managing the situation without creating unnecessary distractions (although, arguably, also some blame for the fact that each has cratered so badly). The Twins prioritized production over reputation. Offensively, the results have been encouraging in several important categories. Minnesota ranks as the eighth-biggest improver in Hard Hit%, up 0.2% from last season. Only three American League clubs have improved more. The Twins have also posted the AL’s largest increase in Launch Angle Sweet-Spot%, improving by 1.3%. That doesn’t mean the offense has been perfect. There have still been prolonged slumps and inconsistent performances throughout the lineup. However, Shelton has shown a willingness to move on from underperforming players rather than wait endlessly for improvement. Shelton's Lineup Grade: B Starting Pitchers The rotation looked like a potential disaster before the season even started. When Pablo López went down on the first day of spring training, it felt like Minnesota’s margin for error disappeared immediately. Instead of collapsing, the Twins have pieced together one of the better rotations in the American League. Taj Bradley has looked like a legitimate frontline starter. Joe Ryan continues to pitch at an All-Star caliber level despite an injury scare earlier in the year. Connor Prielipp has exceeded expectations during his rookie campaign, even as the organization carefully monitors his workload. Then there’s Zebby Matthews, who opened the season in the minors before injuries forced him into a critical role. He has responded exactly the way the Twins hoped. Shelton has also pushed the rotation aggressively, because he understands the limitations of the bullpen. Minnesota’s starters have consistently been asked to work deeper into games, and for the most part, they’ve delivered. He's been bitten a few times by leaving in starters too long, but there's no doubt that he has a different philosophy of pitcher usage and managing injury risk than Baldelli did. Last year, the Twins had 12 starts in which a hurler topped 100 pitches. This season, they already have nine, even though Bailey Ober only needed 89 pitches to complete one game. They're also staying on more of a five-day rotation, with 23 starts coming on four days' rest so far. Last year, under Baldelli, the Twins only had 41 such starts. The overall numbers back it up. Twins starters rank 10th in MLB in fWAR, which is sixth in the American League. They also sit eighth in ERA, eighth in Hard Hit%, and sixth overall in HR/FB rate. Given the circumstances, it’s hard to imagine Shelton squeezing much more out of this group. Shelton's Starting Pitcher Grade: A Bullpen Usage This bullpen probably should not work as well as it has. Entering the season, Minnesota lacked established high-end relief arms, and the concerns only intensified as injuries and inconsistency piled up. Shelton has responded by embracing complete bullpen chaos. So far, it has mostly worked. Eleven different pitchers have recorded a save this season, and no reliever has more than two saves. It has been a full committee approach, with Shelton constantly searching for favorable matchups and hot hands. There have absolutely been questionable moments along the way. Some pitching changes have backfired, and there are nights when the bullpen still feels one bad inning away from disaster. However, the overall results have been better than anyone reasonably expected. Twins relievers currently own a positive WPA, which felt nearly impossible entering the year, considering the available personnel. The organization also deserves credit for refusing to stay loyal to struggling veterans. Luis García and Justin Topa were designated for assignment after failing to establish consistency. Meanwhile, the Twins continue searching for undervalued contributors who can stabilize innings. Yoendrys Gómez has carved out a useful role, while younger pitchers like Andrew Morris and Travis Adams are beginning to adjust to leverage situations at the major-league level. Shelton hasn’t magically transformed the bullpen into a strength, but he has managed to keep it from sinking the season. Shelton's Bullpen Grade: B Overall Grade: B+ Shelton inherited a roster with obvious flaws, limited bullpen certainty, and major injury concerns in the rotation before Opening Day even arrived. Instead of letting the season spiral out of control, he has established a clear clubhouse identity while keeping the Twins competitive in a wide-open American League. His style differs noticeably from Baldelli’s, but different doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse. It simply means Shelton has put his own stamp on this team. There’s still plenty left to prove over a full season, especially when it comes to handling late-game situations and offensive consistency. However, considering the circumstances, Shelton’s first season in Minnesota has been a successful one (to this point). What grades should Shelton get for the areas above? What’s his overall grade? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images When the Minnesota Twins selected Royce Lewis with the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the organization believed it was taking the highest-upside position player available. Nearly a decade later, the results have been frustrating, complicated, and increasingly difficult to defend. Last week, the Twins officially optioned Lewis to Triple-A after a brutal opening stretch to the 2026 season. In 31 games, Lewis slashed just .163/.261/.279 while producing only six extra-base hits. For a player once viewed as a franchise cornerstone, the performance became impossible for the organization to ignore. The frustrating part is that Lewis has shown flashes of being exactly what the Twins hoped he could become. Injuries interrupted multiple seasons, but when healthy, he looked like an explosive middle-of-the-order bat capable of carrying an offense. Those stretches are why he has still managed to accumulate 3.7 rWAR for his career, ranking 10th among first-round selections from the 2017 draft class. Unfortunately, most of that value came earlier in his career. Right now, Lewis looks lost offensively, overaggressive at the plate, and short on confidence. The Twins are hoping a reset in St. Paul can help him rediscover the version of himself that once looked destined for superstardom. Still, the bigger picture surrounding the 2017 draft is important context. In hindsight, the Twins may have been trapped in a no-win situation, no matter which direction they chose. Let’s revisit the names that followed Lewis near the top of the draft board. RHP Hunter Greene The Cincinnati Reds selected Greene second overall and handed him the largest signing bonus in the draft at $7.23 million. When healthy, Greene has absolutely looked like the best player from the class. He has accumulated 13.3 rWAR, the highest total among all first-round picks from 2017, thanks to overpowering stuff and ace-level flashes. If the Twins could redo the draft today, Greene is probably the choice. But that comes with a giant asterisk. Injuries have constantly interrupted his career. Greene underwent an elbow procedure this March and is expected to miss 14-16 weeks. Last season, he also missed more than two months because of a groin strain. The talent is undeniable, but durability concerns have followed him since the moment he entered professional baseball. LHP MacKenzie Gore The San Diego Padres went with Gore third overall, betting heavily on a high-school left-handed pitcher. That’s always a terrifying profile at the top of the draft, especially for a small-market organization that can’t afford a complete miss. Gore eventually found success after being traded to Washington, earning his first All-Star appearance last season while posting a career-best 3.0 rWAR campaign. This year has been a different story. Through 10 starts with Texas, Gore owns a 76 ERA+ and -0.1 rWAR. His career has featured massive swings in performance, and it’s easy to understand why the Twins avoided prep pitching at the top of the board altogether. Minnesota likely viewed both Greene and Gore as too risky for the first overall selection. 1B/RHP Brendan McKay Few players in the draft generated more intrigue than McKay, the Louisville two-way standout selected fourth overall by Tampa Bay. McKay was dominant on both sides of the ball in college, posting a .966 OPS while also recording a 2.23 ERA across three collegiate seasons. Tampa Bay gave him a $7 million signing bonus, another total that exceeded Lewis’s deal. It never came together professionally. Injuries completely derailed McKay’s development. He appeared in only 13 major-league games as a pitcher, and his last professional appearance came in Double-A during the 2024 season. Considering the expectations attached to him entering the draft, McKay would have been an even more painful outcome for Minnesota than Lewis has become. RHP Kyle Wright The Atlanta Braves selected Wright fifth overall after a dominant college career at Vanderbilt. He was viewed as one of the safer collegiate arms in the class and eventually delivered at least one excellent season. In 2022, Wright won 21 games for Atlanta while posting a 128 ERA+ over 180 innings. For a moment, it looked like the Braves had landed a frontline starter. Since then, his career has stalled out. Wright has bounced between multiple organizations in recent years, including the Royals and Cubs organizations. He hasn’t appeared in a major-league game this season, and last year he split time between Double-A and Triple-A. That’s the reality of this draft class. Even some of the “successful” picks came with major caveats. The painful truth for the Twins is that the top of the 2017 MLB Draft was loaded with warning signs. Nearly every option carried significant risk, whether it was injuries, inconsistency, stalled development, or outright collapse. Minnesota chose the player it believed offered the best combination of upside and long-term value. At times, Lewis absolutely justified that belief. There were stretches where he looked like a future superstar capable of changing the direction of the franchise. Right now, though, something clearly isn’t working. The Twins are hoping this stint in Triple-A becomes a reset instead of a farewell. Because while the 2017 draft may have been full of landmines, Minnesota still needs Royce Lewis to prove he isn’t one that permanently blew up their future plans. If the Twins could repick, who would they take with the first overall selection? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images When the Minnesota Twins traded Griffin Jax to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Taj Bradley, the move immediately sparked debate about upside versus certainty. At the time, the Twins appeared to be dealing from a position of strength. Jax had become one of the most reliable relievers in the American League, while Bradley looked like the type of high-upside starter Minnesota’s rotation desperately needed. Early returns made the deal appear heavily tilted in the Twins’ favor. Bradley pitched like the club’s ace before a right pectoral injury landed him on the injured list. Still, baseball trades have a funny way of evolving over time, especially when pitchers are involved. Now, the Rays are attempting something Minnesota talked about and quickly abandoned: turning Jax back into a starting pitcher. The funny part is, it might actually work. Twins fans probably remember Jax’s rookie season well enough to understand why the organization gave up on the idea initially. During the 2021 campaign, Minnesota used him in 18 games, including 14 starts. The results were ugly. Jax posted a 6.37 ERA with a 67 ERA+ and a 1.35 WHIP while allowing nearly a hit per inning. Too often, lineups punished him the second and third time through the order. At the time, he looked like a pitcher without a clear identity. His fastball command wavered, the secondary stuff lacked consistency, and he simply did not miss enough bats to survive in a rotation role. Then everything changed. Beginning in 2022, the Twins shifted Jax into the bullpen full-time, and suddenly, he became one of the best relief weapons in baseball. From 2022 through 2024, he posted a 3.06 ERA with a sparkling 2.77 FIP while striking out 241 batters across 208 2/3 innings. The transformation was dramatic. His slider became a legitimate wipeout pitch. The fastball played up significantly in shorter outings. More importantly, Jax started attacking hitters with confidence, rather than simply trying to survive. By the time the 2025 season rolled around, there was legitimate discussion about whether Minnesota should revisit the starter experiment. Unlike his rookie self, the more seasoned Jax actually looked equipped for it. His pitch mix had evolved considerably since moving to relief. He had sharpened his command, developed swing-and-miss stuff, and learned how to sequence hitters far more effectively. Frankly, he barely resembled the pitcher who struggled through 2021. The idea made sense on paper. Unfortunately for Jax, the Twins needed him too badly in the bullpen. Minnesota entered 2025 leaning heavily on him as a high-leverage weapon, and the organization ultimately decided stability in relief outweighed the risk of another rotation conversion. Then the season unraveled. The Twins collapsed under the weight of injuries, inconsistent pitching, and mounting clubhouse frustration. Jax’s final chapter with the organization included a tense interaction with former manager Rocco Baldelli on the mound at Target Field. Shortly afterward, his representation informed the club that a trade would be preferred. A few days later, he was headed to Tampa Bay. Naturally, the Rays decided to get weird with it. Rather than fully stretching Jax out during spring training and immediately placing him into the rotation, Tampa Bay spent the early portion of 2026 using him in relief appearances, while gradually increasing his workload. It is a very Rays approach to pitcher development. Recently, however, the Rays have started letting Jax work deeper into games. Across five starts, he has allowed only three earned runs over 19 innings with a 14-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles may have been his most encouraging yet. Jax tossed five innings, allowed three hits, surrendered just one earned run on a solo homer, struck out six, and walked only one batter. Equally importantly, his workload continues to climb. Over his last three starts, he has averaged just over 60 pitches per outing, suggesting Tampa Bay is slowly removing the training wheels. It's difficult not to play revisionist history with the trade. Earlier in the 2026 season, the Twins looked like clear winners. Bradley emerged as Minnesota’s top starter before his injury, while Jax remained somewhat of a question mark as a long-term rotation candidate. But that equation may no longer be so simple. If Bradley’s injury impacts his long-term durability, while Jax successfully transitions into even a mid-rotation starter, the narrative around this deal could shift dramatically. Starting pitching carries far more value than relief pitching, even elite relief pitching. The Rays know that better than almost anyone. Bradley is back, and he looked like himself in his first appearance after the stint on the shelf, but it won't feel like he's out of the woods until he gets back to throwing full starts and puts that injury scare in the rearview mirror. There's also an uncomfortable reality attached to all of this from Minnesota’s perspective. The Twins may have actually developed Jax into a starter without ever getting to enjoy the payoff themselves. His failed rookie stint likely came too early in his development. By the time he became polished enough to handle a rotation role, the Twins were too reliant on him in relief to make the switch. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, inherited the finished version of the pitcher and now gets to test the final stage of the experiment. That does not make the trade a mistake. Bradley still has front-line starter upside when healthy, and the Twins desperately needed rotation help. Still, Jax’s resurgence as a starter adds an entirely new layer to the conversation. If he keeps pitching like this, Twins fans may soon find themselves wondering what could have been—although so far, Bradley is pitching well enough in his own right to deter those intrustive thoughts. What sticks out about Jax’s transition back to a starter? How should the Twins view this trade? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The middle of the minor-league season is when organizations separate intriguing stories from true momentum. Some players are just getting healthy. Others are adjusting to new teams or levels. A few force their way in with undeniable results. This week’s group features three players trending in the right direction for the Twins organization. From a former Giants farmhand tearing through Low-A pitching to a once-highly regarded arm finding his footing in relief, there are several interesting developments worth monitoring. OF Quinn McDaniel– Cedar Rapids Kernels How He Got Here: The San Francisco Giants selected McDaniel in the fifth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, after a productive college career at the University of Maine. He spent portions of three seasons climbing through the Giants system and eventually reached High-A ball, but consistency never fully arrived at the plate. Across 108 games last year, he finished with a .688 OPS before San Francisco moved on from him during spring training. After briefly preparing for a stint in independent baseball, McDaniel landed with the Twins organization when Minnesota signed him on May 12. The move immediately gave him a fresh opportunity, and so far, he has made the most of it. Hitting the Hot Button: Few hitters anywhere in the organization have been hotter over the last couple of weeks. McDaniel exploded out of the gate with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and quickly earned Florida State League Player of the Week honors during his first week in the system. Over 27 plate appearances, he posted a ridiculous .538 batting average alongside a .962 slugging percentage for a 1.480 OPS. The Twins wasted little time moving him to Cedar Rapids, and the production has continued. In his first three games with the Kernels, McDaniel collected six hits in 11 at-bats, while adding a triple. At 23 years old, he is older than much of the competition at both levels, but the early results still matter. Minnesota saw enough to aggressively challenge him, and he has responded immediately. RHP Marco Raya– St. Paul Saints How He Got Here: Raya has experienced one of the more winding developmental paths in the organization. Minnesota selected the Texas prep right-hander in the fourth round of the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, but his professional career was delayed almost immediately. The pandemic wiped out any chance of an official debut after signing, and then a shoulder injury sidelined him throughout the entire 2021 season. When Raya finally returned to the mound in 2022, flashes of his upside were easy to see even in limited workloads. His stuff continued progressing over the next two years, and he eventually climbed all the way to Triple-A in 2024 while earning a place on the Twins’ 40-man roster. The momentum stalled last season in St. Paul, as command issues created significant problems. His walk rate ballooned to a career worst 12.6%, and outings often unraveled before he could settle in. Hitting the Hot Button: Raya may finally be carving out a more stable role in the bullpen. On Friday, he fired three shutout innings during a Saints victory while allowing only one hit, with three strikeouts and no walks. The biggest development has been improved control. In four of his last six appearances, Raya has thrown at least two innings without surrendering a run. Even more encouraging, he has issued just three walks over his last 58 batters faced. The Twins have long believed the raw stuff could play at a high level. If the strike-throwing continues trending upward, a bullpen role could become a legitimate pathway back into Minnesota’s long-term plans. OF Jhomnardo Reyes– FCL Twins How He Got Here: The Twins invested in Reyes during the international signing period, handing the Dominican outfielder a $300,000 bonus. He made his professional debut last season in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old and immediately showed intriguing athletic tools. Across 50 games, Reyes slashed .291/.386/.469 with 10 doubles, nine triples, and one home run, while stealing 10 bases. His combination of speed and extra-base ability stood out, although swing-and-miss concerns remained part of the profile. Reyes struck out in 28.5% of his plate appearances, while drawing walks at an 11.6% clip. Hitting the Hot Button: The transition from the Dominican Summer League to Complex League ball in Florida can be difficult for young international prospects, but Reyes has looked completely comfortable since arriving stateside. Through his first 10 FCL games, Reyes owns a .385 batting average with a .529 on-base percentage and an even 1.000 slugging percentage. He has already launched three home runs while piling up eight extra-base hits and swiping three bases. The most encouraging signs may be hidden in the plate discipline numbers. Reyes has boosted his walk rate to 20.6% while trimming his strikeout rate down to 17.6%. For a teenager with loud athletic traits, that kind of early adjustment is exactly what organizations hope to see. All three of these prospects are gaining momentum in very different ways. McDaniel is attempting to turn a career reset into a legitimate breakout. Raya appears to be settling into a role that better fits his current strengths. Reyes is showing why the Twins believed in his long-term upside when they signed him internationally. Each is, in their own way, an emblem of the player development the team will need to do well to return to the top of the AL Central and stay there—whether any turns out to be the difference-making individual within their archetype or not. What stands out about these three players? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints There are few certainties in baseball. The sun rises in the east. Bullpen games last four hours. And the Minnesota Twins eventually send a struggling player to St. Paul. That reality hit again last week, when the Twins demoted Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner to Triple-A. Within minutes, the St. Paul Saints organization reportedly sprinted into the depths of CHS Field storage looking for boxes labeled “ROYCE STUFF - DO NOT THROW AWAY YET.” Employees described scenes usually reserved for reality television storage locker auctions. One intern allegedly emerged from a back hallway carrying a dusty crate of Royce Lewis bobbleheads, while another was seen peeling “FINAL CLEARANCE” stickers off jerseys with the intensity of a man defusing a bomb. “We knew this day could come,” Saints team store manager Dave Gunderson said, standing on a ladder reorganizing a display table that had featured novelty pickleball paddles just 24 hours earlier. “You never fully get rid of Royce merchandise. You just move it behind the Halloween hats and broken mudflap giveaway boxes.” According to Gunderson, the team had drastically discounted Lewis merchandise years ago after assuming the former first overall pick was finally sticking in the majors for good. “We had shirts down to five dollars,” Gunderson admitted. “One guy bought three because he said they were cheaper than buying cleaning rags at Fleet Farm.” That same shirt now costs $30. “Supply and demand,” Gunderson shrugged. “Economists would understand.” Fans entering CHS Field seemed stunned by the sudden market correction. “I literally saw these in a clearance bin next to a cracked Saints tumbler,” said Saints fan Becky Larson, holding a newly repriced Royce Lewis shirsey. “Now they’re folded like cashmere sweaters behind the register.” Another fan claimed the team store workers were updating prices in real time. “I picked up a Wallner shirt and the employee slapped a new sticker on it before I got to checkout,” said Greg Halvorson of Woodbury. “It felt like trying to buy airline tickets.” The Saints reportedly began preparing for the demotions days earlier, after noticing suspicious activity from Twins front office personnel. “One scout came through asking if the batting cages still worked,” Gunderson said. “That’s usually not a great sign.” The return of Lewis and Wallner has also completely transformed the atmosphere around the ballpark. Concession workers have reportedly doubled beer inventory while the team’s social media department has already prepared at least 17 graphics using fire emojis and the phrase “HE’S BACK.” Meanwhile, local children are once again experiencing the emotional confusion of explaining why their favorite major-league player is suddenly signing autographs in Lowertown on a Tuesday afternoon. For longtime Saints fans, however, this is simply part of the experience. “We’re basically baseball’s emotional support franchise,” one season-ticket holder said. “The Twins send guys here to rediscover themselves, and we pretend it’s normal to watch a former top prospect hit against a guy named Scooter from Omaha.” Lewis arrives in St. Paul after another frustrating stretch with the Twins, wherein injuries and inconsistency continued to overshadow flashes of superstar talent. Wallner, meanwhile, heads back to Triple-A hoping to rediscover the power stroke that once made him one of the organization’s most intriguing bats. But while the Twins focus on development, the Saints are focused on survival. “We had to move fast,” Gunderson said while wheeling out a fresh rack of Lewis hoodies. “Do you know how hard it is to explain to ownership that we sold Royce Lewis shirts for less than a large popcorn?” As first pitch approached, fans continued pouring into CHS Field wearing freshly purchased gear that somehow cost six times more than it did last weekend. And somewhere deep inside the stadium storage room, one lonely employee quietly removed the final “Everything Must Go” sign from the Royce Lewis display table. For now, at least, business is booming again in St. Paul. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints There are few prospects in baseball more difficult to evaluate right now than Emmanuel Rodriguez. When he’s on the field, the talent jumps off the screen. The bat speed is electric. The raw power is obvious. He controls the strike zone like a seasoned veteran and still flashes enough athleticism to make you dream on an impact everyday player in the middle of the lineup. The problem is Twins fans have spent more time talking about Rodriguez’s rehab timelines than his stat lines. At some point, availability becomes part of the scouting report. Panic Level: Moderate — But Trending Up If Twins fans are completely frustrated with Rodriguez’s inability to stay healthy, it’s understandable. Since signing for $2.5 million in July of 2019, Rodriguez has rarely been able to stack healthy seasons together. His career high in games played remains just 99 contests back in 2023, and the injuries have started to pile up in a concerning way. There was a knee injury in 2022. Then came the abdominal strain in 2023. Thumb problems surfaced in 2024. Last season included thumb, hip, and oblique issues. Now, 2026 brings another significant setback with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb that required surgery. For a player whose development already included swing-and-miss concerns, the lost reps matter. A lot. Rodriguez has never really gotten the chance to settle into the rhythm of a full professional season. Just when he starts building momentum, something seems to interrupt it. That constant stop-and-start development can be brutal for young hitters trying to refine timing, pitch recognition, and overall approach. The frustrating part is the flashes are still there every single time he returns. There are challenges Rodriguez has faced trying to maintain developmental consistency because of the injuries. Yet the organization also remains encouraged by how impactful he looks whenever he is healthy enough to play consistently. Why The Ceiling Still Matters Even with all the injuries, Rodriguez remains one of the most talented position players in the organization. He reached Triple-A as a 21-year-old in 2024 despite all the missed time, which says plenty about how evaluators still view his upside. Players don’t move that aggressively through a system unless organizations believe the talent is real. And the talent absolutely is real. Rodriguez combines elite swing speed with legitimate raw power from the left side. He’s capable of driving the baseball to all fields and can completely change a game with one swing. Few hitters in the system possess his combination of patience and damage potential. His 21.7% career walk rate entering 2026 is borderline absurd. Rodriguez understands the strike zone exceptionally well and rarely expands it recklessly. That type of plate discipline is usually a strong indicator of future offensive success. The issue is what happens when he decides to swing. His career strikeout rate sits at 30.3%, and while he doesn’t chase pitches excessively, the in-zone whiff numbers remain concerning. Rodriguez misses hittable pitches more often than a future star probably should. The missed development time likely hasn’t helped, especially for a hitter who needs repetitions against upper-level pitching. Still, there’s enough here to believe adjustments are possible. He’s also athletic enough to provide value outside the batter’s box. Rodriguez runs well, handles center field competently, and owns a plus arm. Even if he eventually shifts to a corner outfield spot permanently, the overall profile still works if the bat reaches its ceiling. That’s why this situation remains so complicated. The “Injury-Prone” Conversation Has Arrived Fair or unfair, Rodriguez has entered the stage of his career where the “injury-prone” label follows him everywhere. Some players eventually shake that reputation. Others never do. The encouraging part for Twins fans is Rodriguez is still young enough to rewrite the narrative completely. We’ve seen prospects lose developmental time early in their careers before finally putting together several healthy seasons in a row. Sometimes physical maturity helps. Sometimes routines improve. Sometimes it’s simply luck evening out. But the longer the injuries continue, the harder it becomes to separate bad luck from long-term concern. That’s especially true for a player whose game already comes with risk attached because of the strikeouts. Rodriguez doesn’t necessarily need to become a perfect hitter to succeed, but he does need consistent at-bats to polish the rough edges offensively. Without those reps, projecting stardom becomes increasingly difficult. Twins fans shouldn’t give up on Rodriguez. Players with this kind of upside don’t grow on trees, and the flashes remain exciting enough to dream on a middle-of-the-order impact bat someday landing in Minnesota. The combination of patience, power, athleticism, and arm strength still makes him one of the more intriguing prospects in the organization. But the concern level is no longer hypothetical. The injuries are becoming a defining part of his profile, and until Rodriguez proves he can stay on the field for an extended stretch, the questions are going to keep growing louder. The ceiling remains extremely high. The floor, however, feels shakier than it did a year ago. That’s what makes Rodriguez one of the most fascinating (and nerve-wracking) prospects in the Twins system today. How panicked should fans be about Rodriguez’s injury history? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints When the Twins acquired Gabriel Gonzalez as part of the deal that sent Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners, the move felt like a classic upside bet. Gonzalez had already built a reputation as one of the better pure hitters in Seattle’s system, and the Twins were betting that offensive foundation would eventually carry him to the major leagues. Five years after signing with Seattle for $1.5 million during the 2021 international class, that projection still looks very much alive. From the moment Gonzalez entered pro ball, the bat stood out. He wasted little time showing why the Mariners were willing to invest heavily in him, posting an .892 OPS in the Dominican Summer League during his professional debut. When he arrived stateside in 2022, the production continued against more advanced pitching as he put together an .879 OPS while continuing to show advanced contact ability for a teenager. The breakout fully arrived in 2023. At just 19 years old, Gonzalez climbed to High-A and looked completely comfortable despite being one of the youngest hitters at the level. Across 116 games, he slashed .298/.361/.476 (.837) with 18 home runs and 23 doubles. The age context made those numbers even more impressive. Gonzalez was roughly 3.5 years younger than the average player in High-A and only faced younger pitchers in three plate appearances all season. That kind of performance typically launches a prospect into another tier nationally. Instead, Gonzalez’s momentum stalled after the trade to Minnesota ahead of the 2024 season. Transitions are not always seamless for young prospects, and Gonzalez never seemed fully settled during his first year in the Twins organization. A nagging back injury didn’t help matters, and his overall production dipped noticeably. In 81 games, he posted a .707 OPS with a 106 wRC+, solid numbers on the surface but well below the expectations attached to his prospect status. For some hitters, a season like that can completely derail development. Instead, 2025 became a reminder of why evaluators remained so high on Gonzalez’s offensive upside. The Twins sent him back to High-A Cedar Rapids to open the season, and he responded immediately. Gonzalez hit his way through three levels at just 21 years old, eventually finishing the season in Triple-A while earning a spot on the 40-man roster during the offseason. What stood out most was how stable the production remained throughout the climb. Gonzalez hit over .315 at every stop in 2025 and consistently drove the baseball into the gaps. His 38 doubles highlighted how frequently he found quality contact, and his .909 OPS finished as the best mark among the organization’s top offensive prospects. Even more impressive was how he handled advanced competition. Gonzalez faced older pitchers in all but 30 plate appearances and still hit .338/.405/.527 (.932) against them. He also punished left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.022 OPS with a .592 slugging percentage, an encouraging development for a right-handed corner outfielder whose offensive profile will always carry the burden of producing impact at the plate. That offensive profile starts with elite contact ability. Even during his disappointing 2024 campaign, Gonzalez rarely looked overmatched in the batter’s box. Entering the 2026 season, he carried a career strikeout rate of just 15.3%, a remarkable number considering how aggressively he has been challenged throughout his career. Aggression will probably always be part of the package. Gonzalez likes to swing, and he still chases too many secondary pitches outside the zone, especially softer breaking stuff. The difference in 2025 was that he began pairing those natural bat-to-ball skills with more mature at-bats and sneaky power production. He trimmed the strikeout rate even further (14.5%) while slightly increasing his walk rate (9.1%), giving evaluators more confidence that the approach can work against upper-level pitching. While other outfield prospects in the organization may offer louder raw tools, Gonzalez’s blend of contact ability, approach, and extra-base production gives him one of the safer offensive floors in the system. The remaining question is whether the defense reaches an acceptable level. Gonzalez has worked extensively on his conditioning over the last couple of seasons, and the improvements have helped him become more playable in the outfield corners. He is unlikely to become a standout defender, but if he can settle in as an average corner outfielder, the bat has enough upside to make him an everyday player at the major league level. Now, after reestablishing himself with one of the best offensive seasons in the minors, Gonzalez once again looks like one of the more important young bats in the organization. The road has not been perfectly linear, but the underlying traits that made him such an intriguing international signing are still very much intact. And at only 22 years old, there may still be another level for him to reach. What stands out about Gonzalez during his professional career? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins welcomed an important piece back to their rotation on Saturday, activating Taj Bradley from the 15-day injured list ahead of Minnesota’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox. Bradley is projected to start on Saturday after missing just over two weeks with a pectoral issue. To clear a roster spot, the Twins designated veteran reliever Luis Garcia for assignment, marking another abrupt stop in what has become a turbulent 2026 season for the longtime right-hander. Bradley’s IL move was backdated to May 6, allowing the Twins to bring him back after only a slightly extended minimum stay. The organization appeared to take a cautious approach with the injury from the start, and Bradley only needed one rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul before being deemed ready to return. Outside of the brief injury interruption, Bradley has been one of the steadier arms in Minnesota’s rotation this season. Through eight starts covering 47 innings, the 25-year-old owns a 2.87 ERA while striking out 26.1% of opposing hitters. His walk rate sits at 8.5%, a touch higher than ideal, though still manageable considering the swing-and-miss ability he brings to the mound. Advanced metrics suggest some regression could eventually come, as Bradley’s 3.48 FIP points to a little help from an elevated 84.3% strand rate. Even so, the Twins have gladly taken the production. With injuries testing the club’s pitching depth throughout the first two months of the season, Bradley has helped stabilize a rotation that has rarely been at full strength. Meanwhile, Garcia’s tenure with the Twins may already be finished. Minnesota signed the 39-year-old to a minor league contract after he was cut loose by the New York Mets in April. The Twins selected his contract not long after, hoping the veteran could provide innings in a taxed bullpen, but the results never materialized. Across nine appearances with Minnesota, Garcia struggled to a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings. Combining his time with both the Mets and Twins this year, he posted a 9.00 ERA with six walks and six strikeouts in 15 total innings. Financially, the move carries little risk for Minnesota. Garcia signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with New York during the offseason, leaving the Mets responsible for nearly all of the remaining salary. The Twins only owed him a prorated portion of the league minimum while he occupied a spot on the active roster. Given both his performance and contract situation, Garcia appears likely to clear waivers. If that happens, free agency would probably be more appealing than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A. Now, he heads back into roster limbo once again as the Twins continue searching for stability behind a pitching staff that has already been forced to absorb plenty of turnover this season. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Jeff Curry-Imagn Images The Minnesota Twins entered the season hoping to convince everyone that last year’s disappointment was a temporary stumble. Instead, the first half has only created more uncertainty about where this organization is actually headed. Minnesota’s ownership would say this isn’t a full rebuild. It also doesn’t look like a legitimate contending effort. That middle ground is the worst place a franchise can live in modern baseball. Teams either push their chips in or aggressively build toward the future. The Twins continue to hover somewhere in between, and with the trade deadline approaching, they may finally have to choose a direction. Minnesota still has enough talent on the roster to intrigue contenders around the league. However, they also have enough flaws and long-term concerns to justify selling pieces for the future. The biggest question is whether the front office is willing to admit this core may not have the runway everyone once expected. Here’s an early look at some of the most fascinating trade deadline decisions facing the Twins. Byron Buxton No player better represents the current state of the franchise than Buxton. On one hand, he remains the face of the organization. He has a full no-trade clause, and he has repeatedly made it clear that he wants to stay in Minnesota. When healthy, he is still one of the most electric players in baseball and one of the few stars capable of changing a game by himself. The Twins should do everything possible to keep him. Trading Buxton would signal far more than a roster adjustment. It would essentially announce the end of this competitive era. He is one of the few players casual fans still associate directly with Twins baseball, and moving him would create major backlash inside the clubhouse and throughout the fanbase. At the same time, the situation becomes more complicated if Minnesota starts moving other veteran pieces. If the front office deals away multiple core contributors, Buxton may eventually decide he no longer wants to spend the remainder of his prime stuck in another retooling phase. There would almost certainly be interest if he became available, especially from teams looking for a dynamic postseason weapon. The Atlanta Braves would immediately become a fascinating fit. Buxton is from Georgia, and a return closer to home could appeal to him if the Twins no longer appear serious about competing. Still, unless Buxton himself pushes the issue, it is difficult to envision Minnesota voluntarily moving him. Joe Ryan Ryan might be the most realistic blockbuster candidate on the roster. He is under team control only through the 2027 season, and his value may never be higher than it is right now. Ryan survived an early-season injury scare that initially looked far more concerning, and he has continued pitching like a frontline starter whenever healthy. That combination would make him one of the most attractive arms available at the deadline. The timing also matters. With Tarik Skubal injured, the market for controllable starting pitching could become even more aggressive. Teams desperate for rotation help would likely line up to make significant offers for Ryan. From Minnesota’s perspective, there is logic behind considering it. The Twins do not currently look like a team positioned to seriously contend over the next two seasons. By the time the roster is realistically ready to compete again, Ryan could already be nearing free agency. Add in his injury history and the general volatility that comes with pitchers, and there is a legitimate argument that the organization should capitalize on his value now rather than waiting for something to go wrong later. Of course, there is another side to the conversation. Quality starting pitching is incredibly difficult to acquire. Ryan is already proven, affordable, and capable of anchoring a rotation. Trading him would create an enormous hole and likely force the Twins into another lengthy search for pitching stability. Unless Minnesota receives an overwhelming package centered around elite prospects, there is still a strong case for keeping him and attempting to build around him instead. Ryan Jeffers Before his injury, Ryan Jeffers looked like one of the few clear success stories on Minnesota’s roster this season. He was off to a tremendous start offensively and had arguably been the team’s MVP through the first half. Jeffers provided stability in the middle of the lineup while continuing to handle a difficult workload behind the plate. At a time when much of the offense struggled with consistency, he was one of the few hitters regularly producing quality at-bats. That is what makes this week’s injury so frustrating for both Jeffers and the Twins. Minnesota placed Jeffers on the injured list earlier this week with a broken hamate bone, an injury that will likely sideline him for six to eight weeks. The timing could not be much worse with the trade deadline approaching quickly. Under normal circumstances, Jeffers would have made plenty of sense as a trade candidate. He is a veteran catcher on an expiring contract who could help a contender looking for offense behind the plate. Catching depth is always in demand at the deadline, especially from teams searching for postseason upgrades. Now the situation becomes far murkier. Even if Jeffers returns before the deadline, he will likely need time to prove he is fully healthy. Hamate bone injuries have a long history of sapping hitters’ power temporarily after they return. Many players eventually regain their production, but it is rarely an immediate process. That uncertainty could significantly shrink his market. Contenders may hesitate to part with meaningful prospects for a catcher who is still working his way back physically and trying to rediscover his power swing. The Twins would still likely prefer to move him rather than risk losing him for nothing after the season, but the return may not justify making the deal unless Jeffers comes back quickly and looks like himself immediately. Josh Bell Bell feels like the classic trade deadline rental candidate. He has been traded four different times during his career, so another move would hardly be surprising. Bell’s offensive profile also makes him the type of player contenders often gamble on in July. When he gets hot, he can carry a lineup for stretches, and playoff teams are always searching for extra power from the designated hitter spot. A contender could easily convince itself that Bell is one productive month away from becoming an impactful postseason bat. The problem is that his market may be limited. Bell’s defensive limitations narrow the list of interested teams considerably. His streaky offensive production also makes him difficult to trust as an everyday option. Since he is on an expiring contract, the return would likely be modest even if he finishes the first half strongly. Minnesota may ultimately decide his veteran presence is more valuable in the clubhouse than the low-level prospect package they would receive in return. Still, among the Twins’ veteran position players, Bell remains one of the more obvious names to watch. Austin Martin Martin has quietly become one of the more interesting depth pieces on the roster. Since being recalled during the second half of last season, he has consistently found ways to get on base and provide quality at-bats. He has also proven capable defensively in corner outfield spots, giving Minnesota a versatile player who can contribute in multiple roles. That type of player tends to matter more over a full season than many fans realize. However, his trade value is probably fairly limited. Contending teams could view Martin as a useful bench bat or platoon player, but there are questions about how large a role he can realistically handle. Since he bats right-handed, his ideal usage against left-handed pitching becomes somewhat restrictive compared to a traditional platoon option. The Twins also may not gain much by moving him. Martin is under team control through 2030, and his versatility fits well on a roster that constantly deals with injuries and lineup instability. Unless another organization views him as more than a complementary piece, Minnesota likely benefits more from simply keeping him around. Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner A few months ago, Lewis and Wallner might have carried substantial trade value. Now, both players are coming off demotions, and their stock has cratered. That creates an awkward dilemma for Minnesota. Selling low on talented players is almost always dangerous, especially when both still possess significant upside. Lewis was a former top prospect that the club has invested in, while Wallner’s raw power and patience still intrigue evaluators despite the swing-and-miss concerns. Some organizations would absolutely be willing to take a gamble on either player. Teams constantly believe they can unlock talent that another franchise could not fully develop. A rebuilding club, in particular, may view Lewis or Wallner as ideal buy-low opportunities. But that same upside is exactly why the Twins may hesitate. Trading either player right now would almost certainly mean accepting pennies on the dollar compared to what their value once looked like. Minnesota would essentially be betting that both players are closer to finished products than temporary struggles. That is an extremely risky gamble to make this early. The more likely scenario is the Twins allow both players time to rebuild value at Triple-A before revisiting any long-term decisions during the offseason. The most frustrating part about the Twins right now is not simply that they are losing games. It is that the organization no longer feels aligned with what this current roster is supposed to accomplish. There are still recognizable stars. There are still talented players capable of contributing to a winning team. But there are also growing signs that this core may not be built to sustain contention much longer. That reality makes this trade deadline incredibly important. If Minnesota decides to aggressively sell, it could mark the beginning of a major organizational reset. If the front office stands pat or buys marginal help, it risks prolonging the same directionless cycle the franchise already appears trapped in. Either way, the next few months may determine what Twins baseball looks like for the rest of the decade. Who will the Twins trade at the deadline? Will it be another trade deadline selling spree? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Minnesota Twins are set to give Gabriel Gonzalez his first taste of the big leagues. Minnesota recalled the 22-year-old outfielder from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday, before opening a series against the Red Sox. Infielder Tristan Gray is heading to the paternity list in the corresponding move, creating a short-term roster opening for one of the organization’s more intriguing bats. Gonzalez was already on the 40-man roster, after the Twins protected him from the Rule 5 Draft last November. At least for now, this feels more like an opportunity to get Gonzalez's feet wet than a permanent arrival. Players on the paternity list can miss up to three days, and teams will occasionally stretch that timeline slightly with a follow-up restricted list move. Still, Gray is expected back relatively quickly, likely sometime during next week’s series against the White Sox. That means Gonzalez may have only a weekend's worth of games to make an impression before heading back down to St. Paul. But even a temporary promotion matters for a player like Gonzalez. The Twins didn’t have many realistic position-player options available after sending both Royce Lewis and Matt Wallner to Triple-A earlier this week. Minnesota’s upper-level depth has thinned out considerably, especially among players already on the 40-man roster. Gonzalez and fellow outfielder Hendry Mendez were the two obvious names, but Mendez was only promoted to Triple-A a couple of weeks ago. Gonzalez was the cleaner fit. And honestly, the timing makes sense. Gonzalez arrived in the organization with plenty of hype after the Twins acquired him from the Mariners in the Jorge Polanco trade before the 2024 season. He was viewed as the headline prospect in the deal, with a reputation as a polished young hitter with advanced bat-to-ball skills and emerging power. The shine dimmed a little after an uneven first season in the organization. Gonzalez battled through a back injury while putting together a fairly underwhelming year at High-A with a .707 OPS. Suddenly, the prospect who looked like a fast-moving offensive prospect started looking more human. To his credit, he responded well last season and hit enough to move from High- to Triple-A. His .909 OPS earned him Twins Daily’s Minor League Hitter of the Year. The numbers haven’t exploded in 2026, but there are still reasons for optimism. Across 197 plate appearances with the Saints, Gonzalez owns a .216/.294/.392 slash line with eight home runs while striking out at a manageable 20% rate. A lot of the depressed production can be traced to an ugly .231 batting average on balls in play, suggesting there may have been some poor luck mixed in with the inconsistency. The tools are still there. Twins Daily currently ranks Gonzalez as the No. 10 prospect in the Twins organization. Evaluators continue to believe in the hit tool and raw power potential, though they’ve also pointed to his aggressive approach and tendency to pound balls into the ground as reasons the game power hasn’t fully shown up yet. He's hitting too many ground balls (and too many pop-ups) this year, but he's still showing the ability to hit the ball hard at times, and he's a pull hitter. He’s not a burner on the bases, and plays corner outfield spots defensively, meaning the bat has to carry a significant portion of the profile. Fortunately for the Twins, one area where Gonzalez has consistently looked comfortable is against left-handed pitching. Last season, he torched lefties to the tune of a .368/.430/.592 line. Even during this year’s offensive downturn, he’s still producing a strong .263/.328/.544 slash line against southpaws. That could become important immediately. Boston is expected to start left-hander Payton Tolle on Friday night, which makes Gonzalez a logical candidate to jump directly into the lineup for his MLB debut. It may only last a few days, but in the next few months, maybe it becomes something more. By calling up the outfielder to replace Gray (who has become the primary third baseman), the team sets themselves up to get another few looks at intriguing breakout-in-progress Ryan Kreidler. At the very least, Twins fans finally get their first look at the player who has quietly become one of the organization’s more important long-term bets. What can Gonzalez bring to the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Minnesota Twins spent a long time trying to avoid this moment. They gave Royce Lewis every opportunity to work through his struggles at the major-league level because, for years, he looked like the type of talent worth waiting on. But eventually, potential stops mattering if the production never returns. Now the former No. 1 overall pick is headed to Triple-A. The move feels shocking on the surface because Lewis has long been viewed as one of the organization’s foundational players. Yet, when you look at the bigger picture, this decision has been in the works for quite some time. Lewis’s offensive struggles have spiraled to the point where the Twins could no longer justify keeping him in the lineup every day. His batting average has cratered to .163 with a .540 OPS, and the overall at-bat quality has become increasingly concerning. Sunday may have been the clearest example yet. Lewis struck out three times in a 0-for-3 performance before eventually being lifted for a pinch-hitter. The Twins have already shown they're willing to send struggling veterans to Triple-A this season, with Matt Wallner’s demotion just a few days before Lewis. Lewis simply reached the point where his name and pedigree could no longer outweigh the results. What makes the situation more troubling is that this is no longer just a rough few weeks. For much of 2024, Lewis still looked like an emerging superstar whenever he was healthy enough to stay on the field. Around mid-August, his OPS remained north of 1.000, and injuries appeared to be the only obstacle standing in his way. Instead of building on that success, however, his performance completely collapsed over the final stretch of last year and never recovered. Since mid-August 2024, Lewis has slashed .214/.268/.339 with a 68 wRC+, while striking out 157 times compared to only 47 walks across 179 games. Those numbers are no longer small-sample noise. They represent nearly a full season of offensive dysfunction. Even the underlying metrics offer little optimism. While some poor luck has contributed to the ugly batting average, Lewis still owns an expected batting average of only .205. The quality of contact simply has not been there. More concerning than the results themselves is how Lewis has looked while producing them. At the plate, he appears caught between mechanics and reaction. His strikeout rate has climbed to a career-high 31.1%, and he is whiffing on 37.3% of his swings. Pitch recognition has become a major issue, particularly against velocity. Far too often, Lewis looks like he is guessing instead of reacting. Fastballs used to be the pitch he punished. During his first two major league seasons, Lewis demolished fastballs to the tune of a .355 average and .711 slugging percentage. That ability helped fuel the belief that he could become one of baseball’s next young stars. Since then, the numbers have completely flipped. During his electric rookie season, Lewis demolished four-seam fastballs to the tune of an .842 slugging percentage. Last season, that number cratered to .332, while his whiff rate against four-seamers climbed to 25.5%. The decline produced an -8 Run Value against fastballs and forced pitchers to attack him differently. The problem has continued into 2026. Lewis currently owns just a .291 slugging percentage against four seamers, with a 34.1% whiff rate. Perhaps even more concerning, his pull percentage has dropped from 31.4% during his rookie campaign to 24.1% this season. The explosive damage on pitches he once turned around with authority has largely vanished. That is a devastating development for any hitter, especially one whose game was built around elite bat speed and the ability to attack velocity. Part of the frustration for Minnesota is that Lewis spent the offseason attempting to fix these exact issues. One of the biggest storylines during spring training involved his work with new hitting coach Jeremy Isenhower, who came highly recommended by stars like Bobby Witt Jr. and former Twins infielder Jorge Polanco. The goal of the mechanical changes centered around Lewis’s setup before the swing even began. The hope was that a more repeatable pre-swing position would improve his timing, pitch recognition, and overall swing decisions. Instead, the changes seem to have had the opposite effect. Lewis frequently looks uncomfortable in the box, late on velocity, and indecisive against secondary pitches. That is why Triple-A matters right now. This demotion is not about punishment. It is about rebuilding a hitter who currently looks broken mechanically and mentally at the plate. The Twins need Lewis to simplify everything again. At Triple-A, the focus has to start with attacking fastballs consistently. Lewis does not need to rediscover superstar production overnight, but he must prove he can get on time against velocity again. The swing decisions also need major improvement. Too often, Lewis expands the zone early in counts and then looks frozen once pitchers get ahead. Minnesota will also likely want to see him establish a more consistent approach from game to game. Right now, every at-bat feels different. Sometimes he sells out for power. Other times, he appears purely defensive. The organization needs him to rediscover a stable offensive identity before bringing him back to the majors. That's why, as fun as his homer in his first game with the St. Paul Saints was, it's far from enough to get anyone actually dreaming of the player's return to Target Field. There is also value in allowing Lewis to play every day without the pressure of carrying a struggling big-league offense. Triple-A gives him room to fail, adjust, and rebuild confidence in a lower-stakes environment. The Twins are not giving up on Lewis. Players with his talent are not easily discarded. But they are finally acknowledging a reality that has become impossible to deny. Lewis has not looked like a productive major league hitter for a long time now. This reset was necessary. The next step is up to Lewis. What does Lewis need to focus on at Triple-A? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article