Cody Christie

The Twins' big-league depth is already being tested during the 2024 season, which opened an opportunity for the organization’s top-catching prospect. So, how did Jair Camargo make it to his MLB debut? Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints The Dodgers organization originally signed Jair Camargo as a teenager out of Colombia in 2015. His professional debut came in the Dominican Summer League during the subsequent season. In 41 games, he hit .250/.309/.346 (.654) with seven extra-base hits and a 20.6 K%. He came stateside in 2017 and raised his OPS by 55 points while regularly being a catcher. During the 2018 season, he returned to the rookie leagues, where he remained young for the level. His OPS took another slight jump to .720 as he saw a few more doubles turn into home runs. Camargo had yet to show significant power, but there continued to be time for the teenager to mature physically. Camargo moved to the Midwest League in 2019, where he was over two years younger than the average age of the competition. There were some struggles in the transition to a full-season league, with his OPS dropping to .642 and his strikeout rate rising to 32%. He logged a career-high 88 innings at third base, but that was a way to get his bat in the lineup more regularly. Following the season, the Dodgers included Camargo in the trade that sent Kenta Maeda to Minnesota in exchange for Brusdar Graterol and Luke Raley. His debut in the Twins system had to wait until 2021 after the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season. Camargo made his High-A debut in 2021 and hit double-digit home runs for the first time in his career. He struggled to get on base with a 4.6% walk rate compared to a 40.3% strikeout rate. By the 2022 season, he started putting it all together at the plate. In 77 games, he hit .262/.310/.483 (.793) with 11 doubles and 18 home runs while also reaching Double-A in his age 22 season. He dropped his strikeout rate by nearly 5% while facing older pitchers in over 75% of his plate appearances. Camargo had clearly put himself into the team’s long-term plans as a catcher. Last season, the Twins continued to be aggressive with Camargo by having him spend the entire year at Triple-A despite having fewer than 200 plate appearances at Double-A. He showed that he was up to the challenge by hitting .259/.323/.503 (.826) with 16 doubles and 21 home runs. It was his highest slugging percentage at any level, and it was a strong enough performance for the club to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason. Defensively, Camargo continues to work on his skills behind the plate. Last season, he threw out 25% of potential base stealers, down 11% compared to 2022. His game-calling and receiving skills continue to improve, especially as he has climbed the organizational ladder. At Triple-A, he’s getting experience working with the team’s top pitching prospects like David Festa and Simeon Woods Richardson. Those relationships should help him as he gets more time at the big-league level. The Twins were lucky enough to only need two catchers for the entire 2023 season, but that is rare in the modern game. Camargo was recently called up but has been used sparingly, with one plate appearance, a walk, and no defensive appearances entering the weekend. Minnesota added him to the roster to allow Ryan Jeffers to serve as the DH on days when he is not behind the plate. He will likely return to St. Paul as players begin to come off the IL. However, it seems unlikely that the Twins will make it through the 2024 campaign with both catchers avoiding the IL. Camargo will get other opportunities, and now he must adjust to baseball's highest level. How do you view Camargo at this point in his professional career? Can he become part of the team’s catcher rotation in the future? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Hopes were high for the prospect package the Twins acquired for José Berríos in 2021. Three years later, the club is finally beginning to accumulate value from this trade. Image courtesy of Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports The 2021 season was disappointing for Twins fans. Minnesota was coming off back-to-back AL Central titles with hopes that veteran pieces could keep the team’s winning window open. However, the team had a disastrous April (9-15 record) and never fully recovered, with August being the team’s lone month with an above .500 record. The team’s front office approached the trade deadline, focusing on trading away veterans while acquiring high minors prospects who were close to making their debuts. Joe Ryan’s acquisition from the Rays for two months of Nelson Cruz might be one of the best trades in team history. However, the Twins are just finding out what value the club received in the José Berríos trade. Toronto’s Trade Value Minnesota was willing to trade away Berríos because the two sides weren’t going to agree on a long-term deal. He and his agency wanted to be paid like other top-tier starting pitchers, which is understandable, especially in an age of increased pitcher injuries. Berríos has been a relative workhorse without missing significant time in any season during his career. He was under team control through the 2022 season, so the Twins were trading away 44 Berríos starts. He was one of baseball’s best-starting pitchers after the trade deadline that season as he accumulated 1.5 rWAR, which nearly matched his season total with the Twins prior to the trade. Based on that performance, the Blue Jays inked him to a long-term extension that winter for seven years and $131 million. Luckily, he signed his deal then because his 2022 campaign was his worst as a professional. He led the league in hits and earned runs while posting a 74 OPS+. Baseball-Reference pegged him for a -0.6 WAR, his lowest total since his debut season at age 22. He bounced back nicely in 2023-24 to be among the league’s best pitchers, but those seasons weren’t what the Twins traded away as they are tied to his extension. Instead, Toronto traded two top prospects for 14 months of mixed performance from Berríos. Toronto’s Trade Value Gained: 0.9 rWAR Minnesota’s Trade Value The Twins are starting to see their value accumulate from the prospects acquired from the Blue Jays. At the time, MLB.com ranked Austin Martin (No. 2) and Simeon Woods Richardson (No. 4) as two of the best prospects in Toronto’s farm system. Martin was seen as the top prospect in the package since he was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft after dominating the collegiate ranks. Woods Richardson had been part of two blockbuster trades before turning 21 years old, and many expected him to, at minimum, develop into a middle-of-the-rotation starter at the time of the trade. Both players were at Double-A during the 2021 campaign, so it was easy to forecast them making their big-league debuts by 2022. However, the timelines shifted after joining the Twins. Woods Richardson made his big-league debut in 2022 with one late-season start in Detroit. He allowed two earned runs in five innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Last season, he made one long relief appearance in April, where he surrendered five earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. His spot start earlier this season was the best of his career. He fanned five batters in six frames and allowed one earned run on two hits. It was an encouraging sign after some mixed results in his minor-league career. Now, he needs to put together more strong performances with the Saints so he’s ready the next time the Twins have a rotational need. Like Woods Richardson, Martin took time to develop in the Twins system, with some low points in his journey. Entering the 2024 season, it became clear that the team needed to focus on the specific skills he could bring to the roster. Multiple injuries this season have opened playing time, so he’s getting his first run at the big-league level. INSERT UPDATED STATS. Defensively, he has seen the majority of his playing time in the outfield (left and center field), with a brief appearance at second base. Minnesota’s current roster has shown a tendency to strike out, so his bat-to-ball and on-base skills are a welcome addition to the lineup. His defensive flexibility is his likely calling card for a long-term utility role with the club. Minnesota’s Trade Value Gained: TBD Martin and Woods Richardson may have lost their prospect shine, but there is certainly room for them to provide the team with value over the next six seasons. Berríos provided minimal value to the Blue Jays before his extension kicked in, so the Twins might still end up being the winners of this blockbuster trade. How do you feel about the trade at this point? Will the Twins end up with more value? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Pitching is an art and a science, and some pitchers tweak their repertoire annually. Minnesota’s top two starters added new pitches last season and the results have been even better in 2024. Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports The Twins organization didn’t initially sign Pablo López and Joe Ryan. Both came to Minnesota via trade, but neither was a finished product. López had some success at the big-league level, and the Twins convinced him that adding a sweeper would alter his performance. Ryan dominated minor-league hitters with his unique fastball and needed a better secondary pitch to get more swings and misses from big-league hitters. Both players added a new pitch for 2023 and the results from those pitches have been even better in 2024. Pablo López New Pitch: Sweeper The Twins brass quickly approached López after the team traded for him with a proposition. Adding a sweeper could vault him from a middle-of-the-rotation starter to one of the game’s best. He soaked up all the information and got to work. López introduced his sweeper last season and threw it the second most of any of his pitches (21.4 %). Batters posted a .173 BA and a .265 xSLG against it with a 36.6 Whiff% and a 22.8 Put Away%. After the best season of his career, he wasn’t satisfied and headed to Driveline this winter to work on taking the next step. López made improvements with his sweeper in its sophomore season. He uses the pitch more regularly, and the peripheral numbers show it is getting more swings and misses. His Whiff% (40.6) and Put Away % (26.9%) have both risen, and he has gotten seven strikeouts in 19 at-bats with his sweeper. Opponents have a .526 SLG versus the pitch, but the xSLG is almost 200 points lower. His 2024 Stuff+ on his sweeper is one of the highest for any new pitch, with usage starting during the 2023 season. It hasn’t been a perfect start to the season for López, but the initial numbers on his sweeper are very encouraging. Joe Ryan New Pitch: Splitter López wasn’t the only Twins pitcher with a new pitch last season. Ryan has been a fastball first pitcher throughout his professional career because of his unique arm angle from his background in water polo. He was able to dominate the upper minors with fastballs in the upper part of the zone, but that doesn’t work at the big-league level. Ryan has seen his fastball usage drop from over 60% in 2022 to just under 45% in 2024, thanks to his split-finger usage. Last season, opponents hit .242 against it with a .409 xSLG, 21.3 Whiff%, and 16.8 Put Away %. Some of his numbers from last season are also slightly skewed because he tried to pitch through a groin injury to disastrous results. There was room for improvement, and he used Driveline to help with the process. Ryan’s improvements were on full display last weekend as he dominated the Tigers lineup for a career-high 12 strikeouts. His splitter is drawing a 40.5 Whiff% and a 29.7 Put Away %, which are significant jumps from last season. He has also done a better job of avoiding contact on his split-finger with a .176 xBA and a .308 xSLG. Also, he is more consistently getting low induced vertical break, which is what makes this pitch different from a changeup. Ryan’s 103 Stuff+ isn’t as high as López's, but he gets a higher swinging strike percentage. He has added more spin, and batters have posted a negative launch angle when facing his splitter. Minnesota needs Ryan to continue developing into a frontline starting pitcher; his secondary offerings can go a long way to making that a reality. What have you noticed about these two pitchers this season? Have these two pitches stood out? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The left side of Minnesota’s infield currently resides on the injured list, while the right side comprises an unproven sophomore and an aging first baseman. Now is the time to start worrying about the Twins’ infield defense. Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports On paper, the Twins had plenty of infield depth to start the year, with multiple options at every position around the horn. That depth was quickly tested when Royce Lewis strained his quad in the season’s first game; he is likely out until June. Minnesota had options to fill in at third base, including Willi Castro, Kyle Farmer, and José Miranda. However, the team’s depth is being pushed to its limits after placing Carlos Correa on the injured list with an intercostal strain. Now, the Twins are digging deep into their 40-man roster to patch together their infield defense until players return from the IL. Last season, the Twins had multiple top prospects waiting in the wings at Triple-A to reinforce the roster. It would be great to have the same scenario play out in 2024, but that has yet to be the case. Brooks Lee, Twins Daily’s second-ranked prospect, is currently on the IL at Triple-A with back spasms and is expected to miss multiple weeks. The Twins have already called up Austin Martin, one of the team’s top 10 prospects, but the team has been reluctant to play him in the infield. His defensive time has come in the outfield, plus a four-inning stint at second base. Let’s whip around the infield to look at the defensive options and predict how the team will handle duties in the coming weeks. First Base Defensive Question: Can Carlos Santana hit enough to be the team’s everyday first baseman? Minnesota brought in Santana because of his veteran presence and defense at first base. There were also health concerns about Alex Kirilloff, after the latter underwent offseason shoulder surgery. Santana is off to an abysmal offensive start to the season, with a .368 OPS and a 10 OPS+ in his first 13 games. Defensively, he rates well at first base, with his Fielding Run Value and Outs Above Average ranking in the 78th percentile or higher. Minnesota’s offense has struggled out of the gate, though, and one has to wonder if Santana can provide any offensive value or if Father Time has caught up to him in his age-38 season. Current Best Option: Santana Back-Up Options: Kirilloff, Miranda, Christian Vázquez Second Base Defensive Question: Are Edouard Julien’s Defensive Improvements Legitimate? Julien has been one of the team’s lone bright spots during the 2024 season, and he’s done it on both sides of the ball. Last season, Julien ranked low in Fielding Run Value (49th percentile), Outs Above Average (59th percentile), and Arm Strength (14th percentile). The Twins have praised him for the work he has put in at second base, and the results speak for themselves so far in 2024. He’s tied for second among AL second basemen in Fielding Run Value (92nd percentile) and OAA (95th percentile). It’s very early in the season, so tracking his defensive performance throughout the year will be interesting. Few thought he’d be the team’s best defensive second baseman, but here we are. Current Best Option: Julien Back-Up Options: Kyle Farmer, Martin, Willi Castro Third Base Defensive Question: Can José Miranda Reemerge as a Long-Term Option? Miranda hit his first home run of the season against Baltimore Monday night and can insert himself back into the team’s long-term plans. Castro is the team’s lone player with a positive OAA at third base, while Farmer (-1 OAA) and Miranda (-2 OAA) have provided negative value. Farmer’s fielding gaffe against Detroit (see below) stands out as one fielding play that changed a game this season. It’s disappointing that Lee isn’t available for an extended look while Lewis is out to start the year. Many evaluators thought Lee would eventually switch to the hot corner, but he will need time to recover and get up to speed at Triple-A. The Twins will likely continue to rotate through the Castro, Farmer, and Miranda trio until Lewis returns later this season. Current Best Option: Castro Back-Up Options: Farmer, Miranda, Lee Shortstop Defensive Question: Is Kyle Farmer Cooked at Shortstop? Over the weekend, the Twins made an interesting lineup decision, starting Farmer at third base and Castro at shortstop. This move is the opposite of what the team would have done last season when Farmer (276 innings) played over 10 times as many shortstop innings as Castro. Some questioned the front office’s decision to offer arbitration to Farmer and bring him back on a deal north of $6 million. That is a high price for a backup infielder, especially on a team cutting payroll by $30 million. Minnesota has since started Farmer at shortstop, but Castro pinch-hit for him later in the game. Castro is six years younger than Farmer, so the team might feel that Farmer has lost a step defensively. Current Best Option: Farmer (by default) Back-Up Options: Castro, Martin (in a pinch) What is the team’s best defensive lineup with the players who are currently healthy? Who should be the team’s regular shortstop? Do you trust Julien’s early-season defensive improvements? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Minnesota Twins shook up the television and radio broadcast teams this offseason. One change was increasing Lexi Schweinert's presence on the radio broadcasts. Twins Daily sat down with Ms. Schweinert to learn more about her professional journey and what led her to the Twins. Image courtesy of Lexi Schweinert (Twins Radio) Fans are familiar with Kris Atteberry and Cory Provus, but a new voice is filling the airwaves across Twins Territory this season. Lexi Schweinert is taking on a more visible role with the radio team. She runs the pre- and post-game shows while also serving as a producer. The Twins see very few new additions to the radio team, with Atteberry and Provus having worked for the organization for over a decade. So, let’s get to know a little about Ms. Schweinert and what she brings to Twins Territory. Twins Daily: Talk to us about your professional journey. What led you to the Minnesota Twins? “I grew up immersed in sports. My grandpa and dad played professional soccer and my younger twin brothers played D1 college soccer. I was not as athletically gifted (on JV soccer as a junior), but loved watching sports and attending as a fan, so I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the sports industry.” “When I was in college at UW-Madison, I interned with local news stations (WISN 12 News, NBC 15 Madison) in their sports departments, and also worked at ESPN Madison. Unfortunately, I graduated during the pandemic, when sports came to a halt and no one was hiring. I took a local news job in Bowling Green, Kentucky. After about a year, Western Kentucky University reached out to me about doing some sideline work with their football team, which led to doing basketball on ESPN+ with WKU as well. I was reignited to pursue sports and learned of a job opening with the Twins through a friend. I ended up going through the interview process and landed back in the Midwest!” TD: What do you enjoy about baseball compared to other sports that you’ve covered? “That’s a great question. I think I like the repetition of having games every day and the familiarity you form with the team…compared to a sport like football, where you have just one game a week. You learn so much about the players, coaches and more. Baseball is a simple game at first glance, but once you drill down into it, you become aware of all the complexities and levels to the sport.” TD: Baseball broadcasting has been a male-dominated field. However, the A’s hired Jenny Cavnar as MLB's first full-time play-by-play woman. How do you see the broadcast landscape changing in the years ahead? “Jenny is fantastic. I love that slowly over the last decade, there’s been more women entering the industry, and just more of a conversation about women in sports. The women broadcasters for the Twins, like Audra Martin and Katie Storm, have welcomed me with open arms into the market and have helped me feel so at ease here in the Twin Cities.” “I was also lucky to learn early on in my career from women like Stephanie Sutton, who has been a sports anchor at WISN 12 in Milwaukee for decades and been a great mentor to me in my career.” TD: What are some things you have already learned on the job so far? “SO MUCH! I’m grateful to work with experienced pros like Andrew Halverson, Kris Atteberry and Mark Genosky who have been with the team for around two decades. They’ve really taught me the importance of statistics in the game of baseball, and finding unique details comparing the present players to players of the past.” TD: What are you most looking forward to in the 2024 campaign? “Another AL Central division title and postseason run? Fingers crossed! :) I’m hosting more pre and post-game shows this year which I’m extremely happy about, and also upping the number of games I will be producing as well.” “It’s also been fun to see some young players get called on early in the season and thrive at the major league level…like Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. Should be an exciting 2024 season!” Twins fans can agree with Ms. Schweinert that there is plenty to be excited about during the 2024 campaign. You can follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) while also catching her on your local affiliate for the Twins Radio Network. View full article

Some of the biggest legends in Minnesota Twins history have roamed center field, one of baseball’s most important positions. Where has the team been, where are they currently, and what does the future hold for center field in Minnesota? Image courtesy of William Parmeter, Marilyn Indah and Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports The Twins have a center field lineage that stretches throughout most of the team’s history in Minnesota. Some of the biggest personalities in team history, like Kirby Puckett, Torii Hunter, and Byron Buxton, have won Gold Gloves in center field. This trio is tied to specific generations of Twins fans, and there are center field prospects nearing Target Field, as well. The position has changed throughout baseball history, and the future outlook is intriguing. Recently, Twins Daily launched the Minnesota Twins Players Project. What is the Players Project? It's a community-driven, wiki-style project focusing on Twins players of all stripes. It's open to all Twins Daily users, and we've had contributions of current players, past players, and players who never made the major leagues but played in the Twins farm system. Some of the players from this story have already been added to the project, and you can add others. MLB.com’s Cole Jacobson examined the landscape of center fielders at the big-league level. Annually, the site ranks every position in baseball, and center field came in ninth place because of the gap between the old guard (Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen) and the rising young stars (Julio Rodríguez, Michael Harris II, Jackson Chourio). Let’s look back at the past, present, and future of center field for the Minnesota Twins. Past: The Legacy of Kirby Puckett, Torii Hunter, and Others For many Twins fans, Puckett is among a small group of players who are the best in franchise history. He was the heart and soul of the team’s two championship teams, and his signature moments (the catch and home run) in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series are iconic. His career was cut short due to retina damage in his right eye. The baseball writers elected him to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, and every future center fielder will be compared to his legacy. After some dark days in the shadow of Puckett's injury, Hunter ushered in a new era of Twins baseball in the early 2000s. There was discussion about contracting the Twins or moving the team to North Carolina. Instead, Hunter and a young core helped the Twins win the AL Central four times in five years. In recent years, Hunter has managed to remain on the Hall of Fame ballot due to his Jekyll-and-Hyde career. Overall, he fits into the category of good but not great players in MLB history, so he will likely need to wait for the Eras Committee ballot before having a chance at Cooperstown. Besides Puckett and Hunter, plenty of other famous names throughout Twins history saw time in center field. Jimmie Hall and César Tovar made multiple Opening Day starts after the team moved to Bloomington in the 1960s. Lyman Bostock was a rising star in the Twins organization in the 1970s, before tragically losing his life due to gun violence. Minnesota also focused on drafting athletic high-school outfielders, leading the team to top prospects like Denard Span, Ben Revere, and Aaron Hicks. Center field has been critical to the team’s success through multiple generations. Present: Hop on the Buck Truck Byron Buxton had enormous pressure placed on him from his amateur days to being selected by the Twins as the number two overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He was considered baseball’s top prospect throughout his minor-league career, because he seemed to be a five-tool talent waiting to explode. Buxton has shown flashes of that talent at the big-league level, but injuries have marred his career. One play this week might have announced that he is finally healthy for the first time in a long while. Fans will still be trepidatious whenever he dives for a ball or slides into a base. When healthy, he is among baseball’s best players, and has still found ways to provide tremendous value despite missing significant time. Future: Top Twins Prospects Tied to Center Field Minnesota selected Walker Jenkins as the fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he was immediately considered one of baseball’s best prospects. Some evaluators believe his size will push him to a corner outfield spot as he matures. However, the Twins will give him and his athleticism every opportunity to stick in center field. Expectations were high for him entering the 2024 season, but he is currently on the injured list with a left hamstring strain. In recent years, many of the team’s top prospects have struggled to stay healthy, a trend the Twins hope Jenkins can avoid. Emmanuel Rodríguez, Twins Daily’s number three prospect, is playing this year at Double-A, so he is much closer to being in the big leagues than Jenkins. Last season, he posted an .863 OPS with Cedar Rapids while helping them win the Midwest League Championship. Other high-ranking prospects like Austin Martin, Brandon Winokur, and Yasser Mercedes have a chance to fit into the team’s long-term plans in center field. Center field is the most important position in Twins history. The team’s past, present, and future are irrevocably tied to one of baseball’s most important positions. While baseball is seeing a decline in center field performance, Minnesota hopes to buck the trend. Which future player will see the most time in center field? What do you remember most about the team’s previous center fielders? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Baseball fans love the story of a former top prospect who continues to grind away in the minor leagues before eventually getting a shot at the big league level. One former Twins prospect is getting called up to the big leagues after a tumultuous journey spanning the last decade. Image courtesy of Seth Stohs, Twins Daily Tyler Jay has faced pressure since the day the Twins drafted him with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. At the time, Jay was considered one of the top-rated players in the draft (MLB.com ranked him ninth), but he had spent his collegiate career as a dominant reliever. In 128 2/3 collegiate innings, he posted a 1.68 ERA with a 0.85 WHIP with a 143-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, a Louisville Slugger All-American, and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. Those dominant totals and awards convinced Minnesota he could transition to a starting role, so the front office was comfortable selecting him as one of the top 10 picks. The Twins signed Jay for $3.9 million and immediately sent him to Low-A. On June 17, 2015, The Star Tribune said, “His fastball has touched 95 miles-an-hour to go with an excellent breaking ball. His control is so good that some have wondered if he could help the Twins out this season.” The 2015 Twins finished second in the AL Central with an 83-79 record, 12 games behind the Kansas City Royals. Near the beginning of August, the Twins were double-digit games out of first place, so there was no reason to rush Jay to the big leagues. Entering the 2016 season, Baseball America and MLB.com ranked him among their top 100 prospects. Minnesota hadn’t used him as a starter during his pro debut since he had already made 30 appearances at the collegiate level that season. The Twins were aggressive with Jay as he split time between High- and Double-A. Across 83 2/3 innings (15 starts), he posted a 3.33 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP and a 77-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He struggled to transition to Double-A, allowing nine earned runs in 14 innings. After the promotion, his shoulder started bothering him, and he landed on the disabled list. It was a solid start to his career, but he wasn’t moving as quickly as some evaluators expected at the time of the draft. Injuries, including shoulder, neck, and bicep, continued to impact Jay in his early pro career. Because of those injury concerns, the Twins shifted Jay to a full-time relief role in 2017. His season never really got off the ground. By midseason, he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and headed for season-ending surgery. He made ten appearances in the AFL that fall, but it’s a hitting-friendly environment, and Jay allowed six earned runs, including two long balls, in 9 2/3 innings. Minnesota sent him to Double-A in 2018, and he posted a 4.22 ERA with a 1.56 WHIP in 59 2/3 innings. Jay returned to Double-A for the start of the 2019 season, where he topped out in the Twins farm system. In June, Minnesota traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations. He only made 20 appearances in the Reds organization before being released in the middle of the 2020 campaign. In 2022, he signed with the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League. Jay was excellent in 22 innings, posting a 1.64 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. He continued to pitch in the independent leagues to begin the 2023 season but caught the eyes of the Mets. He signed a minor league deal and allowed four runs in six innings last year at Triple-A. New York re-signed him to a minor league deal this season, and he began this year with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. The Mets have room for Jay in their bullpen because they designated Michael Tonkin for assignment over the last week. Minnesota acquired Tonkin from New York, and he can provide depth to the Twins’ bullpen hierarchy. For Jay, getting any opportunity at the big league level is a feel-good story. It’s clear the Twins were mistaken to take him with that high of a draft pick, with many players taken after him already having big-league success. There were likely times when he thought about stepping away from the game. Instead, he is getting an opportunity even if no guarantees about his long-term place on an MLB roster exist. Congrats to Jay and his family! What do you remember about Jay’s time as a Twins prospect? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Tyler Ryan Jay (born April 19, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at the University of Illinois and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. View full player

Stealing bases jumped across baseball last season, with new rules impacting the running game. The Twins have specific players to watch on the base paths this season, especially regarding sprint speed. Image courtesy of Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports The Twins roster isn’t built like the teams deemed the piranhas back in the Metrodome era. Those clubs had role players who would cause havoc on the bases ahead of the team’s best hitters like Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. Minnesota’s current roster is constructed to work counts and hit for power, even though the 2024 team hasn’t regularly shown those skills yet. Four players on the Twins can help the team’s offensive production if their sprint speed is improved compared to recent seasons. Byron Buxton Sprint Speed (2023): 94th percentile Buxton battled through injuries throughout the 2023 campaign, so it was amazing that his sprint speed continued to be elite. His baserunning run value also ranked above the 90th percentile, even while being relegated to DH duties. His health is in a much better place for the 2024 campaign, and he’s seen a slight decline in his sprint speed from 29.3 ft/s to 28.8 ft/s. However, his sprint speed and baserunning run value have both increased their percentile rank compared to last year. A healthy Buxton is a joy to watch on the bases and can be a weapon that helps the Twins score more runs in the months ahead. Carlos Correa Sprint Speed (2023): 33rd percentile Like Buxton, Correa also battled injuries last season, but his plantar fasciitis severely impacted his overall speed and mobility. He set the team record by hitting into the most double plays for one season and was worth a -7.7 baserunning run value, the worst on the team. When asked if there’s anything he can point to as to why he’s hitting into so many double plays, he said, “Yeah, I’m slow as f**k.” Thankfully, Correa seems to be past his injury woes from last year. His sprint speed (27.1 ft/s) is up 0.5 ft/s versus last season and is comparable to where he was from 2020-2022. He will never be an elite base runner, but he can provide improved value compared to last year by avoiding double plays. Edouard Julien Sprint Speed (2023): 40th percentile Julien was a below-average runner in his rookie season with a negative baserunning run value that ranked in the 30th percentile. He’s arguably been the team’s worst base runner in 2024, with his sprint speed dropping from 27.0 ft/s in 2023 to 23.4 ft/s in 2024. There are only three qualified MLB players with a lower sprint speed than Julien this year, and they all play first base or DH. Baseball Savant has him tracked for ten competitive runs this season, so it is a small sample size. However, that drop in sprint speed is concerning. Is something impacting his running ability this season? He continues to bat near the top of the lineup, and the Twins need him to find a way to at least get back to where he was last season. Willi Castro Sprint Speed (2023): 82nd percentile Castro provided tremendous value and utility for the Twins last season, and much of that value came on the base paths. He ranked in the 78th percentile for baserunning run value, and his 28.6 ft/s sprint speed was one of the best for the Twins. He’s struggled offensively to begin the 2024 season, which has impacted his ability to showcase his running ability. In 32 plate appearances, he has gone 3-for-27 with four walks and 14 strikeouts. His sprint speed has dropped 0.8 points to 27.8 ft/s, still in the 78th percentile. During spring training, Buxton talked openly about Castro and himself battling for 30 or more steals this season. Castro needs to break out of his offensive slump to return to stealing bases. What other players are you monitoring for their base running this year? Can Julien improve enough to avoid negative base running value? Leave a comment to start the discussion. View full article

Fans who have followed the Minnesota Twins farm system over the last decade know Michael Tonkin well. On Tuesday, the Twins brought back the former prospect. So, what can he bring to the Twins, and how does it change the bullpen hierarchy? Image courtesy of © Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports The Twins drafted Michael Tonkin in the 30th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, from a high school in California. For some perspective, MLB has cut the draft to 20 rounds in recent years, adjusting to the fact that there are fewer minor-league teams. As a high-school pitcher, Tonkin slowly worked through the organization. He posted a sub-3.50 ERA in the low minors, before becoming a full-time reliever in 2011. His 2012 season put him on the map as a relief prospect. In 69 1/3 innings, he posted a 2.08 ERA between Low- and High-A. The Twins were aggressive with him the following season, as he was pushed to make his big-league debut. From 2013-17, Tonkin became a fixture in the Twins’ bullpen mix. He posted a 4.43 ERA with a 1.43 WHIP and 9.2 K/9 in 146 1/3 innings. He became less effective over his last two seasons with the Twins, with his ERA ballooning above 5.00 and both hits and home runs piling up against him. He went to Japan in 2018, pitched at Triple-A for Milwaukee and Arizona in 2019, and bounced between the Mexican League and independent ball in 2021. Last season, Tonkin added depth to the Braves bullpen while combining for a 4.28 ERA with a solid 23.1% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate across 80 innings. He signed a split one-year deal with the Mets for $1 million this winter and appeared in three games for them before being cast aside. Tonkin was a necessary pickup because the Twins currently have seven relievers on the injured list, and the team played their first game of the Dodger series with only 12 pitchers on the 26-man roster. Jhoan Durán, Caleb Thielbar, Daniel Duarte, Josh Staumont, and Justin Topa are on the 15-day IL, while Zack Weiss and Josh Winder are now on the 60-day IL. Thielbar (hamstring) and Staumont (calf) both started rehab assignments with the St. Paul Saints on Tuesday and have a chance to re-join the Twins as early as this weekend. With reinforcements returning soon, Tonkin must utilize his full pitch mix to be effective and stick on the roster. Last season, Tonkin used two pitches regularly: a sinker and a slider. Batters hit .226 against his sinker, with a .421 SLG and a 48-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 209 plate appearances. His slider was more effective, with batters limited to a .304 SLG and a 30.4 Whiff%. Tonkin began using a four-seamer again this season, but that was one of his issues with the Mets. Opponents went 4-for-9 against it, with a double and a home run. It will be interesting to see if the Twins attempt to convince him to ditch that pitch. So, where does Tonkin fit into the team’s bullpen hierarchy? The Twins have used Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart in a dual closer role, which will likely continue until Durán returns from injury. Minnesota’s set-up situation has been a little cloudier, with different options and varying levels of success. Jorge Alcalá, Steven Okert, and Jay Jackson have all gotten opportunities in the late innings. Alcalá left Saturday’s game with a sore arm, but played catch on Sunday and felt better. Kody Funderburk is the second lefty in the bullpen behind Okert, so it will be interesting to see if the team keeps him when Thielbar is deemed healthy enough to come off the shelf. Cole Sands was kept on the roster as a long reliever, but has been limited to low-leverage appearances in the season’s early games. Tonkin will likely pitch in a middle-inning role similar to what Funderburk and Sands have filled in 2024. Tonkin’s career has been a roller coaster. He’s played in multiple countries and likely thought his days as a big-leaguer at least once. He has persevered, though, and helped a Braves team that won over 100 games last season. His season isn’t off to a perfect start, but he still has an opportunity to be a valuable bullpen piece on a Twins team desperate for depth. Can Tonkin stick in the bullpen if the team gets healthy? Will the Twins have him ditch his four-seamer? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

Jim Thome and Nelson Cruz aren’t walking back through the doors of Target Field to save the team. So, why do the Minnesota Twins still have an advantage in an age of declining DH performance? Image courtesy of Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports Major League Baseball universalized the designated hitter rule in 2022, and some franchises have struggled to find players to fill the role. The DH decline can be tied to multiple factors, with only four players logging at least 450 plate appearances as a DH last year. Some players are better suited for the mental preparation needed only to be asked to hit, and your lineup spot only coming around once every couple of innings. The Twins are finding a way to succeed In an age of declining DH performance. Over the last two seasons, the Astros and Blue Jays are the only teams with more fWAR from the DH position than the Twins have gotten. Since 2020, DH has been the Twins’ best offensive position by OPS, and their 17.9 fWAR is baseball’s highest mark. This total puts the Twins higher than the Astros and Angels, who had Yordan Álvarez and Shohei Ohtani regularly playing DH. So, how have the Twins avoided the DH decline impacting the league? 2023 Twins DH Performance: .216/.319/.447, 34 2B, 1 3B, 35 HR, 223 K, 83 BB Minnesota entered the 2023 season expecting Byron Buxton to get most of the plate appearances at DH, because of his nagging knee injury. He played 80 games at DH, but struggled to hit .207/.295/.442, with 17 doubles and 17 home runs. Edouard Julien spent the second-most time at DH, and his .734 OPS was over 100 points lower than his OPS for the season. Former Twin Jorge Polanco had the team’s highest OPS (.929) with 20 or more plate appearances as the DH. Royce Lewis finished tied for second in home runs among DHs, despite only playing nine games at the position. 2022 Twins DH Performance: .256/.336/.415, 37 2B, 2 3B, 19 HR, 156 K, 63 BB During the 2022 campaign, the Twins had three batters receive 140 or more plate appearances at DH. Luis Arráez led the team with 157 plate appearances, and hit .322/.369/.427 when he did, with 12 extra-base hits and a 9-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Buxton posted an .823 OPS, with five doubles and nine home runs in 128 at-bats. Gary Sánchez logged 140 plate appearances at DH and tied Arráez with 10 doubles from the position. The Twins also got solid production from José Miranda, as he batted .373/.434/.507 with eight extra-base hits in 75 at-bats. 2021 Twins DH Performance: .252/.338/.474, 30 2B, 3 3B, 30 HR, 154 K, 68 BB The 2021 season was unique, because the DH had been universal during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and became universal again in 2022. In between, though, the National League played one last season under its old rules, with pitchers required to bat for themselves. These rule changes helped the Twins, because Nelson Cruz had fewer suitors, so he returned for another run. In 340 PA, he hit .295/.371/.541 with 13 doubles and 19 home runs. His OPS+ was 168 in his first two seasons with the Twins and dropped to a respectable 148 before the team traded him to Tampa Bay. Josh Donaldson was the only other player to have more than 40 at-bats (125 AB) at DH, and posted a .708 OPS with 11 extra-base hits. The Twins have managed to post strong numbers at DH for multiple reasons since Cruz was traded away. Arráez and Buxton combined for a one-two punch of contact and power during the 2022 season, with other players like Miranda adding to the team’s overall numbers. Minnesota hoped Buxton would carry the DH spot in 2023, but when the club was forced to turn the position over to other hitters in the second half, those fallback guys performed well. Other teams might pencil in the same name at the DH spot regularly, while the Twins have rotated through options and played the platoon advantage. Minnesota has started five players at DH through the team’s first eight games in 2024, so it will be interesting to track whether their DH performance continues to rank near the top of the league. Who will get the most time at DH this year? Where will the team rank by season’s end? Leave a comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins’ front office focused on adding bullpen depth this winter through trades, signings, and waiver claims. Injuries have already impacted the bullpen, but the team’s depth allows one young pitcher to focus on sticking as a starter. Image courtesy of Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports Minnesota’s current front office clearly has a type when it comes to drafting and developing players from the draft’s later rounds. High school arms, like Charlee Soto and Marco Raya, have been avoided by the current regime because they come with high risk, which can potentially result in a long-term reward. Instead, the Twins have focused on college arms from lesser-known schools with an ability to develop those players after they have joined the organization. One left-handed pitcher has started strongly in 2024, and it might not be long until he’s needed as a starter at the big-league level. The Twins drafted Brent Headrick in the 9th round of the 2019 MLB Draft from Illinois State University. During the 2021 campaign, he was limited to 16 appearances due to shoulder issues. In 63 innings, he posted a 3.71 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP and an 88-to-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio in Fort Myers. Minnesota moved him up to High-A for the start of the 2022 season, and he dominated, with a 2.34 ERA and 10.6 K/9 across 15 starts. His strikeout rate increased to 12.3 K/9 when he was promoted to Double-A in the second half, which made it easy to add him to the team’s 40-man roster. Last season, Headrick began the year as a starter at St. Paul and posted a 4.68 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP. The Twins didn’t need him as a starter at the big-league level, so he was asked to pitch in a multi-inning relief role. Headrick continued to strike out more than ten batters per inning, but he allowed seven home runs in 25 2/3 frames. This spring, he talked to Twins Daily about adding a splitter to keep batters more off-balance, and so far, he’s off to a strong start with the Saints. In Headrick’s first start, he pitched 3 2/3 innings while allowing two earned runs, both on a home run. He struggled with command in his first appearance, with 37 of his 76 pitches thrown out of the strike zone. Batters swung at 35 of his pitches, with only five balls being hard hits and two being in the air. Eight of the 11 outs he recorded came via the strikeout, and he avoided surrendering any walks even with his location not being perfect for his first start. He didn’t use the splitter in his first start as he focused on his four-seamer, changeup, and slider. It was a solid start with some room for improvement. On Saturday, Headrick made his second start of the season and guided the Saints to a 3-0 shutout over Nashville. He combined for five innings on 83 pitches while limiting the Sounds to two hits. Headrick combined for seven strikeouts and three walks while having a higher percentage of pitches in the strike zone. Batters swung at 36 of Headrick’s pitches with only two hard-hit balls, and both were on the ground. His splitter has yet to appear in a game, but he has an eye-popping 15.6 K/9. Perhaps he can start integrating his splitter more regularly as he gets more practice with the pitch on off days. At the big-league level, the bullpen has been one of the team’s strengths this season, even with Jhoan Duran, Caleb Thielbar, and Justin Topa on the IL. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli has also been comfortable having relievers regularly throw multiple innings. Headrick can continue to develop as a starting pitcher with the Saints instead of being needed as a reliever with the Twins. Shifting between starter and reliever in the same season can be challenging from a development perspective. Headrick is off to a strong start, and it will only be a matter of time before the Twins need him to start games at the big-league level. What are your expectations for Headrick this season? Will he continue to be used as a starter? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins haven’t gotten off to a perfect start in 2024, with some frustrating losses to begin the year. But it's a lot better than the 2016 season, which got off to one of the worst starts in franchise history. Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports Expectations were high for the Twins entering the 2024 season, with most projections making them the clear favorite in the AL Central. Minnesota’s bats have gotten off to a slow start, which makes it challenging to evaluate the team’s overall performance. But they are in a much better place than some recent teams over the last decade. In 2016, Minnesota stumbled out of the gate and never fully recovered on the way to losing over 100 games. Recently, Twins Daily launched the Minnesota Twins Players Project. What is the Players Project? It's a community-driven, wiki-style project focusing on Twins players of all stripes. It's open to all Twins Daily users, and we've had contributions of current players, past players, and players who never made the major leagues but played in the Twins farm system. Some of the players from this story have already been added to the project, and you can add others. Opening Series @ Baltimore Orioles Game 1: Loss 2-3 (walk off) Minnesota’s Ervin Santana and Baltimore’s Chris Tillman squared off on Opening Day, but both only pitched two innings as rain delays interrupted the game. Adam Jones broke the game open with a two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning off of Casey Fien. Minnesota answered back in the top of the seventh inning when Eduardo Escobar doubled to drive in Eddie Rosario before Kurt Suzuki used a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Unfortunately, Kevin Jepsen walked Chris Davis in the ninth with two outs. Mark Trumbo singled to move Davis to third, and then Matt Wieters singled for an Opening Day walk-off. Game 2: Loss 2-4 Kyle Gibson started Game 2 for the Twins and pitched five innings but the Orioles scored a run on him in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. Byron Buxton was the lone Twins hitter with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored out of the ninth spot in the lineup. In the sixth inning, Trevor Plouffe hit the team’s first home run, a solo shot. Minnesota struck out 13 times and left nine runners on base while going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Game 3: Loss 2-4 Minnesota jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a Joe Mauer home run in the first and a Buxton ground out in the second, but the Twins offense was shut out the rest of the way. Phil Hughes started and held a 2-1 lead when he came out to start the seventh, before allowing the first two batters to reach base. Trevor May relieved him and was charged with a blown save after giving up the go-ahead run. Series 2 @ Kansas City Royals Game 4: Loss 3-4 Extra off days allowed the Twins to bring Santana, their Opening Day starter, for the team’s fourth game. He had a quality start, tossing six innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits. Suzuki drove in the game’s first run in the second inning with a double off Yordano Ventura. Escobar drove in Mauer with a single in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. ByungHo Park hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, putting the Twins in position for their first win. However, things fell apart in the bottom of the eighth as Jepsen surrendered the lead. Game 5: Loss 0-7 After some heartbreaking losses, the Twins were blown out in their fifth game of the season. Escobar was the lone hitter with multiple hits, but he also made two fielding errors and was thrown out on the bases. Tommy Milone and Casey Fien combined to allow five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Minnesota had seven hits but couldn’t score a run. Game 6: Loss 3-4 (walk off) For the second time in six games, the Twins lost on a walk-off hit. Ricky Nolasco made his season debut and was outstanding, allowing one run on three hits over seven innings. But Glen Perkins surrendered the lead in the ninth inning, allowing two runs on three hits. Terrance Gore scored the winning run on Trevor May's wild pitch in the 10th inning. Series 3 vs. Chicago White Sox Game 7: Loss 1-4 Minnesota’s 2016 home opener failed to turn out in the team’s favor. Chicago jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, and the Twins offense never recovered. Gibson allowed one run in the second inning on a Brett Lawrie RBI single. In the fourth, an Escobar error at shortstop allowed two unearned runs to cross the plate. Ryan Pressly continued his strong start to the season out of the bullpen with 2 1/3 scoreless frames. Game 8: Loss 0-3 The Twins were shut out for the second time in the season in their second home game. Mauer went 2-for-4, with his double being Minnesota’s lone extra-base hit. Hughes made his second quality start of the year and limited Chicago to three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. The Twins bullpen (Pressly, Fernando Abad, and Michael Tonkin) pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings to end the game. Game 9: Loss 1-3 Santana's third start was a quality start, limiting the White Sox to three runs on seven hits while compiling a six-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio. But the Twins lineup only had four hits, including a lead-off triple by Mauer in the bottom of the fourth inning, after which he was driven in on a Plouffe groundout. Park added his first double of the year. Chicago left town with a 7-2 record after dropping Minnesota to 0-9. The losing streak ended with a 5-4 win over the Angels, and the Twins went on to win four straight games over the Angels and Brewers, but it would be a long season in Twins Territory. Minnesota finished with a 59-103 record and fired Terry Ryan in the middle of July. Dozier ended the year with 42 home runs, and Santana posted a 3.38 ERA in 30 starts. What do you remember about the 2016 squad? Are you worried about the 2024 team? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article