Sam Caulder

This is a good idea; I think I might do something on this now. Thank you

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Though one final series remains, the Twins' season is effectively over. They enter the last three games 75-84, assured of a losing record but already better than they were in 2025. Now feels like a safe moment to look beyond a deflating finish to 2026 and toward 2027. Believe it or not, this roster is not perfect. There are several areas of need the Twins will have to address this offseason if they want to turn themselves into a playoff team next season. Which are the biggest, though? There are multiple positions you could make an argument for, but if I had to pick one, I’d say the biggest need is the bullpen. Coming into the season, it was glaringly obvious that the bullpen was going to be the weakest part of the Twins’ roster. Even after the team made some additions at the trade deadline, it wasn’t exactly a strength. That’s especially concerning heading into the offseason. A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers are both free agents after this season, which could leave the Twins with an even bigger need for good left-handed relief help. While replacing those two would certainly be important, let’s be real here: this is a bullpen that would have needed improving even if we knew everyone was going to be back. The Twins failed to adequately address the bullpen coming into 2026; they can’t afford to make the same mistake again. If they want to compete for a playoff spot next season, adding legitimate major-league arms to the bullpen should be one of the first things on their offseason checklist. After the bullpen, the next-biggest need is catcher. That comes with an asterisk, because if Ryan Jeffers is back next season, the position will effectively be solved. That almost certainly will not happen, though, so the Twins need to start thinking about what comes next behind the plate. Right now, Victor Caratini is the only big-league catcher in the organization, and he didn't look like a viable regular this season. Ideally, he'd have a smaller role in 2027, not a larger one. Unfortunately, the free-agent market doesn’t offer an obvious solution. The best catcher available this winter will be Jeffers, and it’s not particularly close. If he does leave Minnesota, the Twins probably aren’t going to find a strong replacement in free agency. A trade could be the better way to address the position. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Catchers with legitimate major-league ability aren’t easy to find, and the Twins would have to give up something of value to acquire one. But until one of the organization’s catching prospects is ready to take over, they need to find an upgrade over Caratini. Finally, the team should be hunting for a first baseman. There are a few different ways they could approach this position, but none of them are ideal. Royce Lewis doesn't hit enough for that spot. Josh Bell is an impending free agent whom the team didn't trust to man the position, anyway. The Twins could move Kody Clemens or Luke Keaschall over there, but that would put real pressure on Clemens's bat and nullify his valuable versatility, and it would waste what few tools Keaschall has working for him on defense. Lewis might remain entrenched. With a full offseason to get acclimated to first base, he might take a significant step forward defensively, where he's already lookws like a plus receiver of throws and just needs to sand off some rough edges. The bigger question is whether he'll also hit enough next year to justify full-time play at any spot, let alone an offense-first one. Adding some legitimate help at first base would go a long way toward improving the Twins’ lineup. More importantly, it would allow Minnesota to keep players Clemens and Keaschall in more valuable defensive roles, instead of asking them to fill a position simply because there’s a hole there. If they're proactive about it, they can even leverage the arrival of a better player at that spot by non-tendering or trading Lewis, gaining roster and payroll flexibility. The Twins have plenty of work to do this offseason, but these three areas stand out. None of these problems are going to be particularly easy to solve. But after watching the weaknesses of this roster become increasingly obvious throughout 2026, the Twins can’t afford to simply hope they fix themselves in 2027. View full article

Image courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images David Festa’s rise to the major leagues is a pretty cool story. After being drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 13th round out of Seton Hall University back in 2021, Festa quickly established himself as one of the higher-upside pitching prospects in the organization. He dominated the minor leagues over the next two seasons, eventually earning a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul in 2024. And he certainly didn’t slow down once he got there. Festa struck out 89 batters in just 60 1/3 innings with the Saints in 2024, which helped earn him his major league debut later that year. He didn’t exactly burst onto the scene as an ace, posting a 5.12 ERA across 117 2/3 innings between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, while bouncing between the majors and Triple-A. But there were plenty of reasons to believe there was something there. Over those 117 2/3 innings, he logged 130 punchouts and struck out more than three batters for every walk he allowed. There were some issues with hard contact, but the swing-and-miss stuff was legitimate, and it seemed reasonable to believe that some of those other issues could be ironed out with more experience and development. Unfortunately, Festa hasn’t really had the opportunity to go through that development. Back in late July of 2025, Festa landed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. He returned in late August and made one appearance with the Saints before being shut down after experiencing discomfort during a bullpen session following that outing. It turned out to be a little more serious than just discomfort. He was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS, which occurs when there is pressure placed on the nerves or blood vessels between the lower neck and shoulder. It sounds pretty awful, and unfortunately for Festa, it's turned into a much longer-term issue. He missed all of the 2026 season due to recurring shoulder problems, meaning it's now been about 13 months since we last saw him appear in a game. That obviously brings up a question: Does Festa still have a future with the Twins if/when he's finally able to get healthy? Maybe I’m just thinking positively here, but I’m going to say yes. Obviously, the biggest thing is going to be getting Festa back to full health. There’s no point in trying to project what his role could look like in 2027 if he isn’t able to consistently take the mound, and the recurring shoulder problems make that a legitimate question right now. But TOS, as frustrating as it has been for Festa, isn’t necessarily a career-ending diagnosis. Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was diagnosed with venous TOS in August of 2025 and returned early in the 2026 season. Festa’s case was neurogenic TOS, so the two situations aren’t exactly the same, but Wheeler’s return is still a good reminder that a TOS diagnosis doesn't automatically mean a pitcher’s career is over. Even if Festa’s fastball velocity takes a slight hit when he eventually returns, there’s still plenty to like about his arsenal. Wheeler’s fastball was down roughly a mile per hour in 2026 compared to 2025, and while it remains to be seen whether Festa experiences something similar, his fastball doesn’t necessarily need to be in the mid-90s to be effective. His four-seam fastball gets some pretty good run, and at 6-foot-6, he gets plenty of extension toward the plate. That extension can help a low-90s fastball play up a little bit more than the radar gun might suggest. Then there’s the fact that Festa has already shown an ability to miss bats at the major league level. His changeup and slider have both generated plenty of swing-and-miss, giving him a legitimate pair of secondary pitches to work with. If those pitches are still there when he returns, there’s a foundation for Festa to build on. The biggest thing for him would probably be command. His walk rate was just below league average during his time in the majors, so the issue wasn’t necessarily that he was constantly putting free runners on base. The bigger problem was his command within the strike zone. Too often, Festa would leave pitches over the heart of the plate, and major league hitters made him pay for it. He allowed 1.5 home runs per nine innings during his first two seasons, which is just below Zebby Matthews’ 1.7 home runs per nine. And with all due respect to Matthews, that's not exactly the company you want to be in when it comes to giving up home runs. If Festa can keep the fastball up in the zone while keeping his changeup and slider down, I firmly believe there's still a path for him to be a solid back-end starter. The more likely outcome, given the recurring shoulder problems and the uncertainty surrounding his ability to handle a starter’s workload, may ultimately be a move to the bullpen. And that could make plenty of sense. A healthy Festa with a lively fastball, a pair of quality secondary pitches, and the ability to attack hitters for an inning or two could be a pretty interesting bullpen piece for the Twins. But that’s all a discussion for later. For now, the Twins and Festa have to worry about one thing above everything else: getting him back on the mound. It's been a long road since we last saw him pitch, but the talent that made him a promising prospect in the first place hasn’t simply disappeared. If he can finally put the shoulder problems behind him, there’s still a path for the former 13th-round pick to have a meaningful role with the Twins. View full article

That is how prospects work, after all

The Twins made four additions to their pitching staff at the trade deadline, bringing in Tommy Nance, A.J. Minter, Dean Kremer, and Jeff Hoffman. Here’s how each trade looks now that the season is nearly over. View full video

Image courtesy of Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images The 2026 season has been a career year for Kody Clemens. Offensively, he's set career highs across the board, including 26 home runs, seven triples and 76 RBIs. Among players who primarily play second base, only Brandon Lowe has more homers. Perhaps most notably, Clemens has finally established himself as an above-average hitter. His 109 OPS+ is the first time in his career that he's finished a season above league average, and his .753 OPS ranks fifth among second basemen. That's made him an extremely valuable piece for Derek Shelton to have at his disposal. Defensively, Clemens has spent meaningful time at five different positions this season, and for the most part, he's been a strong defender. There's one pretty significant exception, though. With Luke Keaschall making the transition to the outfield and Royce Lewis moving over to first base, Clemens has been locked in at second for most of the second half. Offensively, his production is more than good enough for the position. Defensively, however, there are some concerns the Twins may need to address this offseason. On the season Clemens has recorded 0 Outs Above Average and 2 Defensive Runs Saved. Those metrics measure defensive value in different ways, but they ultimately tell a similar story. He's been at least an average defender, and for the most part an above-average defender, everywhere he's played—except for second base. At second, Clemens has recorded -4 OAA and -4 DRS. Some of his struggles there have looked awfully familiar. Much like Keaschall earlier in the season, Clemens has struggled when trying to make plays on balls up the middle. He has impressive sprint speed, but there's a difference between being fast once you're moving and having the first-step burst necessary to consistently get to a ground ball. That appears to be the biggest issue for Clemens at second. So, what can the Twins do to minimize the problem? One option is to simply flip-flop Clemens and Lewis. Fellow Twins Daily writer Cody Christie recently wrote about where Lewis should play if the Twins keep him around for 2027, and he identified second base as a viable option, based in part on Lewis's defensive ability there. If Lewis profiles better at second base, why not put Clemens at first? Clemens has graded out as a strong defender at first base over the course of his career, while Lewis has really struggled there this year. In 75 starts at first, Lewis has recorded -3 OAA. To be fair, Lewis just transitioned to the position this season. It's entirely possible that a full offseason of reps at first base could help him become a better defender there. But the Twins don't have to wait and find out. The one position where Lewis has graded out positively defensively this year has been second base (albeit in so small a sample as to be basically meaningless). He doesn't have the same sprint speed as Clemens or Keaschall, but he does have the quick first step that Clemens has lacked at the position. That could make him a better fit for the types of plays that have given Clemens trouble. If Lewis and Clemens switched spots, I think both players could benefit. It isn't just a defensive argument, either. Their offensive skill sets might actually be better suited to those positions, as well. Lewis' production at the plate simply doesn't line up with what you typically want from a first baseman. That's an offense-first position, and while Lewis certainly has the talent to become a much better hitter than he was in 2026, his current production doesn't provide much margin for error at the position. Clemens, on the other hand, has power that comes much closer to what you want from a first baseman. There are obviously still plenty of questions the Twins need to answer before making that decision. Lewis would need to prove that his success at second can hold up over a larger sample, while Clemens would need to show that his offensive production can carry over if he's playing first base regularly. But the foundation is there. Clemens has already shown that he can be a productive offensive player. He's also shown that he can be a strong defender at first. Lewis, meanwhile, has at least shown some positive defensive value at second, while struggling at first. Ultimately, it might be that neither is in the team's plans for long, or that they become platoon partners at one of these spots or the other. If the team signs a slugging first baseman this winter, it would crowd Clemens and Lewis into second together. If they eschew that opportunity but are ready to promote Marek Houston by mid-summer 2027, Lewis and Clemens might be pushed to first, together. Until and in the absence of such moves, though, swapping Clemens back to first base and giving Lewis his first extended run at second makes some sense. View full article

Image courtesy of USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect While the Twins’ 2026 season didn’t end the way they, or we as fans, wanted it to, it did offer us a glimpse into the future. Walker Jenkins, Kaelen Culpepper and Emmanuel Rodriguez, who entered the year as three of the top four prospects in the Twins’ system, all made their debuts and flashed their upside. We also got to see several other young players (including Connor Prielipp, Gabriel Gonzalez, Kendry Rojas and Andrew Morris) get their first tastes of the majors. Because there’s not going to be any playoff baseball in Minnesota this year, the focus now turns to 2027. With that comes a chance to take a way-too-early look at which of the Twins’ top prospects could make their major-league debuts next season. Vahn Lackey We’ll start with the highest-rated name on this list, and possibly the spiciest prediction: Vahn Lackey. Lackey ranks as the Twins’ No. 2 prospect and was just selected third overall in the 2026 MLB Draft. Well-rounded catchers are extremely difficult to find, but that’s exactly what he has the potential to be. We got to see that skill set on display during his first taste of professional baseball this summer. Lackey slashed .250/.435/.424 in 25 games between Low-A and High-A. He collected eight extra-base hits, went 13-for-15 on stolen base attempts and drew four more walks than he had strikeouts. We also got to see his impressive arm strength behind the plate. It’s hard not to be excited about his long-term outlook. The question is whether he’ll be ready next season. I think it’s entirely possible. With Ryan Jeffers headed out the door, there will be available playing time behind the plate for Lackey at some point in 2027. Of course, we’ll need to see him produce at the upper levels of the minors first. But if he makes quick work of that challenge, don’t be surprised if he gets to Target Field sooner than expected. Marek Houston Marek Houston is Minnesota’s No. 4 prospect and is widely regarded as the organization’s best defensive prospect. But while the glove has always been the calling card, his bat exploded in 2026. He hit .312 with a .392 on-base percentage and an .847 OPS in 116 games between High-A and Double-A. He logged 42 extra-base hits and stole an impressive 50 bases. So far, Houston is on a very similar track offensively to Culpepper, who made his debut this season. Defensively, the consensus is that Houston is the better, more polished infielder. That combination makes it pretty easy to see why a major-league debut could be in the cards next season. If Houston can keep swinging the bat the way he did in 2026, we should see him at some point in 2027. Riley Quick Hard-throwing mountain-of-a-man Riley Quick went just 20 picks after Houston last summer. Of the five names on this list, I’m the least confident that Quick will make his debut next year. That’s not because he doesn’t have the ability to do it, though. He struck out 110 batters over 81 2/3 innings this season between Low-A, High-A and Double-A, which comes out to a 30.6% strikeout rate. The swing-and-miss stuff is undoubtedly there, but more development is needed before Quick is ready to face major-league hitters. His walk rate this season was 13.4%, and he finished the year at Double-A with a 6.68 ERA. Those numbers obviously aren’t ideal, but they also aren’t necessarily representative of where Quick can be after another full offseason of development. With some time to fine-tune his command and overall approach, it’s fair to expect a jump forward next season. Depending on how big that jump is, Quick could find his way to Target Field in 2027. Hendry Mendez Hendry Mendez is the Twins’ No. 7 prospect, and his bat looks ready for a major-league opportunity. He slashed .281/.374/.430 between Double-A and Triple-A this year. Mendez is more of a hit-for-contact bat than a slugger, but he’s very capable of hitting the ball hard. The fact that he spent the majority of the season in Triple-A also puts him in a different position than some of the other names on this list. The bigger question is where he’ll play, defensively. He's developed as a corner outfielder, but if he has a future as a fielder in the big leagues, it's probably at first base. Regardless of where the Twins decide to use him, his offensive profile should give him a chance to compete for a major-league role. He’s already on the 40-man roster, which would make it considerably easier for the Twins to add him to the big-league club. Of these five players, Mendez feels like the safest bet to see the majors in 2027. Ryan Gallagher After coming over from the Cubs at the 2025 trade deadline in the Willi Castro deal, Ryan Gallagher has been good enough to ensconce himself in the Twins Daily Top 20 prospects list, at No. 15. Unlike Quick, he isn’t going to overpower hitters with an upper-90s fastball. He’s more reliant on deception and good secondary pitches, but he’s still shown the ability to generate plenty of swing-and-miss. His 6.44 ERA at Triple-A certainly doesn’t speak well for him, but the process was better than that number suggests. Both his expected ERA and FIP sat in the high-4.00s, giving us a little more context for his overall performance. Like Quick, Gallagher will need to clean up the walks if he wants to become a useful major-league pitcher. But the tools are there, and with more refinement, Gallagher could very easily earn a major-league callup at some point next season. There’s obviously a lot that can change between now and Opening Day. Some of these players could struggle, while others could force the Twins’ hand with dominant performances in the minors. But after watching several of the organization’s top prospects make their debuts in 2026, there’s plenty of reason to believe the next wave isn’t far behind. View full article

Image courtesy of Riley Quick photos from (William Parmeter - Mussels), (Malamut Photography - Kernels), (Ed Bailey - The Twins have continued to add some intriguing arms to their pitching pipeline, and 2026 featured several pitchers taking important steps forward. From young prospects making their professional debuts to older pitchers looking to establish themselves at the upper levels, there were plenty of candidates worth considering for this year's award. Before exploring this year’s top vote-getters, here’s a look back at Twins Daily’s recent winners of this award. 2025: Dasan Hill 2024: Zebby Matthews 2023: Cory Lewis 2022: Louie Varland 2021: Louie Varland 2019: Randy Dobnak 2018: Tyler Wells 2017: Stephen Gonsalves 2016: Stephen Gonsalves 2015: Jose Berrios 2014: Jose Berrios 2013: Taylor Rogers 2012: BJ Hermsen Let’s get into this year’s voting, starting with the honorable mentions and others receiving votes. Honorable Mentions SP Ty Langenberg: 4.29 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 20.8% K, 8.2% BB, 4.35 FIP, 123 2/3 IP (33 G, 33 GS) SP Adrian Bohorquez: 3.02 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 27.3% K, 12.6% BB, 3.92 FIP, 59 2/3 IP (19 G, 18 GS) RP Paulshawn Pasqualotto 3.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 32.9% K, 9.0% BB, 3.62 FIP, 70 IP (42 G, 0 GS) 3. RHP/SP Merit Jones 2026 Stats: 4.17 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 23.7% K, 8.7% BB, 4.54 FIP, 112 1/3 IP (15 GS, 29 G) Jones had an interesting first full season of professional baseball, serving as both a starter and a reliever while still taking on a workload that looked much more like that of a starting pitcher. The Twins' 2025 20th-round pick looked particularly sharp with Low-A Fort Myers early in the year, which earned him a promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids in early August. Things got a little tougher with the Kernels, but the promotion showed the organization believed Jones was ready for a tougher challenge. One of the biggest positives from his season was the ability to generate swings and misses. Despite never throwing more than five innings in any of his 15 starts, Jones recorded at least seven strikeouts in five of those outings. There is still plenty for Jones to work on as he continues moving through the system, but his first full professional season was a promising one. After handling both roles and more than 110 innings, he will look to carry that momentum into 2027. 2. RHP Preston Johnson 2026 Stats: 4.36 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 29.0% K, 9.0% BB, 4.73 FIP, 88 2/3 IP (18 GS, 24 G) Johnson's path to a successful 2026 season was anything but conventional. After a rough 2025 campaign in the Orioles' system, he began this season in independent baseball before the Twins signed him in mid-May. Once he joined Minnesota's organization, though, Johnson looked pretty darn good. He spent the season with Double-A Wichita and racked up nearly 11 strikeouts per nine innings while showing solid command of the baseball. The biggest issue was the long ball. Johnson allowed 15 home runs, which did a lot of the damage against him despite the strong strikeout and walk numbers. If he can find a way to limit that extra-base contact, there is a chance he could turn into a really promising minor league arm in 2027. Age does factor into these votes, and that's a big part of why Johnson comes in at No. 2 rather than No. 1. Still, going from independent baseball to becoming one of the more productive pitchers in the Twins' system makes his 2026 season an impressive one. Twins' Minor League Pitcher of the Year: RHP Riley Quick 2026 Stats: 4.74 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 30.6% K, 13.4% BB, 4.94 FIP, 81 2/3 IP (23 GS, 23 G) Quick, who's Twins Daily's No. 5 prospect and top pitching prospect, had an extremely promising first year as a professional. After being selected 36th overall by the Twins in the 2025 MLB Draft, Quick looked like a man among boys at Low-A Fort Myers, both literally and figuratively. He needed just three starts there before earning a promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids, where he continued to overpower hitters. That performance eventually led to another promotion, this time to Double-A in mid-July. Quick struggled a bit more once he reached Wichita, but considering how quickly he moved through the organization, there was plenty to like about his first professional season. The biggest concerns were his walks and hard contact. His 13.4% walk rate in particular is something that will need to improve if Quick is going to develop into a quality major league starter. But the stuff is clearly there. Quick struck out 30.6% of the hitters he faced this season, showing the kind of swing-and-miss ability that made him such an intriguing draft pick in the first place. When the command is there, he has the ability to overwhelm hitters, and that gives him a much higher ceiling than the ERA alone might suggest. He figures to begin 2027 at Double-A, where he did have some struggles after his promotion. With a full offseason to adjust to the level and continue developing his arsenal, though, there is plenty of reason to believe Quick can take another step forward next season. And if he does, it wouldn't be surprising to see him make his way to the major leagues at some point in 2027. Several Twins pitchers had strong seasons in 2026, but Quick's combination of prospect status, strikeout ability and rapid movement through the organization made him stand out from the rest. His first professional season wasn't perfect, but there was more than enough there to make him the Twins Daily Minor League Pitcher of the Year. View full article

The Florida Complex League can be a particularly important proving ground for young pitchers. For many of the Twins' youngest arms, it is their first experience facing professional hitters on a regular basis, while also learning how to handle a professional workload and refine their pitches. That makes evaluating FCL pitchers a little different than simply looking at ERA or strikeout totals. Age, competition, command, workload, and how quickly a pitcher earns a promotion can all provide important context when determining which performances stood out the most. The Twins had a handful of young pitchers put together encouraging seasons in the FCL this summer. Some showed the ability to miss bats, others excelled at limiting damage, and a few did enough to earn a promotion to Low-A before the season came to an end. Before getting to the top three, the Twins Daily minor league writers also gave consideration to the following players. Honorable Mentions Halton Hardy: 10 G, 29.1 IP, 4.30 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 34 K, 8 BB. Geremy Villoria: 6 G, 7 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 5 K, 3 BB. 3. RP Brad Rudis 18 G, 26.1 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 33 K, 16 BB. After going undrafted a year ago coming out of Texas A&M, Rudis put together a quality first season as a professional. His strikeout rate in the Florida Complex League finished at 30%, giving him a solid bat-missing foundation even as he continued to work through some command issues. Rudis also did a very good job of limiting hard contact. He allowed just three extra-base hits over his 26.1 innings, which helped him navigate the FCL despite walking 16 batters. Keeping the ball in the park was an important part of his success. Age was also a factor when evaluating these rankings. Rudis is 23 years old, which is certainly on the older side for an FCL pitcher. That doesn't take away from what he accomplished, but it does provide some additional context when comparing him to much younger pitchers. Still, the Twins clearly believed Rudis had done enough to warrant a tougher challenge. He earned a promotion to Low-A in early August, giving him an opportunity to test his stuff against more advanced competition. 2. RP Jake Covey 10 G, 25.2 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 38 K, 19 BB. Covey is a pretty cool story. After going undrafted last year out of Concordia University Irvine, he retired from baseball with the thought that his playing career was over. That changed when the father of one of his college teammates called him and convinced him to keep playing. The Twins eventually signed Covey to a contract in early June, giving him an unexpected opportunity to begin his professional career. Covey looked pretty darn good once he got that opportunity. He struck out 33% of the batters he faced in the FCL, showing the ability to miss bats despite some command issues. The walks were a concern, but he consistently kept the ball in the park. In fact, Covey didn't allow a single home run over his 25.2 innings. That's particularly impressive for a pitcher who was making his professional debut and still working to refine his command. The Twins rewarded that performance with a promotion to Low-A at the end of the season. After going from retiring from baseball to getting signed in June and then reaching Low-A a few months later, Covey's 2026 season was certainly an interesting one. Hopefully, he can pick up where he left off in 2027. Twins FCL Pitcher of the Year: RP Hendry Chivilli 8 G, 25 IP, 2.52 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 20 K, 13 BB. Chivilli didn't rack up gaudy strikeout numbers or showcase ridiculously impressive command, but for a 20-year-old pitcher, he looked pretty darn good. Age was once again an important factor in these rankings, and Chivilli was competing against significantly more experienced hitters throughout the season. This was also Chivilli's first full season as a pitcher only. Up until 2024, he was an infielder for the FCL Twins, and he threw just 14.1 innings a year ago. Making the transition from position player to full-time pitcher is no small adjustment, making his performance this season even more encouraging. Chivilli's 2.52 ERA was the best among the three pitchers at the top of these rankings, and he allowed just 25 hits over his 25 innings. The strikeout numbers weren't overwhelming, but he consistently gave the Twins quality innings while continuing to learn a position he is still relatively new to. His performance was good enough to earn a promotion to Low-A in late July, giving him a chance to see how his stuff would play against more advanced hitters. Considering how quickly he has progressed since becoming a full-time pitcher, that promotion was another encouraging sign. The best part might be Chivilli's age. He will still be just 21 years old next season, giving him plenty of time to continue developing both his stuff and his command. A strong start to the year could put him on the radar for more national recognition as he continues climbing through the Twins organization. For all three of the top pitchers, the FCL represented a different point in their development. Rudis was an older undrafted pitcher trying to establish himself after signing as a free agent. Covey was simply trying to restart a career he had already decided was over. Chivilli was learning how to pitch full-time after spending much of his career as an infielder. That context makes the performances of all three more interesting. Each pitcher took a different path to success, and all three ultimately earned promotions to Low-A after proving they could handle the FCL. Now, the challenge gets significantly tougher. The next step will be seeing whether the stuff and development that worked in Fort Myers can translate against more advanced hitters. For Chivilli in particular, the opportunity is especially intriguing given his age and limited experience on the mound. The FCL may only be the beginning of their professional careers, but each of these pitchers gave the Twins another reason to keep an eye on their development moving forward. View full article

Image courtesy of Dennis Lee-Imagn Images Leading up to the 2026 trade deadline, there was plenty of speculation about what the Twins would do. Ultimately, they wound up being buyers, adding four arms to the pitching staff in an effort to make a playoff push. Unfortunately, the Twins fell short and were eliminated over the weekend. But that’s not necessarily because of the moves they made at the deadline. Most of the players they acquired have actually performed pretty well since arriving in Minnesota, and several of them will remain with the team beyond this season. So now that we’re reaching the end of the season, let’s go back and re-grade each of the Twins’ deadline moves, to see how they look with the benefit of hindsight. Twins receive: RHP Tommy Nance Blue Jays receive: C Ryan Sprock Trade Grade: B Nance was the first addition the Twins made at the deadline, and for a while, this was looking like a complete steal. After arriving from Toronto, Nance put together an excellent month of August. He finished the month with a 1.74 ERA over 10 1/3 innings, striking out 14 batters while walking just two. That looked like exactly what the Twins needed from a bullpen addition. Minnesota had struggled mightily in the first half of the season, but the bullpen turned things around in a major way, and Nance quickly looked like another reliable option. But then September rolled around. He currently owns an 8.64 ERA over 8 1/3 innings this month, and his sudden collapse has felt pretty fitting with the rest of the team. After looking like one of the better relievers in the bullpen, he's struggled to sustain those results down the stretch. Still, I’m going to give this move a B. Nance has multiple years of team control remaining, and if his August numbers are any indication, he’s capable of helping this team. One bad month shouldn’t completely erase what he showed earlier in the season. The Twins also have plenty of catching talent in the minor leagues. While Sprock could certainly turn into something down the road, I’ll take the proven arm with multiple years of control (even if the volatility of relievers of his quality and his age make it unlikely that he sticks around for long). Twins receive: LHP A.J. Minter Mets receive: INF Billy Amick and INF Bruin Agbayani Trade Grade: C The A.J. Minter trade is the one that looks the worst with the benefit of hindsight. Minter was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani, and while I liked the thought process behind the move at the time, it was a deal focused on a goal the team didn't even approximate. Hindsight is always 20/20, but Minter is a free agent after this season. Maybe the Twins bring him back; maybe they don’t. But they traded two infielders with some upside for an aging bullpen arm, while still falling short of the postseason. To be fair, Minter hasn’t been bad. He currently owns a 2.70 ERA with the Twins, giving Minnesota exactly what it hoped to get from him when the trade was made. He's been a reliable left-handed option in the bullpen and addressed an obvious need at the time. The problem is what happens next. If the Twins want Minter back in 2027, they’re going to have to pay him. If they don’t bring him back, Minnesota will have traded two prospects for (essentially) two months of a middle reliever. Amick and Agbayani both have plenty to prove, but they also have upside. That makes it tougher to look at this deal favorably now than it was when the Twins were still fighting for a playoff spot. Twins receive: RHP Dean Kremer Orioles receive: OF Jhomnardo Reyes Trade Grade: A- Kremer had really struggled in Baltimore this year, posting a 6.50 ERA before the trade. Since joining the Twins, however, that number has dropped to 3.80, and he has a 3.82 FIP to go along with it. One of the biggest differences has been his ability to limit hard contact. Kremer has significantly cut back on the amount of hard contact he allows, and the results have followed. The other major factor here is his contract situation. Unlike Minter, Kremer isn’t a rental. He’s under team control for next season as well, meaning (assuming that they tender him a contract and pay him the $7-8 million he's in line to earn) the Twins will have a legitimate starting pitcher who can stabilize the back end of the rotation beyond 2026. That could be especially valuable for a team that has dealt with so many pitching injuries in recent years. The Twins gave up outfield prospect Jhomnardo Reyes in exchange for Kremer. He’s only 18 years old, so it’s far too early to know what he’ll become. There’s definitely a chance Reyes turns into something for Baltimore. But when comparing what an 18-year-old prospect could become to what Kremer has already shown he can provide at the major-league level, I’ll take the back-end starter in this deal. Twins receive: RHP Jeff Hoffman Blue Jays receive: LHP Dasan Hill, RHP John Klein and INF Dameury Pena Trade Grade: B+ The Jeff Hoffman trade was the final move the Twins made at the deadline, and it was also the most expensive deal they made. But Hoffman has been excellent. He currently owns a 2.12 ERA and a 1.98 FIP across 17 innings as a Twin, along with a staggering 26 strikeouts and 10 walks. He has quickly established himself as one of Minnesota’s most reliable late-inning options. He's also under contract beyond this season. The Twins didn’t just acquire a reliever who could help them for two months. They added someone who should continue to be part of their bullpen in 2027. I don’t love giving up Dasan Hill. It’s rare to find left-handed starters with his ability, and there’s certainly a chance he turns into a valuable major-league pitcher. There are also some kinks Toronto will have to work out with him, particularly when it comes to his command. The same thing goes for John Klein and Dameury Pena, the other two prospects the Twins gave up in the deal. All three have some level of upside, and it’s always difficult to know how those prospects will develop once they leave the organization. But I’ll take the proven, controllable late-inning reliever with filthy stuff over what could be with the three prospects. Hoffman has already shown exactly what he can do in Minnesota, and the Twins still get him beyond this season. The Twins ultimately fell short of the postseason, but that doesn’t mean every trade they made at the deadline was a mistake. Three of the four players they acquired are likely to be back next season, and all four have shown something that could make them useful pieces moving forward. That the team fell short is not the fault of the new arrivals, and realistically, there was little more the front office could have done at the deadline to position themselves for success. View full article

Image courtesy of Denny Medley - IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Twins’ reliever Yoendrys Gómez has been one of the biggest positive storylines across the team's 2026 season. After being acquired from Tampa Bay for mere cash considerations back on May 6, Gómez quickly established himself as one of the most reliable arms in the Twins’ bullpen. In fact, you could make an argument that he’s been the team’s best reliever since arriving in Minnesota. Across 47 innings as a Twin, Gómez owns a 3.83 ERA and a 3.54 FIP. That kind of production quickly turned him into the Twins’ closer, and he has been extremely reliable in that role. He has gone 21-for-23 on save opportunities since arriving in Minnesota. If you looked at just that stat, you might be a little confused by the question I’m about to propose: Should Yoendrys Gómez remain the Twins’ closer in 2027? Despite his impressive reliability in the ninth inning this year, there are some reasons to be skeptical about whether this level of success is sustainable. The underlying data would indicate that there has been A LOT of luck involved in Gómez’s results this season. His expected ERA sits at 5.74, which is significantly higher than the 3.83 ERA he has posted since joining the Twins. Now, some of that inflated expected ERA comes from his struggles with the Rays earlier this season. But the majority of his season has come in Minnesota, so it’s not like the Twins can simply chalk all of those underlying numbers up to his time in Tampa Bay. One of the biggest reasons for that inflated expected ERA is the quality of contact he has allowed. His hard-hit rate of 44.9% ranks in just the fifth percentile among MLB pitchers. That’s concerning for any pitcher, but it’s especially alarming for someone like Gómez. His ground-ball rate ranks in the first percentile among major league pitchers. Hard contact on the ground is one thing. Hard-hit fly balls and line drives are a completely different story. That’s not exactly the profile you want from your closer. There’s also the command piece of the equation. Gómez has walked 29 batters over those 47 innings with the Twins, which comes out to a 13.5% walk rate. Yes, relievers generally have higher walk rates than starting pitchers, and there are plenty of successful bullpen arms who can survive with less-than-perfect command. But 13.5% is still an extremely high number. Put all of that together, and there are some pretty obvious red flags beneath Gómez’s impressive results. That brings us to the big question the Twins will have to ask themselves this offseason: Does any of that actually matter if he’s getting the job done? As mentioned, Gómez has blown just two saves since arriving in Minnesota. However, both have come in his two most recent outings on Wednesday and Saturday. Outside of that, he has been incredibly effective in the role. So, does it really make sense for the Twins to move off of him? In my opinion, Gómez should start the 2027 season as the Twins’ primary closer. But that leash better be TIGHT, and I'd prefer to see more of a closer-by-committee situation. There's enough in Gómez’s profile to believe that he can be a quality reliever moving forward. He generates a good amount of whiffs, and his Stuff+ rating sits at 113, with 100 being league average. That’s the kind of pitch profile you want from a closer. The problem is that good stuff can only get you so far if you aren’t consistently locating it and are allowing too much hard contact. If the loud contact and command issues start catching up to Gómez next season, the Twins are going to have to be willing to make a change. Luckily for them, they already have another potential option. The Twins acquired Jeff Hoffman from Toronto at the trade deadline, and he has plenty of experience pitching in the ninth inning himself. Hoffman is also going to be paid like a closer next season, which makes it even more important for the Twins to give themselves some flexibility with how they handle the back end of the bullpen. He's had some struggles of his own in a lot of the same areas Gómez has, but there have also been several stretches of utter dominance over the course of his major league career. And going into next year, Hoffman may have some extra buzz with Gómez's late-season struggles. Baseball is a funny sport sometimes. This is a guy who has gone 21-for-23 in save opportunities this year, and here I am talking about his job security heading into next season. But that’s what makes Gómez such an interesting case. The results, for the most part, have been outstanding, and (in my opinion) he has earned the opportunity to enter 2027 in a high-leverage role because of it. At the same time, there are enough warning signs beneath the surface to make it clear that the Twins can’t afford to ignore what the underlying data is telling them. Eventually, the deeper numbers are probably going to catch up to Gómez. And this week might have been the tip of the iceberg. View full article

Image courtesy of Matt Blewett-Imagn Images At long last, Emmanuel Rodríguez is in the major leagues. After years of waiting to see one of the most talented offensive prospects in the Twins’ system reach Target Field, Rodríguez has arrived, and he's taken up a flexible role in what remains a shifting outfield picture for the team. With Rodríguez joining Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper, the Twins suddenly have a pretty clear glimpse at what their offense could look like next season (although Culpepper will spend at least the bulk of the remaining games on the injured list). The challenge is figuring out how to get all of those young players on the field. There’s essentially no way for the Twins to continue rolling out their traditional lineup with Rodríguez in the mix. In broad strokes, Rodríguez has taken over in left field against right-handed starters and in center field against southpaws, but there are plenty of other options the Twins could explore over the remainder of the season. The focus should be on the future. At this point, there’s no reason Rodríguez, Jenkins, and Luke Keaschall shouldn’t be the everyday outfielders. Keaschall already was one, and this is the perfect opportunity to get Rodríguez and Jenkins as many major-league reps as possible before they’re thrust into much more meaningful roles in 2027 and (hopefully) beyond. The Twins didn't finish the season the way they wanted, but that doesn’t mean the final week-plus has to be meaningless. In fact, these could be some of the most important games of the year. The future is now, and the top priority has to be getting those young players on the field. Of course, doing that is going to have a ripple effect throughout the rest of the roster. Trevor Larnach and Josh Bell could be the biggest casualties. Bell was already operating primarily as the team’s designated hitter. If he's healthy enough to take them, Larnach could start claiming some of those at-bats. The whole point of this exercise should be getting the best young players on the field and figuring out what this roster can look like moving forward. Moving players around simply to squeeze veterans into the lineup would defeat the purpose. Bell is the easiest player to push to the side. He’s a free agent after the season. Unless the Twins intend to bring him back, they need not prioritize his playing time over a player who could still be part of the organization’s long-term plans. Larnach is a little more interesting. Many expected him to be moved at the trade deadline to clear a path for players like Rodríguez and Jenkins. The Twins even had a deal in place to send him to Houston, before the Astros backed out at the last minute. Now, the writing is on the wall. Larnach probably isn’t part of the Twins’ future. If Jenkins, Rodríguez and Keaschall are all viewed as long-term pieces (and Byron Buxton is presumably going to remain in the outfield mix next season, as well), Larnach is redundant. I’d be pretty surprised if Larnach is still in Minnesota when the 2027 season begins. That’s also why the Twins’ lineups over these final few games will be so interesting. They have an opportunity to get creative, but they also have a chance to stop worrying so much about squeezing every possible veteran at-bat out of a lineup that isn’t going to the postseason. Instead, they can start figuring out what comes next. There will be no playoff baseball for the Twins this season, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to be excited about. Rodríguez’s arrival (combined with Jenkins, Keaschall, Culpepper, and the rest of the organization’s young talent) gives fans a reason to look forward to what’s coming. The Twins can afford to prioritize tomorrow over today. The future is now, and while that might mean some veterans see their playing time squeezed, I don’t think anyone in Twins Territory will complain. View full article

The results speak for themselves, but so do the underlying numbers. As the Twins look toward 2027, they’ll have to figure out how much they trust both sides of the Yoendrys Gómez equation. View full video