DocBauer

I'm glad they kept Klein. He would have been a perfect target for a lot of teams: tall and well built with some strong velocity and K rate and easy to hide on the roster. But I'm concerned about 2 guys even though I KNOW the rule 5 draft usually turns out to be nothing but nonsense. CJ Culpepper could be a target for a team that sees potential, despite some injuries the past 2yrs, and could stash him. And that scares me a little bit. What SHOULDN'T scare me but does is Fedko. I KNOW he only "put it together" as a 25yo and will be 26yo next season. And I KNOW the Twins OF depth. But I would have protected him 7 days to Sunday over a handful of current 40 man rostered players as a possible 4th OF/1B option potentially. I have zero illusions that he'll be a great player. But he just MIGHT be a better version of Lew Ford who can also play at 1B. He's probably not going to be selected. And he might not turn out to be anything. But I'd be looking at him, were I another team, as a possible 4th OF. Otherwise, they made the right choices. But it's going to be interesting when they actually add a few FA eventually. I'm still confused about some of the 40 man roster. For instance, they still have McCusker but don't believe in him? I can only surmise they are just waiting for the rule 5 draft and then try to pass a few players through waivers and then assign them to AAA or re-sign them for the same.

Actually, to be fair, he showed better plate discipline and actually hit very well at A+ CR. His season was disrupted due to injury. But his quad slash line at CR was .310/ .418/ .455/ .873. This was only 244 PA and 200 AB. So his season was limited. And the pure POWER we expected to see was way down. But even a half season of A+ ball his quad slash line was damn impressive. So I don't think we should spend a lot of time looking at his AFL numbers.

I'm just too tired to go in to great detail, so forgive bullet point comments. SANDS: Flashed some in 2023. Was really good in 2024. Was disappointingly inconsistent, but not bad, the first 4 months of 2026. Take away 7-10 days of really bad performance, he was really good the last 2 months. Looked like his 2024 self. A lot of upside still, the Twins need BP arms, he isn't going anywhere. LEWIS: Still only 26yo. Admitted he's finally been frustrated with trying to find comfort at the plate with all his injuries. Was a league average hitter the 2nd half of the season plus when he started to feel better. Even began to run more. Played the most games of his career and didn't have any injuries post his ST hamstring injury. Despite vast improvement defensively at 3B, COULD move to 1B down the road depending on the rest of the future INF construction. Foolish to trade him or bet against him and the hitter still lurking inside of him waiting to break out. LEE: Poor athlete. But he's smart, has good hands, transitions glove to hand well, and can make the off balance throw despite an average-ish arm. Has the potential to be solid, not great, across the dirt. Actually played better at SS post Correa trade. Was barely above ML rookie status in 2025. Might actually have more power than originally projected. Has never been a great BB/OB hitter, but should be much better than he's shown so far. Seems to recognize his mistakes as a hitter. But can he overcome his self recognized flaws? If he can, he's a potential starting player, long term, at either 2B or 3B. Possibly his best position? Super Utility INF who plays almost daily across the INF, including 1B. Much more potential awaiting to be unlocked. His trade value is only for someone who sees all of these same things. But the Twins need him more than any value he'd bring back at this time. OBER: I say again, chicken and the egg. What came first? Ober had a bad hip injury that ruined his 2025. Did the hip injury mess with his mechanics? Or did he mess up his mechanics and develop a hip injury? Regardless, Ober has been an excellent #3 starter before 2025's injury frustration. At times, he's thrown like a #2. IMO, STOP with the velocity issue. He's only 30yo! And he doesn't have a tremendous amount of IP on his arm. He just needs to be healthy in 2026 to be what he's been. If someone wants to offer a nice package because they also believe he's going to be OK, then listen for sure. But a healthy Ober is a very good SP. So the return would have to be pretty good. WALLNER: How much angst is directed towards Wallner only because he had a disappointing 2025? He had a solid rookie debut. He followed up with a pair of .870-ish OPS seasons. He was still above league average in a disappointing 2025 where maybe his early injury and missed time just messed with him. Great MILB career where he always advanced and improved. Great first 2 1/2 seasons. Has slowly been better and better against LHP. Should be the primary DH and occasional corner OF. UNTIL Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, etc establish themselves, where else do you find the power and potential of Wallner? He's an absolute keeper. No disrespect to the OP, but ALL 5 of these are definitely part of the current core based on age, payroll, and potential. It stinks that all 5 had mediocre seasons in 2025. But why and when do you trade young and young-ish players with talent that have the potential to be part of your core for the next 2-5yrs?

A nice last week for Winokur. Man, if the bat to ball skills takes a little jump, Winokur could really explode. Still wondering if he jumps to AA to begin 2026, or as young as he is does he spend the first month or so back at CR and then get promoted. From a personal perspective, it's a shame Mendez had a family issue. From a baseball perspective, it's a real shame he didn't get to play the rest of the AFL to build on what was a very nice 2025 season for him. Amick...oh boy...I have no clue what happened. Was he tired? Was he trying something different? Considering his college career and a pretty solid 2025 despite missing time due to injury, I'm not going to use his horrendous AFL to dismiss him as a prospect. Despite the BB issue...which you pretty much expect from someone who's been on the shelf for a year...Boadas really flashed. Does he go to CR to begin 2026 since he's already thrown there? The results weren't great, but he's coming off a really nice AFL, so that's what I'm predicting. The Kernals might have a hell of a staff this upcoming season! It was really nice to see Hoopes have a great last appearance to end his AFL stint. While his late season promotion to AA wasn't so great, the 25yo "rookie" Independent Ball signee absolutely dominated at A and A+ this season. He'll begin 2026 at AA I'm sure, but he could be a fast riser. Just as a reminder, you have to take AFL results of some of the pitchers the Twins send to the AFL are more about just getting work in, and not so much number results. Kade Bragg was a LHP the Twins sent there last year after being hurt and missing a bunch of the 2024 season. He had really poor numbers. But like Boadas this AFL, it was just about getting in some IP. He went out and dominated A and A+ ball and was really solid at AA through 15 appearances. While he might begin 2026 there with Hoopes, a good offseason could see him jump to AAA immediately.

I kinda Ike this move even though it looks low wattage on the excitement meter. He's got good size and I like his pitch mix. He averaged over 12K per 9 in the minors, so I think there's at least something for the Twins to work with here. The Twins seem pretty adept on helping develop sliders and it seems they've been leaning in to splitters more lately. Not exciting, but possibly a smart add.

Not what I said at all. They barely had Lopez, and Ober was still hurt as well. They also blew up the bullpen and even when the team had leads, they ended up usually losing. They need additional help, primarily at 1B and the bullpen. But I still like the rotation if healthy. And I still like some of the hitters to rebound. And I like some of the prospects who are about to debut. The team needed to make changes and they did. We aren't looking at the same team that began 2025. But again, they still need some help. And ad per the topic of this OP, 1B is a major issue and I don't like Clemens as being the answer.

If an offhanded comment from Byron that said he MIGHT waive his no trade clause if the team was further disassemble put pressure on the Pohlads, I'd be OK with that. It would be a fan tragedy if he was moved because not enough of ownership cared. Can you imagine Mauer or Puckett on another team? As fans, we greatly lamented Hunter and Morneau moving on for at least part of the end of their careers. I really don't know that Falvey is calling out ownership, but I wouldn't put it past him for a nudge. Say all the negatives you want to about Falvey, and I've got a few disagreements, but he has always looked to the future of the Twins and his idea of "sustainable competiveness". He's made mistakes. And the Pohlads have messed up a lot of a lot of ideas and ideals that Falvey has probably had in mind. But I truly believe he wants the Twins to succeed, even though I think he's been a bit stubborn in certain areas. Despite an offhanded comment, I believe Buck is ready to be a Twin for life. But I sure couldn't blame him for looking elsewhere if ownership gets further stupid. But it would be a tragedy for fans. Were I Falvey, and they undercut me AGAIN, I'd honestly have to look elsewhere. I may have tremendous power in my current position, and I've made more than a few $M in my role, but if there is no more enjoyment in my role, I'd be better off with another organization. Make no mistake, despite some flaws we all have in regard to Falvey's tenure, he'd be snapped up by in a minute by many organizations as a very solid FO addition. I'd really like to think Buxton and Falvey WOULD be putting pressure on ownership. But the truth is, very few of the Pohlads seem to care. Jim and Joe seem to care. That's the reason the opening day payroll "jumped" last season to $138-142M depending on which website you want to believe/follow. And here we are almost begging for $120-130M for 2026. That's insane. And WAY below 2023, or the expected average of 2026. But even still, it COULD provide the team to have a POTENTIAL $45-50M just to meet the 2025 opening day payroll. Buxton and Falvey can both be optimists. They can nudge all they want. But it still comes down to the Pohlads and the new minority owners to give Falvey some number that makes sense. And as much as we bash Joe and Jim, maybe we should be rooting for them as actual fans at this point.

Nope. We're not at all. Not yet anyway. We ARE in a re-tool or transitionary mode right now. As of NOW. This team NEEDED changes. The same old status quo wasn't going to make things better. The "purge" that happened at the 2025 deadline, whether we all agree with what happened or not, changed the complexion of the team going forward. Offensively AND defensively, a change has begun. Larnach is probably out, and replaced by Martin in LF, who came on surprisingly strong last season, and brings a very different profile, including better defense. While not the long term answer at SS, Lee actually looked better defensively at SS with regular playing time post Correa. Can he improve with the glove and especially the bat? Lewis improved with his defense and looked healthy and began to hit better and ran better. Is he ready for a big/good 2026? Rodriguez, Jenkins, and Gonzalez are just about ready to appear and make Wallner a full time DH and part time OF. K-Pepper is not far away to help in the INF. Keaschal established himself as a productive player that can't be ignored. IF we give any credence to Falvey's hopes and expectations, a healthy Lopez, Ryan, a healthy Ober, and SWR...who finished really strong and showed a new and dangerous splitter...the rotation looks really good with a nice collection of candidates for the #5 spot. Yes, there are a couple of holes like #2 catcher. And 1B is still an absolute mess! And there is some concern about Fitzgerald as possibly the best backup SS/utility spot. And then there is the bullpen. It has to be rebuilt. There's a couple OK options on hand, but it needs major help to be sure. There's at least 2-3 conversion options to help, maybe more. And they ABSOLUTELY need to add a couple 2-3 just solid, veteran options to balance things out, provide depth and experience. And I'm not expecting a great pen rebuilt overnight. And I'm tired enough and mentally fatigued enough to not go in to details about who and how right now. But there is a really, really good foundation for a good starting staff. There IS offensive talent on the roster, and top prospects about to debut. And who knows maybe the new voice of a different manager and a few new coaches also help make a difference. But we are NOT in a rebuild unless the ownership cuts the FO again, and we can't sign ANY help, or are FORCED to trade off Lopez and/or Ryan. THEN, we are probably in an actual rebuild.

Clemens sounds like a good guy and a good teammate. I saw him play more 2B and 1B last year than I did the OF, but he looked good/solid at all 4 spots when I watched him. Personally, since he's not a bad athlete and has played it before, I'd have play some 3B in ST to see if he can at least be a fill-in, emergency option there. I like his power. I liked some of the big games he had last season, and some of the hit weeks he had. But I'm sorry, a low .200 AVG and an OB% in the .280's with a below league average OPS is not someone who should EVER be starting for a team unless an injury happens, or a team is in complete rebuild mode and he's keeping a spot warm for a prospect that isn't ready yet. Is he much better against RHP? Yes. But should you have a 1B platoon partner? ONLY if said platoon partner can fill another role as well. With a 13 man roster it would be nuts and extremely short-sighted otherwise. I understand Falvey is playing it close to the vest and showing a little love Clemens' way, but to be at all serious about him being the primary starting 1B is roster malpractice. I understand the payroll isn't set yet, even if Falvey has an idea in the back of his head what he hopes for/conjectures it to potentially be. I have my eye on O'Hearn as an option despite only being about a 40XBH bat. At least he's an experienced professional who can hit better and have a better OB% than Clemens. And while I haven't taken a lot of time yet to look at what's "left" for 1B options beyond O'Hearn...other than an OP on TD...I can't believe there isn't a better option that allows Clemens to be what he actually is; a decent, powerful, LH hitting utility player. I wanted Josh Bell last offseason. He was signed to a relatively small contract, started slow, but finished well. Miguel Adujar as a maybe? Is Nathaniel Lowe being picked up or allowed to walk? I haven't heard yet. I WANT the Twins to find a long term answer at 1B. But I'm OK with a short term solution to at least begin 2026 if FA or trade doesn't provide an answer. Considering the Twins have handed a 1B glove to Sano, Arraez, and Solano over recent history and just told them to go play, why haven't they done the same thing with prospects? Roden and Fedko have played some 1B, but they sure aren't close to proven ML performers yet, with only Roden even tasting ML pitching. Mendez began working at 1B last season, though he has yet to appear in a game there. Amick remains a possibility. Why not give Gonzalez and Rosario a 1B glove and see what they can do? Absolutely ridiculous to dismiss 1B as unimportant and toss a glove to ML ballplayers and NOT do the same thing for MILB prospects! Again, I don't want ANOTHER short term 1B option. But I'd rather do that for 2026 while ALSO starting to work in other prospects at the spot for later in 2026 or 2027 where a viable, long term option may present itself. O'Hearn is a decent, veteran option, maybe for 2yrs to settle the spot in a relatively short term. I'm even inclined to look at Hoskins as a 1yr $8M bounce back option at this point. Even in a bad 2025 he had a higher OPS than Clemens. There's AT LEAST the opportunity for some kind of bounce back season. Is there really a thought that Clemens will suddenly turn a corner and be better at 30yo than he's ever been before? And again, I don't dislike Clemens for what he is. But him as a primary 1B is akin to just giving up your lineup and team and potential for 2026 before it even begins, IMO. The Twins SHOULD be shooting higher, even for 1yr, as they re-adjust their thinking and start looking for better alternatives for 2027 and beyond.

He was my dream addition to the Twins for 3yrs. He was a perfect fit in many ways. But even without knowing the $ involved in the deal, no way would I have expected the Twins to go 5yrs! All the more it indicates how poorly they've handled the 1B situation over the past several years. It's time for the FO to adapt and accept that 1B is an important position to fill on a long term basis, and not a "throw away" position where you can just plug anyone in and go. The fact that Amick is playing 1B...regardless of his horrendous AFL appearance...and the recently acquired Mendez is working out at 1B, indicates that MAYBE they're finally starting to figure that out. I'd strongly consider both Gonzalez and Rosario getting some 1B time in 2026. They have good arms, and aren't necessarily poor athletes, but there are questions about how good they might be in the OF. So why not try them at 1B before it's "too late"? Relatively young but unproven players such as Roden and Fedko are athletic OF, with some power and speed, who have 1B experience. Why not lean hard in to that for 2026? There is a POSSIBLE scenario where they could form a quasi-platoon at 1B while doubling as 4th OF. Now, that assumes they actually prove they can hit at the ML level. And I get that. But any scenario that has Clemens as a player FIGHTING to make the roster instead of being counted on is path I'd like to at least consider. I often debate, politely, with other posters about 2026. I'd rather find a short term FA addition for 2026 that is more proven and allow the season to play out at the ML and MILB level to re-evaluate for 2027. But it's DAMN TIME the FO quits dismissing 1B as some "throw away" spot on the INF, and the Lineup! BTW, Hrbek, Mientkiewicz, and Morneau say hello. Oh, Sano even passed by with a quick thumbs up.

I don't excuse Lewis for growing frustrated and opening his mouth too quickly and too wide to say a couple of things he's said. But I DO excuse him for growing frustrated. That kid has been through a LOT. Unless I missed it...I confess to sorta skimming the OP...what WASN'T mentioned was earlier in 2025 he opened up and admitted the 2 knee injuries, and the changes in his body, and all the soft tissue injuries had affected his stance/approach/swing at the plate and he was trying to find a comfort zone that just wasn't there. A further reminder, he worked in the last offseason with a personal trainer that he likes and trusts to work on flexibility to try and avoid all those soft tissue injuries that have held him back. While that didn't allow him to get out of ST without being hurt again, and he appeared to have been rushed back with how awkward he looked on his return, and he never really looked like the "old" Lewis, he was still about a league average or slightly above from about mid June on. He also remained healthy the rest of the season and played the most games if his career. My hope is that that is an indication he's already started to turn a corner, and that with an additional offseason of hard work, we're going to see the STILL ONLY 26yo Lewis play in even more games, but also start to produce the way we've seen, and hope for. Or at least much closer to what we've seen and hoped for. He's still young and still talented. (I didn't even mention he suddenly began running again, and successfully). There's a new Sheriff in town, and a new primary batting coach. So there are some changes that may assist in a more positive approach for him, and potentially others as well. As @ashburypointed out, it's not only Lewis that needs a more positive 2026, but also Wallner returning to previous form. Perhaps Lee takes a step forward as well? But regarding Lewis directly...since he's the target of the OP...I think the turnaround began last season. I'm crossing my fingers the upward trajectory continues. I have a lot of hope it's going to do so.

I don't want to move Lopez. (Or Ryan). But for giggles, I read an online proposal from Clutch Points...which I'm not familiar with...that the Dodgers might make a play for Lopez. It was badly posted as part of the package was mentioned but not all details were included. Weird. DODGERS RECEIVE: Lopez Bonus International Signing $ TWINS RECEIVE: C/1B Dalton Rushing (former #1) SS/3B/2B Alex Freeland (#4) LHP Brent Wrobleski...but I believe they mean JUSTIN Wrobleski...former LH SP converted to the pen currently. And an unnamed 4th prospect. Rushing and Freeland are top 4 prospects recently who haven't found daily duty with the Dodgers yet. But I think the Twins would need a better 3rd option that was a quality arm at AA or above. At least it's an interesting idea. But I don't know if the Dodgers have any actual interest in Lopez or not. And again, I don't want to move him.

I kinda like this idea. The options in the OP are sound options to consider. But it would be interesting to .ake a list of arms coming off injury...like Lange...or coming off a poor 2025 that was an initial return season following injury. There might be some rebound steals to be had.

You don't have to twist my arm to convince me Rogers would be a solid signing. But Coulombe, Thielbar, and Chaffin all also had nice years and shouldn't be expensive. Just pick the right one and make it happen. We need a couple decent, veteran pen arms for experience, IMO. I don't know if Romano or Stanek are the right choices for the Twins or not. But they are what the Twins should be looking for: experienced, decent stuff, possibly a tweak or two away from being solid again. I wonder about Pressly as an option. His season ended poorly, but IIRC he was pretty good for the first couple of months.

I want Prielipp as a starter. I want Prielipp as a starter. But despite that, it's possible moving to the pen is not only best for the Twins, but also for his career. And it just makes so much sense, and for obvious reasons, for Festa to be a power arm at the back end of the pen. That makes a 4-some of Festa, Sands, Prielipp, and Funderburk. Interesting and possibly pretty solid. You could do a lot worse than Topa as your #7 option. And I'd guess Adams/Ohl fit the 8th "shuttle" spot in the pen. In theory, you have 2 open spots. It would really be nice if those last 2 spots were occupied by a pair of solid veterans to provide some experience. But who else is possible internally? IIRC, Raya is already a reliever, and Lewis is also going to convert. Lewis has been pretty good up until 2025. I'm very intrigued by him throwing as hard as he can, throwing his best stuff, and mixing in that crazy knuckleball of his. At some point, I expect at least 1 of Bradley, Matthews, Abel, Morris, Klein, and CJ Culpepper to move to the pen. But someone here is the #5 starter and you still need depth and to fill out the Saints rotation. So I don't know if any of this list converts immediately. Not every potential SP actually makes it as a SP. But that doesn't mean they can't make $ and have a nice ML career as a reliever. And Hawkins is a perfect ambassador to promote and assist with such conversions. But keep an eye on MaCleod, Nowlin, and Bragg from the left side, and Parades, Whitaker, and Hoopes from the right side as possible help at some point next season. They all had great seasons, or at least flashed at times, out of the pen and all should be in the St Paul pen at some point, if not to begin the season.

I really had hope Rowsen would join the staff as the bench coach. But Helberg from the Giants, a well run team, and his resume, sounds like outstanding to me as another choice. I had honestly forgotten who Mike Rebelo was until I looked him up. Memory fades. I always love former catchers as coaches. Hawkins and Sizemore seem like HR hires, pardon any pun. I think Shelton has a really nice staff assembled. I don't like losing Suggs as an assistant pitching, and I'm still unsure about retaining Amicone and Sierra as assistant batting coaches, but what do I know? They seem to be young and smart. I'm really starting to like what Shelton is putting together.

To be fair to Beauregard, successful coaches come from all over. Remember when the Twins sort of "broke the mold" and hired Wes Johnson straight from the college ranks? The Twins, and many teams since then, have busted open the traditional ideals of where a coach should "come from". We even have managers suddenly jumping from the college ranks now. And we even have fairly recently retired players jumping in to major roles. Some guys are just meant to be coaches. The fact that he and Popkins both came out of the Dodgers organization doesn't bother me. Nor do comparisons that both might be sacrificial lambs after disappointing end of seasons bother me. The Dodgers have one of the best systems in all of baseball. Popkins had success, and then he didn't. And then he did again with the Jays. But to be fair, Popkins added a coach...don't ask me his name...who was a great communicator that was better able to relay what he saw to the Jay's hitters. So he made adjustments, and it paid off. Might he have done the same if the Twins kept him? We'll never know. I WAS surprised the Twins kept the assistant batting coaches. Was that a Falvey move? Perhaps a combined move between Falvey and Beauregard? I'm certain we'll never know. But it forced me to look at those coaches a little closer. Trevor Amicone and Rayden Sierra are the names. What they have in common is being guys who played ball at small colleges and went in to coaching almost immediately. Amicone was hired by the Yankees in 2020 as a MILB roving instructor. And he was later promoted as a full time hitting coach for various MILB teams before being hired by the Twins as an assistant ML coach in 2025. Sierra has followed a similar path. He was hired by the Twins as an assistant batting coach for Ft Myers in 2021, then was the primary hitting coach for 2022-23, and in 2024 became the Twins MILB assistant hitting coordinator. In 2025 he was promoted to the Twins as an assistant hitting coach on Borgschulte's staff. So that's WHO the assistant hitting coaches are and where they came from. They seem to be young coaches who probably are plugged in to modern technology and analytics with some real smarts. Otherwise, they wouldn't be where they are. My question is were they FORCED on Beauregard? Or was he familiar with them and was OK with working with them? I'm really fine with Beauregard as the hitting coach. I'm just hoping he's equally fine with his young assistants. SIDE HUMOROUS NOTE: Over the years the Twins have been a bit notorious for some crazy names that have filled their roster, and even the coaching staff. To this day I can't spell MIENTIEWICZ without Google. And now we're going from Borgschulte to Beauregard as hitting coach. Hell, I even struggled with Baldelli once in a while. All I care about is performance. But one of these days, I'd like to have a team/staff that was filled with a few more Smiths and Jones and the such. LOL This last part is a JOKE if you didn't recognize it.

Sorry, but the OF depth is good for the Twins, but I don't really see trade value here. Buxton is going nowhere, and doesn't want to go anywhere. He's only stated that IF the Twins continue to break down the roster to a complete rebuild, he'd consider waiving his no trade clause. Who could blame him? I sure wouldn't! He is a face of the franchise type of player, classy, and very dedicated to the Twins. IF he feels alienated by ownership in any way, that is complete malfeasance. Wallner had a down season. We all get that. But he's only 28yo, is inexpensive, and provides the best LH power this team has currently. His combined OPS in 2023-24 was around .870. He's PERFECT as the primary DH who can play some OF for the Twins going forward. But they would be silly to move him. They really need his LH power bat. Period. I actually like Larnach. He's an OK OF who is better as a DH. He's a league average hitter overall, but above league average if platooned against LHP. I still think that might be of value to a team out there, but I'm not sure about the value in return for an expected price tag of about $4.5-4.7M. I'm HOPING that he, or with a marginal prospect, might bring back someone's #4-5 pen arm back in a deal from a team short of solid LH bats. I hope I'm right, but he's the only OF that I see actually being traded. Martin? He finally begins to look like a ML hitter who has suddenly is playing good defense, isn't old, is inexpensive, and they would move him now? Absolutely don't see the return value vs what he can bring to the 2026 team. Apologies to new hitting coach Keith Beauregard and sorry to Falvey's ego, but there is virtually ZERO reason to have Outman on the Twins 40 man roster. He should be dropped and offered a MILB deal. He's not going to get a better offer from anyone else. Roden is getting a bum rap after a poor rookie debut between TWO teams and a very limited number of AB. And he sure doesn't have trade value despite having some potential. He could be a quasi platoon corner OF who can cover CF here and there, and could be a possible 1B candidate depending how the offseason goes. It wouldn't be absolutely crazy to see him and 2025 surprise player Fedko function as a quasi platoon at 1B who both can also function as 4th OF depending on their performance and the offseason and how payroll and possible additions take place. And the Twins aren't going to move Jenkins, and moving Rodriguez could be a disaster if he's healthy and ready to go. That has the potential to be another Ortiz type haunting of the franchise. And Gonzalez and even Rosario weren't even mentioned for depth purposes. More and more, there's just no reason for Outman to even have a 40 man spot for MILB adds, potential FA roster adds, and maybe even a good rule 5 BP potential add. Larnach is the only realistic OF that might be moved for something. Trading the talented, powerful, inexpensive, and relatively young Wallner for a team looking for offense just makes ZERO sense!

I actually pretty much did in another post in the same OP. But what I've been seeing is an evolving change in personal the draft and in personal they acquire. For instance, regardless of what anyone's opinion of Outman is, they took a swing on a defensive CF/OF who has power and speed potential. I'm not a fan, or believer, but he was targeted for his skill set. Roden isn't a top prospect by any means, but he was brought in because he can play good corner defense, run a little, and still has some power in his back. (I think almost a direct replacement for Larnach if he can translate hus bat to the ML level). Ignoring Jenkins because we kind of lucked in to him, they've concentrated more on some contact, speed, and defense players in recent drafts such as Keasschal, K-Pepper, DeBarge, Schobel, and Ross. Two of those are looking great, one...Schobel...bottomed out and then rebounded in 2025 before getting hurt. DeBarge is a work in progress but shows some real potential, and Ross just can't seem to get the hitting part right. They've also taken a few big swings on high ceiling guys like Winokur a couple years ago, and Young in this past draft. Now, they aren't ignoring power, and they shouldn't, but there has been a greater focus on athleticism and defense. Even on the pitching side we saw some changes this past draft with a willingness to grab a couple power arms early vs the mid round arms they can work to develop. Still a mix, as it should be, but a more aggressive approach at velocity arms that already have the big FB to begin with. It takes time for prisoects to arrive. Keaschal was basically the first to do so. But they are slowly moving toward a more athletic, more balanced team/lineup, and letting the "Bomba Squad" days to fade away. Or so it seems to me. That's what I've been seeing over the last couple of seasons. And that's what I mean when I can squint a bit and see a plan in place.

Guess this means Outman isn't going anywhere. Can't imagine needing a 29yo reclamation project that hasn't been good since 2023, but something tells me the Rwins aren't giving up just yet. Here's hoping he makes a difference. I'm a little surprised though that the assistants were kept. I would have thought a clean sweep would have been more likely.

The PLAN, as I see it, is a better balance of defense and and offense with more speed and athleticism. Speed and athleticism means better defense. Speed and athleticism doesn't necessarily mean a team that suddenly looks like the '80's Cardinals. But it means a team that can run the bases much better. Power still plays. If you look at the last 3-4 drafts, you will still see power. But you will also see more athletic players, more speed and potentially better defenders included. But it's an ongoing process that isn't near completion yet. And not every prospect is going to turn out for sure. But even if you glance at the at the Twins top 20 prospects you'll see a mixed collection of power and speed.

To be perfectly honest, I said a "potentially solid rotation" only to avoid backlash from other posters who want to yell out statistics from the previous year. It is undeniable that the 2025 rotation didn't meet expectations. Lopez got hurt. While he certainly didn't stink, Ryan slipped some in the 2nd half. Chicken and the egg on Ober: was he hurt? Or did he mess up his mechanics and that lead to his hip injury? I have complete faith in all 3 being good/great again in 2026. And that includes Ober, still only 30yo when the season begins, UNLESS we hear something different about his hip. But we haven't so far have we? So I'm expecting a playoff caliber 1-3 again in 2026 if everyone is, hopefully, kept. SWR really disappointed me the 1st half. I really expected more from him. But what is crazy is how he got seriously ill, lost weight, had to go through a minor surgical procedure, and then got BETTER to close the season. The command he showed of his new/refined splitter down the stretch made me start to think he might actually push a healthy Ober for the #3 spot. (Not that it really matters). To say your team's #5 spot is a concern would probably be echoed by almost every team in MLB. Despite their pure STUFF and potential, and relative youth, it's time for Matthews and Bradley to take the next step. Matthews has options. Bradley doesn't. And I've brought that up on various occasions. If Bradley doesn't turn the corner, and Matthews, Abel, or Morris DO turn that corner, then Bradley HAS to move to the pen. That's not necessarily a bad thing! Bradley could be the next potential closer for the Twins, and Matthews, Abel, or Morris simply become an even better #5 rotation option. Again, NOT a bad outcome! Whoever isn't the #5, in that scenario, suddenly becomes the #6 or #7 depth option in the rotation. Of course, the opposite could be true if Bradley suddenly starts to throw like gangbusters. I have SO wanted Festa to reach his full potential as a SP. And it's AWESOME that he's responded so well to treatment and appears ready to go. But there's so many reasons at this point that seem to dictate he's a perfect candidate for the pen where he could potentially excel. And there's a couple of AAA arms that are going to be transitioned to the pen, reportedly, including Lewis and Raya. But how much better does a new, re-built pen look with 1 of Bradley, Matthews, or Abel joining Festa? I really like our rotation. And I like it's depth even with someone moving to the pen along with Festa. So you were right to call me out.

I've certainly lost a lot of faith in Falvey over the past year plus. To be fair, some of my lost faith is due more to ownership than Falvey directly. I believe I see the method in the madness, and a hint of a plan, but I remain unsure at this time. For NOW, I'm willing to risk a little more faith considering the hint of a plan I see, and some recent comments I've heard from Shelton and Falvey. Shelton, with no details given, seemed to hint he was assured of no big re-build. Maybe blowing smoke as he was just happy to have a new job? Or maybe he was speaking with confidence? Falvey stated just recently that he was looking to make additions vs subtractions to the team. Can we take him at his word? I'm sure hoping so. Past, even recent, payroll numbers and the expected post arbitration experience seems to indicate room to add. I remain hopeful until I hear otherwise. I don't believe in giving up too soon. The 2026 Twins have holes, no doubt. And there are question marks regarding Wallner rebounding, Lewis staying healthy and getting RIGHT, Lee taking a step forward, etc. But I don't think positive answers are outlandish to expect. There's a potentially really solid rotation here. There's a lot of top prospects and even some fringe prospects that are set to debut soon in the lineup and the pen. They won't all succeed, at least not immediately, but there is talent on this team, and hopefull talent about to debut. Whether the FO can make a handful of smart additions to augment 2026's roster holes is a major question. But the 2026 Twins, other than the rotation potentially, aren't looking like a "roll it back again" team when you look at Martin taking a step forward, Roden hopefully TAKING a step forward after a SSS poor rookie debut, Keaschall becoming an important cog, and 3 top 10 talents for the OF knocking on the door to change things up further, with more speed and defense, and Wallner moving to primary DH. And what if K-Pepper follows Keaschall's development path and can be a better SS and move Lee to a super utility role in the near future as well? There are holes and depth issues currently. And the pen needs a major re-build between what's on hand, who is coming up after being converted, and what FA are brought on board. I'm not naive. But I do see a path for the Twins right now. And that includes talent on hand, talent on hand, and some smart additions if payroll allows. I just don't believe a complete teardown and total re-build is necessary. I believe a warranted re-tool is taking place currently. And I'm holding on to that opinion/belief until I see something different.

Abel, I believe, still has rookie status. At least from what I've heard, and what I read on Baseball Reference. It's not important, just an interesting tidbit. And he's going to get his opportunity as well. There are varying opinions as to the Twins top 10 list. But if you look at the aggregate of lists, Jenkins, Rodriguez, K-Pepper, Abel, Gonzalez, Prielipp, and Rojas are ALL generally regarded as top 10 prospects. What gets me so excited...beyond guys already on the team I like...is that it's entirely possible that ALL 7 of those names might appear at the ML level at some point in 2026! Now, it's entirely possible Prielipp, and Rojas wouldn't debut until late in the season, but there's a decent chance both make an appearance at some point. Rodriguez, if healthy, needs to PLAY. He might be young, but 2 of his 3 options are already burned. Time to give him opportunity and some long rope. Jenkins is July 1st at the latest, and very possibly up June 1st. Could K-Pepper start at AA? It's possible. But I'm very hopeful he'll be on the same path as Keaschal and begin the year with St Paul and be ready sooner, rather than later. Gonzalez, still very young, might take a couple months to just work more on defense and see if his power starts to come around a bit more. That's exciting stuff! And while not TOP prospects, at some point, there's a good chance we'll see rookies like Lewis, Raya, and Klein as converted starters in the pen at some point. Other possibles, at some point, would be MacLeod, Kyle Bragg, and Logan Whitaker that should all be part of the St Paul pen after quality seasons in the Wichita pen. And let's not forget Morris as a really solid looking SP option just outside the top 10. Not everyone is going to succeed, especially initially. But there's talent beyond the top 7 I've mentioned that might appear and provide help in the short and/or long term that might debut at some point in 2026. We might even end up with a surprise or two. And it's why I don't believe you have to put on rose colored glasses to be an optimist regarding 2026 and the near future. Wallner rebounding, Lewis actually looking healthy and hopefully getting right, Lee improving, Keaschall, Buxton, Jeffers, and a potentially solid rotation, etc. Add in some exciting prospects debuting and at the very least getting their feet wet, gets me excited. Yes, there are holes. And I'm really hoping that when Falvey says he's looking/expecting to ADD without SUBTRACTING, he's being honest. Yes, I'm an optimist. But I don't think you have to squint really hard or wear special glasses to see some things to get you excited for 2026. And I'm not speaking about final W-L record necessarily.

Personally, while I recognize the possibility of a bonus draft pick for a ROY, I really couldn't care less about said award. The only thing I want is for the kids to reach the ML and do well, or at least show enough that they are on the cusp of turning a corner. As far as the players mentioned: JENKINS: As brilliant as he has been, he's missed some time. The power is still coming. In a AAA league where offense is king, he didn't dominate. Do I care? Not in the slightest! But another month or so for a 21yo to gain a little more experience and ramp up a bit is no disservice to his potential! Coincidentally, it also ends up giving the Twins another year of control. The sky is the limit. And even a later debut could put him in discussion for ROY. But all I care about is his arrival, and hopefully never going back down again. RODRIGUEZ: Please understand I'm NOT saying Rodriguez is Jackson Chourio. But they are both current and former top 100/50 prospects with tons of talent and only 1yr apart in age. The Brewers believed so much in Chourio's talent and potential that they promoted him, let him flail away for a while at the ML level and then were rewarded for his development. The Twins might have done the same in 2025 had Rodriguez been more healthy. He's absolutely an enigma, but the talent is undeniable. And he's already burned through 2 of his 3 option seasons. So at SOME POINT, the Twins NEED to follow the Brewers example and just PLAY THE KID and see what happens. If he makes it through Winter Ball and ST healthy and shows solidly, just give him a damn job and see what happens. Wallner gets to focus more on DH, we have a backup CF, and even if he's mediocre and bats 9th, how much better might he be come the 2nd half of the season? It's really weird to have a top 100/50 22yo prospect and be almost desperate for playing time due to lack of options. But that is, unfortunately, the current situation. So RUN and ROLL with it and get his career going! ABEL: With some good luck, he won't be on the opening day roster. Why? Because that means Lopez and Ryan are still with us, Ober is back to his normal self, SWR is solidified in his spot, and either Bradley or Matthews is the clear cut #5. If it's Matthews, that means Bradley is in the pen. I'm speaking about OPTIMIM here gang. Nobody traded, and nobody injured. But stuff happens. Abel has SERUOUS stuff and potential. He'll get his opportunity. ROY? Meh, he's a real candidate due to trades or injuries. But ever the optimist, I'm kinda hoping he shines when given his opportunity, but his opportunity will come later. CULPEPPER: I can't believe he wasn't included in the OP. Currently, he's on the same path Keaschall was, without the impending TJ surgery hanging over his head. And he's a potential, actual ML SS. I'm not intending to place undue pressure on the kid...as if he reads this stuff...but if he's as ready as early as Keaschall was in 2025, he might shuffle the entire INF to some degree. He just might hit like Keaschall, with more power, and turn Lee in to a super utility player. Or maybe that's K-Pepper's INITAL role on first call up. But he should have been included in any conversation about ROY love. REALISTICALLY, that's it for ROY possibilities. But let's go ahead and play the rookie game a little further for fun. PRIELIPP: The Twins have him working on a 4th pitch and want to see him as a SP option. I agree with this. He's still only 25yo to begin 2026 and has legit SP potential, and is looking strong and healthy. He's going to debut too late in the season for ROY possibilities, but he could energize the team late in the season in different roles. GONZALEZ: Funny how he's a top 100 prospect when the Twins acquired him, has a poor 2024 and is removed from the top 100, and then has probably his very best season in 2025 at 21yo and reaches AAA and isn’t a top 100 prospect again? Very weird to me! I can't comment on his defense as I've still only seen 1 ST game with wind and a high sky where he looked bad. But he's reportedly really improved his defense, and has always had a good arm. I think there's more power available due to his build, and I'll accept improved reportedly better defense in 2025. The BAT looks like it plays. But it's a crowded OF right now and he's only 22yo for 2026. Never know how things are going to work out, but I think he's a 2nd half debut in 2026. ROSARIO: I've banged the drum on him at length. MVP of the Midwest League in 2023, a good AFL, and then an injury plagued 2024. So suddenly he became an afterthought in a lot of people's mind. And then he has a tremendous 2025 repeat at AA and was probably screwed out of MVP. (I may be incorrect, but I believe he lost out to an older journeyman player). He has a good arm in the OF, like Gonzalez. And he's not a poor athlete, though his SB numbers should be taken with a large grain of salt, but he shouldn't be dismissed as a solid prospect. He'll still only be 23yo at AAA in 2026 coming off a really good season. If the Twins want Mendez to work at 1B, then Rosario should be next in line. It's time the FO recognizes "decent" but not great athletes with BAT potential that we might convert to 1B. FEDKO: He might turn out to be nothing. But he had an incredible 2025 season as a 25yo that I never saw happening. Honestly, I was surprised when the Twins kept him following a very poor 2024. I initially thought it was AA roster depth and nothing more. So we can debate "why in the hell didn't they promote him late in 2025" vs trying to sneak him through RULE 5 while looking at other options. I mean, a poor 2024 as a 24yo and you kept him? And then he seems to have figured it out at 25yo? I can honestly see a scenario, with a low payroll that I'm praying doesn't happen, where Fedko and Roden share 1B...with some contributions from Clemens potentially...and both provide 4th OF depth. Again, not what I WANT to see happen. But I can see Fedko as a Lew Ford 4th OF who sort of figured it out a little late. CARDENAS: The OP mentioned him, so I feel obliged to include him. For reasons I don't fully comprehend, the Twins just like Winkel, drafted the same year. But since initial scouting reports from Draft Day I've heard Cardenas is a solid receiver. And his 28% CS is well above Winkel's 18%. Cardenas has a better OB% and career OPS between the two. But I also believe his AAA numbers might have skewed his power production some. But I think with another couple of months to adapt his bat, he might be a "Butera-like" receiver with a potentially better offensive profile. But I ONLY include him here because the OP mentioned him.