DocBauer

I like your enthusiasm. And Bohorquez really has cranked up his results the past couple of months. But as of today, he has only 2 games at A+ as a 20yo. He won't even turn 21yo until early March of next season. And while "stuff happens" from trades to injuries, the staffs at both St Paul AND Wichita look pretty deep already to begin 2026. Cedar Rapids, as of NOW, would look to have a staff of Bohorquez, Soto, Hill, Olivares, and the recently acquired Garret Horn. Of that group, only Horn would be 23yo, everyone else would be 22yo or younger. And that's before promoting Michael Ross, very quietly having a great 1st pro season debut, or Carpenter for Doktorczyk, or adding any other selection from the 2025 draft to Cedar Rapids. Between what was already in the system, additions made via the trade deadline purge, and the most recent draft, the organization is pretty stacked with arm talent right now. For right now, Bohorquez is right where he should be, and where he should be to begin 2026. Doesn't mean he can't force his way to AA at some point in 2026.

And that might happen. But other than base running and defensive errors and the occasional hit and SB, I just haven't seen Martin provide real value in any capacity yet. IMO, he remains an athlete, but not a baseball player. Fedko offers better defense, and Gonzalez might as well. Those two also offer a different blend of hitting and OB ability with power and speed...in Fedko's case...and are just as inexpensive, and each offers up more upside, IMO. FWIW, Fedko is a year younger than Martin, and Gonzalez is about 4yrs younger. I'm not kicking Martin to the curb just yet. He's got another 7 weeks to simply show he can be a good ballplayer and contribute. But I want upside on my team in this re-tool mode, not the FO desperately clinging to depth for the sake of depth.

A healthy Buxton is the best player on the team and has been for years, with all due respect to current and former teammates. And your best hitters should get the most AB/PA on the team. And despite not being a big OB% guy he really likes hitting #1 and has been performing well there. But surely he can adapt to batting #2, just a single spot lower in the lineup, and have an actual baserunner to knock in. I can appreciate Keaschall in the #2 hole as well. It just so much sense for him to be a sparkplug in front of power bats like Buxton and Wallner, and Lewis if he ever gets his swing consistent again. Maybe that happens next season. Maybe it's just been about getting Keaschall and Buck BACK and they will make the move yet this season. Time will tell. But I'd absolutely have Keaschall ahead of Buxton. It's about getting the most AB/PA for your best hitters as stated. But the term "leadoff" is kind of a misnomer isn't it? Whoever hits in the #1 spot is only ever guaranteed to "leadoff" once in a game. The concern should be setting up the lineup for best overall results.

Bohorquez has been on a but of a roll lately and that's nice to see. Seemed to take a step backward to begin the season, but has been looking like a potential TOP prospect again. Doktorczyk has disappointed me somewhat on his rookie season. I didn't expect greatness, but I thought he'd be a little more consistent than he's been. But about every other time out it seems he's got his stuff working well and we see results like yesterday. Again, tall kid with a good build. Between build and delivery, reminds me of a Matthews/Ober cross. I think there's potential to be a quick riser in 2026. Bradley is oy 24yo and has a good arm. But it's his 3rd ML season and I'm seeing regression and not improvement. I'm sure the Twins are working with him and not going to give up on him so soon. But that's why I mentioned him on a recent OP as a pen candidate where he can just fling it max style for 1 inning if things don't right themselves. Fedko has never been a high AVG hitter, but he's always been pretty disciplined and marketed a really good OB%. Now the power has kicked in. Good contact, the ability to play all 3 OF spots, a RH OF the Twins really need, 23 HR and 31 SB out of 37 attempts and still about a month and a half in the AAA season left. Not saying Gonzalez might not turn out to be the better player, but I think Fedko has turned himself in to a viable prospect, not an afterthought. And I'd rather have him, or Gonzalez, as the 2nd RH in the 2026 OF instead of a 34yo FA veteran on a 1yr deal.

I don't recall Festa having any serious injury until this year. While it sounds more like shoulder fatigue of some sort rather than something major, it does beg the question if he would be better in the pen moving forward. Similar to the reason Duran was moved. There has been some concern regarding CJ Culpepper maintaining his velocity. Like Jax, he has a number of pitches he throws. Perhaps he also stays healthier and throws harder in the pen? I don't know WHO gets moved or WHEN. But to say nobody WANTS to be made a reliever is somewhat inaccurate. Ask Jax if he'd prefer to be retired now, or chasing his dream as a 30yo in AAA or having a $2M + salary and growing, service time, and fulfilling his ML dream. Every kid wants to imagine he's a future Cy Young winner and will sign $30M contracts. But it only works out that way for limited number.

Just a few comments: 1] Ober is in the rotation, not the pen. 2] Which SP options move to the pen will be interesting. Not going to dig in to who's and maybes at this time, but a couple are going to be converted for sure. 3] I don't think Prielipp goes to the pen any time real soon. However, with a handful of solid LH options added to the system over the past couple of years/month, it might be tempting to do so. Someone mentioned 2nd half help next year? 3] Gonzalez does not play all 3 OF spots. He saw 12 games there in 2021 and 2 games in 2022. That's it. 4] Larnach will be gone in a deal or part of a package for help elsewhere. 5] Wallner should be on RF and Rodriguez should be in LF as there is more ground to cover. 6] If Rodriguez was on the team, no way Outman makes it, or is needed. E Rod is Buxton's backup. Roden and Keaschall can be your #3 emergency options. 7] With Outman gone, now there's room for Gonzalez...or possibly Fedko...for a RH OF, which they need. I've been going over the same names and possibilities myself. I keep coming up with 2 or 3 solid FA pen arms that don't break the bank and then a veteran 1B for proven production and another veteran in the lineup. Josh Naylor comes to mind. Fun stuff! Thanks for the exercise!

The AAA season goes a little longer than the rest of MILB for the sake of the ML team, if I'm not mistaken. Hill has been everything we could have hoped for in his rookie season. Damn but I'm disappointed Soto couldn't have stayed healthy and followed along. Not his fault, but what a disappointment. I can't believe I'm saying this as I've argued against it for some time now. But when I look at the system as a whole, plus the deadline teardown, should we be looking at Prielipp more as a power pen arm at this point? I think he needs a 4th pitch to truly rise as the SP we all hoped he could be. But a 4th pitch could also make him that more dominant as a reliever. Unless the FO does something STUPID like trade away the strength of the team, there's enough depth of talent, including some interesting LH arms, that MAYBE we should give up on dreams of Prielipp as a STUD SP, and accept that maybe he should just be a STUD RP. Of course, there is NOTHING WRONG with being a little old school and letting Prielipp work on a 4th pitch in St Paul to begin 2026 and move him to the rotation later. He's just not ready for the ML level yet despite fantasy. I'd cool the jets a bit on Culpepper. He's not coming off surgery and missed time like Keaschall was. But he's also a different person playing a different position. I'd rather follow the Brewers way of thinking with earlier promotions than later in a re-tool. BUT, everyone is different. I'd make sure he gets a couple of weeks at AAA just to launch his 2026. What's wrong with that? Jenkins is a bit different. Many want him to be some sort of instant stud or savior of the franchise. And MAYBE he's the next TROUT HOF player. But maybe at 20yo we should just relax for a moment, enjoy what he's doing, and get happy whenever his debut happens.

So in other words, he makes smart swing decisions and doesn't go after pitches he knows are outside the zone. He has the muscles, quick twitch ability, and good wrists to adjust and turn on a ball without having to take a long swing to produce power. Got it! He's going to be a really good hitter who will adjust even as pitchers adjust.

Sorry, I thought the post was about Lee. My bad! I like a versatile lineup. If his arm comes back to full strength, I can see Keaschall being in the lineup here and there as a LF/CF depth option against LHP at least. But I totally agree he's the primary 2B for the next several years no doubt!

Just to add a little more clarification to the OP...FWIW...Houston contacted the Twins. They made a stupid initial offer. (I've read COUNTLESS reports that basically all say the same so don't ask for links to things that are already put there). The Twins balked. Then the Astro's owner bypassed Falvey AND Joe Pohlad and went to Jim Pohlad to ask about a deal. What BS and what a mixed up ownership! Plus, there were rumors of the Twins being sellers at the deadline. Correa hears this through Boras and speaks to Falvey. Falvey confirms the contact, and confirms the Twins are going to sell at the deadline. Falvey very honestly tells Correa he knows this wasn't what he signed on for. Correa says he would prefer to stay in Minnesota and help the Twins win, but he would waive his no trade clause for the Astros only. *His wife is from Houston. It was his 1st team. They both have family there. Jax speaks to Correa and learns that not only might he be gone, but the Twins are going to sell at the deadline. Jax then asks his agent to ask for a trade at this point. Correa, IMO, is a class act. He played when in serious pain, and was so invested in the Twins that he knew and followed the Twins MILB system more than a lot of TD members. He might have WANTED to move to 3B, but we NEVER heard about that until AFTER the trade. HE was the one to walk Jax in to Rocco's office after the curfuffle about appearing in a lopsided loss that brought out frustration and confusion that had to be mitigated and understood. IMO...FWIW...the Correa signing was a glorious NEW DIRECTION for the franchise that lead to 2023 and all the exuberance you could muster. When the Pohlads pulled the rug out from everything Falvey and his fellows put together and seemingly spit on the franchise, disappointment and vitriol followed. Deservedly so. But when you spend so much time and anger against the ownership that TEASED you in to believing a better future was at hand, where do you place your anger at some point? Well you obviously point your anger at the most expensive player on the team that just ISN'T producing at an ALL STAR level that came overcome injuries and a poorly made roster to lift your team to the level you WANTED to see. Yep. Time to stop hating the Pohlads, and even Falvey for a moment, and just hate the most expensive player on the roster because he's human and not Superman. Remind anyone of 1st ballot HOF Joe Mauer? Remember, Mauer really only had ONE good season in his career and STOLE $ from the Twins and what they MIGHT have done without his contract. (SERIOUS SARCASM ALERT)! Correa is a GOOD GUY. He was FULLY invested in the Twins. He played hurt. He probably had his best season ever in 2024 when healthy. Sometimes sh*t just doesn't work out. You THINK it will, but it just doesn't. But to blame Correa for having some injuries and playing through them, and trying to do the best he can and bring leadership just wasn't the problem. I don't like having Correa gone because I'd rather have him EVERY SINGLE DAY in my system than ANYONE related to the Pohlads at this point. I mean, Joe is so in charge that his uncle is contacted to make this move? To be 100% honest, considering the current situation with ownership, the trade of Correa is the smart one. (Sorry Nick). I'm a fan and HATE to see him go for MANY reasons. The organization gets another $20M to work with, and the door opens up for some top prospects for a re-tool. But NOBODY should blame Correa for anything other than just being a big move that didn't turn out.

@dman sort of addressed this, but let me take it a step further. If Lee, a 1st round pick, #7 overall IIRC, and a former top 100 prospect turns out to be a utility player, it might be considered a real disappointment. BUT, let's look closer at what that might actually mean for 2026 and beyond for the Twins. Lewis is a solid 3B and ONLY 26yo. Nobody is going to give up on him and his potential at this point. Keaschall is going to lock down 2B for the next several years. If Culpepper is what we all think and hope he can be....that might leave Lee as a utility player. BUT, let's have some hope that Lee figures out his bat and is suddenly the .270-ish hitter we expected and has a .330-.340-ish OB%, and looks like a consistent 30+ Dbls and 15 HR bat. That's a starter, not a utility player. But Keaschall has the ability/potential to also play some LF/CF in a reserve capacity and against LHP. Royce should be learning to play some 1B for depth and possible play there against LHP as well. EVERYONE needs days off once in a while regardless. The Twins prefer half days off for the DH spot And don't we know as Twins fans that injuries happen. So Lee might be a utility player, but he also might be a 400-450 PA appearance and productive utility player. THAT could be a hell of a great INF once 1B is figured out. I'd never apologize for having too much depth or too many good players.

I think we're in general agreement, other than I think he's a little better defensively than you. I think he's done as a Twin. They need to commit to Roden, Rodriguez, Jenkins, Gonzalez, and possibly Fedko for the OF and mix of younger, generally more athletic players with upside. But I maintain Larnach has value on the market. There were rumors the Astros were interested in Larnach at one point. And I'm sure there are other teams that might be short of LH bats that see him as a LH DH who can help in a corner OF spot once in a while and hit 5-7 in a lineup. He's not yet 30yo, is mostly proven though not great, and a projected $4-5M for 2026 is not expensive for a lot of teams not named the Twins. You add a decent #20-ish prospect and you might get back a a pretty solid young RP to help in the pen re-build. Any idea of being a DFA candidate...as some have mentioned...is absurd. Even the Yankees might be tempted...with a park MADE for LH bats...might be tempted to grab him as a DH/bench bat. I think he's gone. But I think he's still got some value.

No one Larnach. I stated I expect him to be moved elsewhere, possibly with another prospect, for help in 2026 elsewhere. Maybe a solid pen arm? I left Martin off deliberately as I think he's an athlete, not a baseball player. For reasons of brevity, I just never stated that. Jenkins is a potential STUD. But I left him out because he's still only 20yo and at AA. Plus, he's LH. I referenced Rodriguez and Roden as one is at AAA...and a top prospect...and one is 25yo and playing at the ML level currently. So I put them ahead of Jenkins for NOW due to those factors. And Jenkins has no affect on Fedko OR Gonzalez. The Twins NEED another RH OF besides Buxton. Other than adding a veteran FA on a 1yr deal, Fedko and Gonzalez are far more ready than Olivar or Rosario. Fedko is a bit of a late bloomer, but not OLD, and has a nice all around game and good versatility. Gonzalez is restricted to a corner OF spot or even some time at DH. They each offer something different in their profile/projection, but they don't have an affect on a LH OF for LF, which, again, I'm saying has Rodriguez and Roden ahead of Jenkins for NOW.

I'm staying out of the Correa convention because I'm focused on the NOW, and 2026. Winning is a lot more fun than losing. "It's better than losing, you know?" There is no pressure on the team right now. And they have been winning some games, and have been close in a couple of losses. Some of the guys on the team right now are just enjoying what might be the hilight of their baseball career and have little chance of being part of 2026 for the Twins, or anybody else. I'm NOT being a DOWNER, I'm stating obvious truth. That DOESN'T mean we shouldn't enjoy wins and good performance! We should enjoy the good stories and good moments as they happen. But there's also storylines taking place for us to watch. 1] KEASCHALL is just NOT this good. Nobody is! LOL. But he's very talented and has a good all around profile. If his arm heals even close to 100%, he has a chance to play some LF/CF in certain situations, but he's probably the 2B for the next several years. I see some All Star appearances in his future. (But let's not freak pit when he slumps at some point). 2] LEE still has less than 600 ML PA. Considering his college and MILB career, can we stop freaking out that he's a BUST at this point? His bat needs some serious improvement as he just doesn't look like the prospect/player he is supposed to be. IMO, he's a decent/solid ML SS. That's enough...at least in the temporary...especially if/when his bat turns around. How he finishes, and what he learns and what he does in the offseason to get ready for 2026 is important. But any sort of BUST label is ridiculous at this point. 3] CULPEPPER is, frankly, better offensive and defensively from EVERY report and obvious success thus far. While not putting up the same numbers, he's basically on the same kind of trajectory that Keaschall is on. That doesn't mean he has to be the starting SS when 2026 begins. Maybe, like Keaschall, he starts in AAA to begin 2026. That's just not a bad thing. I'll let the Twins make that decision. But I'm not opposed to the Twins following more of a "Brewers" way of being more aggressive with top prospects. 3A] RYAN FITZGERALD is a 30yo AAAA player. But a good 7 weeks showing some actual ML ability could make him a useful utility player to begin 2026 rather than signing a veteran FA for a few $M. And he might not be worth bringing back. But having SOMEONE for depth and options when you're waiting on Lee and Culpepper is probably needed. But IF Fitzgerald can show ANYTHING, it would be better to have a minimum deal guy and spend $ elsewhere, such as in the pen. 4] RODEN hasn't shown much yet for the Jays or the Twins. But we want to make a decision on his future after 140 ML PA? Really hard to ignore a 25yo player with his MILB numbers and suddenly decide he's a nobody. 5] ABEL and BRADLEY have great arms and a lot of potential. And they will be up at some point. And I can't wait to see them. But the Twins taking a look at them at AAA for a few starts where they tweak a few things isn't necessarily a bad thing. 6] The PEN is a collection of misfit toys at this point. But Sands still has a solid arm with some pretty good stuff even though he's had a disappointing season. Can he finish strong and tweak a couple of things? Adams and Ohl have some potential as 7th-8th men in the pen. They've been training themselves all season for future roles as 1/2 and occasional 3 IP roles. Hopefully they can be used in that manner over the next 7 weeks. Topa is pitching for 2026. Can he prove his worth? Unfortunately, I've pretty much given up on Funderburk ever harnessing his stuff and being a reliable part of the pen. Could he MAYBE take a step forward to finish the season? Thomas Hatch is an almost 32yo that has found very limited success at the ML level. Personally, I have little hope he's any kind of potential late career steal. But the year younger Brooks Kriske at least has a really good MILB career that's just NEVER translated to the ML level. (You'd be impressed if you took a moment to look). He at least offers SOME intrigue to watch going forward. But either or both could be gone tomorrow for another veteran DFA candidate that they want to look at. The same holds true for Ramirez and Urena, fill ins after the PURGE and SWR, Festa, and Lopez still out. And there will be others signed in the offseason to replace some or all of those guys as the Twins search and hope for the next Thielbar and Stewart hopefuls. But it's worth watching to see if they DO find another one of those arms. Young players and young arms are what I'm watching. Who takes advantage of opportunity? Who maybe takes a half step forward and builds toward 2026? (MILB included). Is there anyone they have yet to pick up that might turn our heads a bit? The Twins are still worth watching for these reasons. While winning is better than losing, it's development and a possible surprise or two that I'm looking forward to.

For 2026, the Twins have RF and CF basically locked down in Wallner and Buxton. LF is wide open. From the LH side they have Rodriguez and Roden. One has to stay healthy and I think the Twins will "throw him out there" and live with some mistakes unless he just looks lost. The other, Roden, has a nice overall skill set but needs to translate his really solid bat from MILB to the ML level. There might even be room for BOTH between OF and DH. From the RH side, you'd like to see one of Gonzalez or Fedko to take a job. I'd much rather take place than bring in a FA on a 1yr deal. In regard to Gonzalez's power, does he just need to get more elevation? The power seems to be there. Elevation is my guess. I'd rather roll with the kids or roll through them rather than temporary FA fill ins. IMO, Larnach is being a bit undersold. As a LH bat, he's pretty solid...around a .740 ish OPS...against RHP. He's only average defensively...with a good arm...but I don't think he's as bad as others believe. But I think he's traded in the offseason...possibly with a prospect...for help elsewhere. I believe there are teams that could use/want his bat LH bat as a platoon option at DH and occasionally in the OF. In regard to Winokur, he's really doing well at a 20yo at A+ ball and is one of the most talented players in the system. I've seen him look very average at SS, and I've seen him make some very good plays and show an AMAZING arm at times. I don't have a problem with him playing some SS because there's some potential there, so why not? But to be fair, he's also played some 3B as well. But he's also played as many games in CF as he has at SS. Personally, unless he grows too much to stick, I think he might be the best CF prospect in the system. As young as he is, I could see him begin 2026 at CR again to work on a couple things as a 21yo. But a strong finish could put him at AA next year. Jenkins doesn't NEED to finish at St Paul. But a couple weeks as a reward and a good jump off point for 2026 might be in order.

I'm looking at Lee to see if he can start hitting like the prospect we thought we drafted. I already believe he's an OK, solid, SS. But where's the bat? I'm waiting for Lewis to become a leader with Correa gone and his bat FINALLY heating up. Matthews is worth watching! So is Festa! Or is Jeremy Nygaard right that Festa leads the teams in saves in 2026? Is Roden a better version of Larnach? More speed, as good or better of an arm, more range, similar power at this point but maybe a better all around player? How many young arms and which ones are you looking forward to seeing? DOES the FO get aggressive with a couple more promotions? Your call and opinion.

I GET the early extension offer idea, but don't subscribe to it in totality. My gut tells me Keaschall and Jenkins will be really, really good players and potential stars. But each was drafted barely over 2yrs ago and each has had some injury setbacks. Can't we wait until each/both have had a single healthy season before we start offering multi year and multi $M deals? Hell, why not offer Culpepper 8yrs and $80M right now? I like the Jeffers extension offer. I just read today that he's the #4 OPS catcher in MLB over the last 3 or 4 years. And while ERA isn’t exactly a great stat to provide true value for a catchers performance, it's a place to start. And his is slightly better than when Vazquez is the starting catching. That would give some indication that while he may not be a stud defensively, he knows how to call a game and work with the staff. And he's still only 28yo. The single hardest thing to develop and find in ML baseball are front line, playoff caliber SP. And it makes me almost sick to my stomach that after YEARS of trying to replace Johan Santana...albeit a few years with some solid temporarily decent fill-ins...the Twins actually have THREE playoff caliber SP in place and there's all this speculation about trading AT LEAST one of them. Why? Isn't the razing of the roster...which I get more and more as I reflect and dig and look at depth and options...enough as is? It's really not hard to look at a 2026 lineup and beyond...maybe with a temp player or two...and see tremendous potential of power and speed and better defense. And with a couple FA signings, a flier or 2 working out, and taking all the arm depth and moving it to the pen to remake it, you can see a bullpen rebuild over the next couple of seasons. With that being said, and you don't have to squint too damn hard to see a potentially solid lineup for 2026 and beyond, why would you EVER consider tearing apart your starting staff at this point? Let's assume the best for a moment and the Pohlads are GONE for good over the next weeks/months. The books are fairly clean, and the prospect depth is really good. Lopez already has a deal in place.. Ryan and Ober do not. If everything even just sorta broke right and Matthews, Festa, Sims, Abel, Bradley, and others all took off you couldn't move Ryan or Ober if they were on new deals? I like Ober at 3yrs and $27 and so would the Twins. I'd go 3 and $32 and front load the deal considering we are currently looking at a 2026 payroll below $100M. I'm thinking he would do that. Front loading the deals helps the future payroll, and bets against a physical breakdown. Front loading also helps in a potential trade. I love me some Joe Ryan. And he's coming off his 1st All Star game and is a year younger than Ober. Very loose math when comparing ERA, WHIP, IP, and K per 9 has Ryan about 10-15% better in all categories. Combined with being a year younger, he's got to be worth about 20% more than Ober on an extension. ISH What SKEWS the proposal presented in the OP is that Ober has had an injury this season which has slowed him. Meanwhile, Ryan has had injuries the past couple of seasons that slowed him, but haven't THIS season. PLUS he has the All Star Game to bring to the table. Like it or not, a recency bias remains in contracts. So Ryan is now worth 30% more than Ober. And being a year younger, he and his agent are looking shorter or more $. So I'm slightly conservative about Ober at 3yrs and $32M. He's going to get another offer or two at age 34. But he's already got his life changing $. Ryan is really smart. He wants to WIN desperately, but he also understands economics for his talent. The Twins either go HIGH for a couple of years, or they go low but for more years. And I believe he'd really like to stay here, but $ is still $. He's either going to need 3yrs at around $15M per, or 4yrs at $18M per to make sense. Either way, he's bringing in a hell of a lot of guaranteed $, and still has the opportunity as a 33-34yo to make another deal for several more $M. But none of this matters until ownership changes hands.

Sorry but other than losing another close game where they blew chances, and a couple guys in the pen who probably aren't part of 2026, I have one takeaway. Ober pitched a good game. We're playing for pride and 2026. Ober looking good is a very nice positive to take out of the game. Next up? Win Sunday and do better.

1] LEE is the guy for now. Being a good SS isn't JUST athleticism. It's also a good feel for the game, knowing the hitters, and understanding what the pitcher is throwing on any given pitch. That's where positioning comes in to play. Lee possess those things. Personally, I don't think he's a bad SS. He has good hands and a decent arm. But at some point, the lack of overall range limits him. I really find it difficult how poor his bat has been. For a guy with the rep of controlling the zone, taking some BB and not K a ton, he just hasn't lived up to what was expected of him. Not even close. Is he trying too hard? I'd like to believe there's still a .270 hitter with a .330 OB% and enough power for 15 HR per season and 30 Dbls. If that hitter is still in there, he's a very nice ballplayer SOMEWHERE. Now, is that 2B or 3B or a super utility INF player who plays almost daily and fills in when guys are hurt for a longer period IDK. 2] CULPEPPER is a better athlete with at least as good of an arm and probably a step up from what is reported and what little I've seen. Now, he's probably not the AMAZING .300 hitter we've seen so far, but it sure looks like he can HIT, offer some discipline, and offer XB power and speed on the basepaths. Until we see him in action at the ML level, who knows. A lot of kids were supposedly really good SS and the. You see them in ML ball and scratch your head. But I honestly haven't heard a single negative word about his defense yet. In fact, it's been just the opposite with everyone stating both his glove and bat are even better than expected or hoped for at this point. He takes over SS in 2026. But when? Day 1 and just throw him out there? Or with Lee holding things down temporarily, does Culpepper spend a little more time in AAA to just polish up a few things? SIDEBAR: What to do with Culpepper to begin 2026 has a bigger impact than just who starts at SS. With Lee taking Correa's spot and Castro gone, who is the backup SS if Culpepper ISN'T on the roster immediately? With all due respect to Ryan Fitzgerald...and anybody else chasing their dream...he's on the 26 man at the moment because nobody else can play SS. Unless the Twins give a shot to someone like Eeles over the next 7 weeks and he looks to be a competent ML bat and competent SS fill in, the Twins will need to look outside the organization for a 1yr FA veteran type to help fill a utility role. At least on a temporary basis. 3] HOUSTON was either the #1 or #1A defensive SS in the past draft. That's saying something. Being the starting SS for a program like Wake Forest as a freshman is saying something. Even a few early hilights at A ball Ft Myers that are impressive says something. He's probably a ML SS defensively. The question remains how good his bat is. His showing a solid HIT tool in college that got better every year in a top program says something. The fact that he's always had solid BB/K numbers and a good OB% seem to indate he has bat control and zone recognition. The fact that he can run a bit sure doesn't hurt his potential. The question, IMO, is pop/power. I think some ignore the fact that he's 6' 3" and 205lbs. He's not a small guy. And I understand he never really flashed power until last season, and most of his HR came at home in a smaller park. But as a 21yo with good size, solid bat ability, and good athleticism, are we so sure he WON'T produce at least a little pop/power? He absolutely doesn't have to crank out 20 HR! But if he could hit and leg out 30+ Dbls consistently and stoke 12-15 HR he could very valuable offensively as a high end defender. Unless he pulls off a Keaschall or Culpepper type of 1st full season in 2026 as a 22yo, he's another 2-3yrs away. And that's fine! Culpepper may be entrenched as a STUD SS by then, OR, he might be a really good SS who could be just as good at 3B and .are room for Houston with Lewis moving to 1B as a 28-29yo. There is no problem here as long as Culpepper doesn't suddenly flame out. Because if he does, the OK glove of Lee is the guy until Houston hopefully makes it. In a recent OP Nick Nelson paints the SS position in a rather gloomy light. He reminds us how many Twins prospects were SS that didn't turn out. That's fair, even though we didn't all agree with him completely or see things quite as dark as he did/does. But let's not forget Sano was a teenager and never expected to stick at SS. Cavoco, Gordon, and Wander Javier were teenager draft selections or IL teenagers signed. Hardly a strong arguement for proven college players who have already flashed early in their professional careers. Levi Michael? Do we really have to discuss 1 late round college SS in a weak class compared to Culpepper and Houston, and possibly Lee? Aren't all players and draft classes a bit different? BTW, former teenage, IL signing kids Polanco and Arraez, both SS when signed, turned out pretty well in different ways. And while a HEALTHY Polanco wasn't a great SS, he was OK for a couple of years. And his bat made up for some defensive limitations as well. So I'm just not doom and gloom until I'm presented with a stormy sky regarding SS. I very much want Lee's bat to become what was EXPECTED so that he can be an OK SS in the temporary and backup in the future while he settles in to a different role on the team. If you recall, very few thought he'd ever STICK at SS at the ML level. And I think Culpepper is the real deal even if he never wins a GG. Does he have to in order to be a quality ML SS? "Paging Mr. Gagne, a Mr. Greg Gagne". Next 3-5 years? Lee in the temporary and a valuable utility player or starting 3B or 2B if the bat becomes what we and so many others thought it would be. (Still less than 600 PA!). And Culpepper will be the #1 SS at some point in 2026, and for the next couple/few years AT LEAST. It's possible that Houston is even better with the glove in 2-3yrs than Culpepper with a decent offensive game to move Culpepper to a different INF spot. NOT a problem. Rather, a luxury.

Is it possible the presence of Correa MIGHT have "held back" a few players because they felt in the back of their head that he'd come through somehow? A big MAYBE. Sometimes something works, and sometimes it doesn't. But to blame Correa for influencing poor, or at least inconsistent, production just doesn't jive with me. He was fully invested in helping the Twins win. ONE GUY messed up the offense and its development? While the lineup has been frustrating to say the least, it's a problem of IDENTITY. The Twins K'd way too much for a lot of people's taste, but they still produced a few consecutive seasons of power and run production that ranked them in the top 5-10 consistently. CONSISTENCY was an issue, but not total production. The Twins dismissed their hitting staff and brought in another one to help eliminate all the K's, and they saw their offense actually decline. To be fair, we saw some of those K changes in 2024 with the staff we had on hand. But that fired staff found a new home in Toronto almost immediately and the Jay's have been one of the best run producing teams in MLB in 2025. Do they have better players? Possibly. But the Twins still began 2025 with Buxton, Lewis, Wallner, Correa, Jeffers, and Larnach. That's not zero talent. If Rocco haters ever listen to some of his comments and quiet coach speak, and look at who he was as a player, and look at some of the things he's TRIED to do at times, and commented that he'd like to do MORE, you'd realize the rosters he's had the past couple of years doesn't have the speed and athleticism he'd like to have to do some of the things he'd like to do. Keaschall, just for example, comes up and suddenly runs. He didn't do that without some sort of permission to do so. I'm NOT saying Rocco is a great manager, or that maybe there's someone better to lead the team going forward. But he's also played the hand he's dealt. The scouting/drafting department is NOT ignoring POWER. And they shouldn't. Power is still king! But they've been drafting more athletic players the past few years, and even focused more on HIT/CONTACT ability for many of their selections. But it's been a slow transition from BOMBA SQUAD to a more complete, more balanced squad. And while I'm again not posting as necessarily a Rocco fan or believer, what's he supposed to do if his squad is built improperly? The GO is STILL in charge at the end of the day. Do we blame the FO for not being more creative in their roster building? Maybe. Do we give the FO at least a partial pass because they have been so hamstrung the past couple of years that the best they could do at 1B was France? To be fair to the FO, Castro and Bader, and Taylor were smart additions. But could they have done more and better if they didn't have the rug pulled out from beneath them AFTER the Correa signing? Said before and will say again, while not always a fan of everything the current FO does, I wouldn't mind seeing what they could do with new owners that actually gave a damn and were willing to spend a couple needed $ here and there. Regardless, at this point, SOMETHING had to be done to shake up the team/roster and find a new direction. My question remains, as I've posted variously in different OP's, WHAT IS THAT DIRECTION? Because I'm still not really sure. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don't. Sometimes changes just have to be made. But to single out Correa's presence and influence ad a reason for a depressed or inconsistent offense by himself is short-sighted at best.

Moore getting hurt AGAIN really stinks! What a bummer for a young guy with so much talent. I'm a BIG preseason guy even though I know the games mean nothing. But it excites me to see the younger guys and look at depth matchups. In other words, do our backups look promising? And are they better than the other teams backups? My thoughts: 1] Other than the 1st defensive opportunity, I thought the defense played really well. It almost looked like they weren't awake that first drive? 2] Howell looked solid to me. I was concerned after reports were he was looking slow to make decisions in practice. I thought he looked solid, #2's vs #2's. I was also impressed by Brosmer even though, again, we're talking 2's and 3's from both teams. He looked confident and cool. He looked off primary receivers at times, and threw about 4 really tight DARTS that were impressive, one that was dropped. 3] Chandler looked just fine. But frankly, Scott looked better. I saw good instincts to find the open lane, and good explosion and body lean. I also saw a couple good blitz pickups. I think he might be a surprise as the #3 RB at this point. 4] I've been a little confused about roster predictions that have dismissed Murphy or Richter being replaced by UDFA Batty. The initial depth chart has Batty behind both. He's very intriguing due to size and potential, even though he's a little "old" for a prospect. And to be fair, Batty has potential and had a couple solid pass rushes and he tipped a ball that lead to an interception. But Murphy and Richter both had good games and appear to be keepers. 5] I was generally really impressed by the 2nd OL. Again, were our #2's better than there #2's? I think they were. I noticed that Joe Huber...UDFA from Wisconsin...played almost the entire game at RG. I was impressed. I think he's a steal of a PS player who I believe should also cross train at CENTER. I believe he's played it briefly in his college career. I was sorry to see UDFA Zeke Corell limp off the field late in the game. I hope it's nothing serious. I thought he looked decent in his limited time and thought he might also be an interesting PS addition. Did I miss something, or did UDFA OT Logan Brown not play? He was considered maybe the #1 UDFA available post draft. 6] TE #3 just might be settled for some time yet. 7] Lucky Jackson just might end up making the roster. We keep hearing he's been a big surprise in camp, and he had a couple nice grabs today. Your thoughts?

Separately, I still think Rosario is being slept on as well after an injured 2024, a 2nd good AFL performance, and a really nice rebound this season after a horrendous start. Olivar gets a lot of love and follow because he's a decent hitter who MIGHT be able to be a 4th catcher. But I really don't know if he's the better prospect. Great start by Carpenter! That might be his best overall start on the season? That throw by Tait was a great hilight!

Personally, I have to admit I've not paid a great deal of attention to Fedko until this past offseason, and during this season. And the reason is because he was a 12th round pick who's never really had a defining season in his MILB career thus far. And after he had a poor 2024 at AA, I thought he was a depth piece only. But I've recently looked harder at his MILB in total, and I think he's been undersold by most of us, not just myself. As is typical, position players get a month or month plus after being drafted to make their debut. He only had 23 GP and 81 PA with poor/mediocre numbers that don't mean much really. However, in his 1st full season in 2022 he was actually pretty solid and well rounded. He began the season at A Ft Myers initially before spending the majority of the year at A+ CR. His COMBINED numbers were 21 Dbls, 4 Trips, 10 HR, and 13 SB out of 16 attempts. While he only HIT .250, he had a .345 OB%, a .395 SLG%, and a .740 OPS. NOT eye catching production to be sure, but solid across the board. In 2023 he was sent back to CR to repeat. He only had 59 G and 211 PA. There must have been an injury in his 2023 season at some point, but damned if I recall what or for how long. But he still had 14 XBH in his limited time, was 5 for 7 in SB, and had a .398 OB%, and .810 OPS in his limited year. And then he was moved to AA in 2024 where he basically tanked in 294 PA...still not a full season of playing time for whatever reason(s). And so I saw him as a player of little interest, but didn't look closely at 2 consecutive years of limited playing time, his career OB%, or his .810 OPS in 2023. While he has started seasons at 1 level from the previous season...not uncommon...his only real long term repeat was going back to AA to begin 2025. Otherwise, it was begin at a level, but spend most or all at the next level. And then came this season. While he's off to a great start at St Paul so far, it's a SSSS to be sure. But so far in 2025... 18 Dbls, 21 HR, 68 Runs, 64 RBI, and 30 out of 36 SB attempts. His quad slash line is .261/ .379/ .501/ and .880. Those are numbers to at least ponder if not be excited about for a 25yo...26 in September...who has always had good zone control and a solid OB%. A late bloomer who appears to have missed some time earlier in his development? 20/20 guys with bat control and a good OB% just shouldn't be ignored, IMO. SOMEONE has to be in LF for 2026. IDEALLY it would be a healthy Rodriguez taking the next step immediately, if not the near future. If Roden can take the next step, he's also a strong option. Roden also does have some experience at 1B, and DH is also going to need to be filled by someone. And I think Larnach is going to be traded in the offseason, or part of a package, for additional help somewhere. But unless the Twins want to sign a RH OF on a 1yr deal, the door is wide open for Gonzalez or Fedko to take a spot in the OF as well. Sorry to those Martin believers...and I'm not dismissing him totally...but Gonzalez and Fedko offer up a lot more upside. Fedko seems to match Martin's speed, is probably a better defender, and has more power. Can Fedko hit enough to go along with his OB% ability and other solid traits? IDK at this point. But can Martin hit? Defensively, Fedko has primarily played RF, followed by LF, then CF, and 27 games at 1B. Does it matter if he can't cover 2B once in a while like Martin can if he's the better defender and offensive player? (Martin is actually slightly older, FWIW). The whole point is, with everything in his MILB career looked at with a better eye now, have we slept on Fedko a bit? Right now, I'm much more excited about him and Gonzalez battling it out for a spot in 2026 than Martin as a RH OF.

Plus they can add a 14th pitcher in September.

I guess my opinion is somewhat contrary to Nick's. When Lee was drafted didn't we all sort of know he was questionable as a ML SS and would take all his bat potential and good hands and instincts to 3B or 2B? Now. I've hardly watched a full game for a couple weeks now...various reasons...and while I recognize Lee's defense seems to have slipped some recently, I've actually thought he's played a much better SS this season than what I was expecting. Unless he improves with BOTH the glove and bat, he's only the temporary SS before moving elsewhere, or to that utility role. It's his bat that has actually disappointed me, not so much his defense. (Despite some bad plays). At 24yo and only 500 AB vs what he did in college and MILB, I'm not panicking or giving up yet. It would be a shame if he ends up as "only" a utility player, but he could be a really good one. And there's still value in that. But I think we all know he's the fill-in SS. How good is Culpepper at SS? What's his ceiling? Does anybody know? But he's absolutely a better athlete than Lee and we have yet to hear anything bad about him. Can he be one of those 25 best in the world? Let's hope so. His skill set is tantalizing. Houston might have been as much a need pick as well add BPA. If defense is as good as advertised, he doesn't have to be a Silver Slugger to be an every day SS. Yes, it's very hard to find a high quality ML SS who can also provide good offense. I'm just glad we have a pair of young, athletic guys who should be ready in their attempt to secure the position in 2026, Culpepper, and 2027-28 in Houston's case. What's going to be most important is not that either performs like a STAR when they arrive, but do they look like they can honestly do the job and then improve over time.