DocBauer

Before I go any further, I just need to first say that I really don't like having really good players that we've developed, or had a hand in raising their bar, and then not keeping them. Guys get hurt, some don't turn out, and not everyone will necessarily succeed on the same time line. But I just LOVE a 2027 rotation that includes the following: Ryan, Lopez, Bradley, Abel, Prielipp and Matthews. And while he's no longer a #3, Ober might just continue to pitch "old school" and be relatively successful as a #4 or #5. I really like a potential INF in 2027 of Lee, K-Pepper, Keaschall, and Lewis. Clemens figures in to the INF AND the OF. Just need to figure out the best UTILITY option between Kreidler...who has looked SO improved as a hitter...Gray, and maybe Ben Ross in St Paul at some point. The 2027 OF is a bit of a projectable mess right now due to injuries, BUT, Buxton is a constant. Martin seems to have proven he should face LHP and only occasionally RHP. But he has value. (There's a SLIGHT chance Fedko gets a real opportunity to show what he can do and supplants Martin, or joins him as a RH option). But here we go: Roden, Rodriguez...out of options...Jenkins, Mendez, and Gonzalez. 2 of those guys are TOP 100 players, 2 are probably TOP 150 players...or Gonzalez was after his 2025 season...and the 5th SHOULD have broken camp with the Twins instead of Outman after a great ST, and continued to prove that mistake after a great start to the season in St Paul. The bullpen still needs some work, but it's STARTING to round in to at least a better unit. A couple more internal transitions, maybe a couple adds through FA or trades, we might have a pretty solid unit. While a WC chance and a hopeful season of .500 or slightly better is fun, I'm more concerned about 2027. And I see all the names I've listed, and I keep wondering, why are we so focused on trading away vs keeping good ballplayers rather than keeping them? I really like the potential I see for 2027, even if everything doesn't "click" all at once. My apologies for a bit of a rant, but it's a rant that comes from my heart AND my head. As to the trade options.... JEFFERS: The time to resign him is probably come and gone. As a rule, Boras simply won't allow a player to NOT test the FA market. BUT, his recent track record has slipped some in recent seasons. And Jeffers is a highly intelligent GROWN MAN who has the right to make his own decisions. He's only recently turned 29yo. Considering how big and strong he is, I'd bet he's got a solid 3-4yrs still left in him as a solid catcher. The Twins absolutely should make him a decent offer to see if he's interested in remaining a Twin. Possibly front loaded a bit to allow for ageing purposes. Maybe he really wants that? But if not, a trade to the Yankees, as rumored, does make sense. He's NOT a rental for them. They can EASILY offer him a nice deal to stay with the team. RYAN: He never stated he wanted to be traded last deadline. He only said it was interesting and kind of exciting to hear about the rumors. That's it! He's been just as good of a pitcher and teammate as he's always been. Like Jeffers, the Twins should ABSOLUTELY talk to him about an extension. Considering the current low payroll, maybe he also can be front loaded a bit on a 4yr deal of, IDK, maybe $125M? Just spitballing a bit here. If we are anywhere close, keep negotiating. If we're way out of the ballpark...no pun intended...then YES...you probably need to move him for what should be a really good haul, provided Zole can make a really good deal. After that, it's a mixed bag. BELL: Teams are always looking for a big BAT to help down the stretch and in the playoffs. If Bell keeps up his career MO and continues to rake in June and July, I can easily see a team moving an interesting AA arm with potential for him. LARNACH: He's actually really improved his defense this year. And he's got a good enough arm for RF as well. So he's not exclusively a DH. And a lot of playoff bound teams are looking for a solid LH BAT to add to their roster. I don't think he brings a lot back though considering his power decline. But he's shown better contact and OB skills this season. And he isn't expensive. Moving him opens up a spot for Roden, Jenkins, Rodriguez, etc. So while the return might be an A level prospect with some upside, moving him might be addition via subtraction to simply make room for Roden first, Jenkins second, Rodriguez third, all based on injury recovery timeliness. ROGERS: He came to the Twins pretty cheap because he wanted to come "home" for what MIGHT be his final season. He's actually been pretty solid in the "Coulombe" role this year. I think he only brings back an A player with some potential. Is that enough to move him? Maybe. He can always be resigned for 2027 on a cheap deal. And maybe moving him to a playoff team is a reward for his Twins career. But he's just not going to bring much back. BANDA: He's still under control. But the Twins might be too cheap to keep him through arbitration. He started OK, really stunk, and has since has rebounded strong. I'm interested in keeping him for 2027 as a replacement for the Rogers/Coulombe role in middle innings. My gut tells me Rojas is about ready to be a dominate late inning LH option. But like Rogers, there might be a market, but is the return worth moving him? CLEMENS and GOMEZ: So Gomez has bounced around like a pinball in his career. But the Twins have unlocked something in him to FINALLY unlock some potential. He's only 26yo, cheap, and controlled for the next few seasons. Isn't that they've been looking for? He's PROBABLY best as a number 2-3-4 in a REALLY GOOD bullpen. And his future is in doubt. It's always the same for an arm that SUDDENLY figured it out. Questions remain. But it would be RIDICULOUS for the Twins to unlock the potential of a 26yo BP arm and move him. He STAYS IMO. Regarding Clemens, I will state what I've said before, Isn't it interesting that his best ML seasons have been with the Twins the best 1 1/3 seasons? Personal development and right time, right place, right opportunity? We've seen it before across MLB over the years. Is this just a career year for him that will never be repeated again? Or, again, right time and place and opportunity? Even with a dip in production going forward, and even with the multiple young LH bats ready or near ready, I believe Clemens brings more value keeping him than trying to move him for an A level prospect. His glove is solid wherever he plays, and he's got power. IDK how long his roster spot is secure with the young talent coming up, but right now, he's a pretty nice player to have on your bench. So I see ZERO reason to move him unless someone offers a crazy deal. Our ownership and FO is a mess right now, unless they prove otherwise. I'd much rather they target Jeffers and Ryan for extensions vs making trades of them. TP talks about going BIG or going home. But does TP ACTUALLY LOOK at what's on hand, and what's sitting at AAA and give a damn? I have my doubts. If he was SERIOUS, he'd understand what the Twins HAVE, and he'd be looking to keep as much as is possible.

In full confession, I haven't seen his last few starts. But I paid attention in his early starts to that curve, even if he didn't throw it a ton. The command was inconsistent, but the pitch looked really nice otherwise. I guess you'd say I could recognize the shape of the pitch. It looked like it could be a real weapon with a little more command. It appears he's found that command.

Glad to hear it. St Paul could use some bodies and it never hurts to have extra depth.

Kreidler is the current Castro-ish option simply because he's got a good glove and so far, has produced better offensive numbers at AAA and at the ML level that he's never done previously. But if we're really looking at the next Castro, it's Ben Ross. He's almost a clone of a prospect that took time to figure out how to HIT later in his career, and has POP in his bat, good speed on the base paths, and probably has an even better glove than Castro had.

Is it OK to first state that I appreciate the OP even if I don't 100% agree? And is it also OK that I believe the next month, and the months beyond that, might change the perception of what the OP states? Let's just deal with the Elephant first which is Ryan. There are legitimate reasons to trade Ryan for what should be a NICE haul. BUT, it's also a catch 22 dilemma. We've seen some wonderful debuts of arms earlier than expected, and they've done well. We've even got a few surprises. UNFORTUNATELY, we haven't seen a number of TOP prospects ready to debut yet. And that throws off the player profile projection to help set up 2027. So is it better to keep Ryan and form a great rotation betting on those top prospects ready to debut that could change the future? Maybe let him go with a QO with a future pick and enjoy another season? Or, as I've seen mentioned, maybe the Twins should reach out to his "people" and see if he's interested in an extension. Remember TP has talked about adding to the payroll. Ryan would be a great place to start. But for argument sake, let's say Ryan is moved. If I had to bet on a SP working hard on a recovery from TJ, I'd rather have Lopez than about anyone else. Bradley looked so good before his injury. He's been OK since, but not the same. But he's STILL only 25yo. There's a lot of room still for experience and STUFF to be what we saw early this season. Abel has all the talent in the world. And DAMN didn't he look ready after 1 bad game. He's going to have to build back up, but the arm talent is wonderful, and easy to dream on. Let's be honest, none of us expected Prielipp to be up so soon. And I understand he needs to have his IP monitored and controlled. But he's also flashed his potential. We should be so encouraged. Everyone wants to pick on Matthews because he wasn't a stud from day one. And some of his command is not as advertised. And questions about him are legit. He's not THERE yet. But he's showing improvement. I really like the way he threw Tuesday. He was almost always ahead of the hitters. And I saw breaking pitches that looked really nice. I'd love to that curve ball being used more. Do we trust the new version of Ober? Even with lost velocity, he's so smart, and has such great command he was still pitching great until his injury. But he's got to be the #5 starter currently doesn't he? Rojas resembles a new version of Santana and Liriano. Maybe he sticks eventually as a SP, but for NOW, he's been an amazing 2-4 option. Honestly, considering his MILB career, we might not want to dismiss Parades as an 8th man in the pen. FESTA, just getting real, is an 8th or 9th arm waiting IF he can get healthy. I think his arm and potential is real. So I'd be patient with him. The dividends could be excellent. The rotation, IMO, looks solid if Ryan is moved. But it's a hell of a lot better if the Twins offer him an extension that makes sense. If not, I guess you get the most you can for him. The 2027 rotation STILL has a lot of potential. But depth might be an issue. But I'm starting to believe the team might be SLOWLY building a better BP.

This! I think it's a mistake to say Keaschall has had enough time for his arm to heal from TJ. Maybe, maybe not. He also had a broken arm in 2025 after about 20 games. Has he had enough time to recover arm strength from BOTH injuries? Again, maybe, and maybe not. I've seen him.make some bad plays. But I've also seen some really good plays from him as well. No video clips of those available? And I tend to agree with @jmlease1that at times it looks like he's thinking more than reacting at times. You know can fix that? Repetition and experience. You know what can also help compensate for an average or even poor arm? Just being more fluid in every thing you do, improve the glove to hand transition...something Lee does very well for example...and get rid of the ball quicker. I don't want to open up a can of worms, but in 2024 Julien actually improved his defense from poor to solid/average simply through experience and hard work. Now, his bat AND his defense later went in to the tank, but he DID show real improvement. Keaschall is a better athlete. Lineup wise, he's just a better "fit" at 2B. Plus, currently, while not everyone will work out as hoped for or dreamed on, the OF/DH is looking like Buxton, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Gonzalez, Mendez, and Roden plus an eventual winner between Martin and Fedko. (That's not a shot at Martin, but he doesn't appear to be a daily player. Fedko MIGHT end up being the better player in the same role). So is there really room for Keaschall in the OF? Could he be a similar player to Marwin Gonzalez as a Twin, more or less, where he plays daily at 2B/1B/LF/DH? Maybe. That wouldn't stink. He could be an offense first player who can play almost daily but move around. Sort of a "6th man" in baseball terms. FWIW, I've ALWAYS viewed 2026 as a transition season where the team could be anywhere from a 75-85 win team depending on injuries, and if a few things went right. But at SOME POINT, we were going to see K-Pepper in the INF, and a combination of ALL of the OF candidates I mentioned. Well, the pitchers have debuted early than expected, and 3 of the OF got hurt, one struggled early but is starting to heat up, and one began the season at AA. And now there MIGHT be a potential battle between Martin and Fedko as to who is the best 4th-5th RH OF who can do a little bit of everything, and at least be a solid RH bat against LHP. Don't kid yourself here. No insult given to Martin, but Fedko is slightly younger, has more power, and Martin seems to have proved he's a 4th or 5th OF, not a full time starter. It's possible, given half a chance, that the slightly younger and more powerful Fedko might be the better option. I digress only to point out that the OF might be too crowded for Keaschall to be a full time OF. So again, MAYBE he's a "decent" glove at 3 spots...could he MAYBE be a CF option as well?...who can still play daily if his offense continues to improve. I think he's a consimate #1 hitter who's just settling in to his potential. Or have we forgotten that he was brought up early in 2025 simply because injuries decimated the INF and not because he was tearing up AAA? Do we all remember that? Do we also remember he wasn't allowed to play 2B in ST as he was still recovering from his TJ surgery? He ONLY started playing 2B when he joined the St Paul ST. Do we remember that? Again, his debut with the Twins was AWESOME and offered real hope and potential for the future before his arm was broken and he missed multiple months. Let's rewind just a little further. Drafted in 2023, he actually played around the field at multiple positions for 31 games. That's somewhat unusual, but he performed very well. Come 2024, the Twins knew he was going to need TJ surgery. But they calculated he couldn't hurt his arm more by being allowed to play and HIT, so he was allowed to play 1B/LF/DH, and then shut down so he could have surgery. That brings us back, full circle, to being nursed back in to playing 2B for the first time in well over a year to begin 2025, before an early promotion, and THEN a broken arm. So with respect, I have to ask again, has he REALLY had time to build his arm back again? Are his 2B really supposed to be so honed at this point that we shouldn't expect some growing pains? Look, I WANT better defense throught the lineup. But like it or not, hopeful for a 85 win team vs a 75 win team, this was always going to be a transition season. I've seen too many young players being labeled as poor defensively before they turned out to be solid, if not better. It's a long list, and I'm not going to go there. Keaschall "fits" at 2B. He's got the talent to be OK there at least. He needs to play there daily, not be messed with, and let the instincts start to take hold. When he reacts more than thinking, there will be improvement. When he's not thinking too much, experience and hard work should make the glove to hand execution to throwing should also improve. And MAYBE, his arm gets even a tiny bit stronger the further removed he is from TJ and a broken arm. For HIS future, and the Twins future, he needs to play 2B ALL SEASON to gain experience and confidence to improve. What else are we REALLY playing for in 2026 but trying to improve and get ready for 2027 and beyond? For NOW, I think any idea of AAA or moving Keaschall anywhere is just a fools exercise. His DEVELOPMENT is what's most important. So let's just drop any more articles about the negative, focus on the positive, let the kid play, and let's give the kid a chance to improve and develop.

So the changes keep coming. I'm really excited about Teasley. He seems to have a "football" mindset and a good knowledge of how to draft and build a team. He certainly had to learn a lot with Seattle and had to have had a hand in how they run things. A lot of talk about Frank Smith as assistant head coach and his work as run game coordinator. But am I the only one who's really excited about Keith Carter as the OL coach? I keep reading how he's working the OL really hard on technique, but earning praise from the players and everyone else for the work he's doing. Also, I still have a bunch Smith is coming back. Rookie SAFETY Jakobe Johnson has even said a few things about Harry that indicate he might be coming back. And I hope that's true. But I'm not sure the SAFETY position collapses without him. I'm a little confused about Dawkins seeing time at EDGE. Is this just Flores playing around? He looked pretty good as a developmental rookie in limited action in 2025, with some real potential. But is he really a contender for the #3 EDGE next season? I'm thinking this is just Flores experimenting. I still think the #1 priority left is a FA EDGE to be the #3. And there are a number of possibilities that shouldn't cost a fortune. I'm not sure how much it matters if Flores likes the guys on hand. And there is some potential there. A PROVEN #3 could make a major difference for the defense.

OK, so the Twins simply aren't the Yankees or the Dodgers. But even if you exclude the Washington Senators history, they've been to 3 WS and won 2. They've produced a fair amount of HOF players, and even had a few who played only briefly for them. And they have a laundry list of really great players who weren't quite HOF caliber, but who were still special in their time. But honestly, when healthy, have the Twins EVER had a more dynamic player?? While still really good in CF, he was a Platinum Glove winner who could have deserved a GG most seasons. His career SB numbers percentage wise is at the top of All Time lists. Yes, his contract has been one of the best moves the Twins ever made, even if it didn't look good the first couple of years. The tragic irony is had he been more healthy earlier in his career, he might have never been resigned by the team. Imagine what he might have done in his career if he had avoided some of those injuries. Medical science is amazing these days. But I am DUMBFOUNDED that SOMEONE wasn't smart enough to just say: "Hey, why don't we remove this little plica and see if that helps?" He might have gained an additional 2years, at least, of better health to display his amazing talent. While being 32yo is still a YOUNG man, it's older for a professional athlete. And yet, the last couple of seasons, we're seeing Buxton at his very best. Again, imagine him this healthy 3-4-5 years ago? He's still a quality CF, still one of the fastest and best base runners and SB champions in the game. And his towering HR provide awe inspiring moments. The bad news is how amazing he could have been. The good news is we're seeing at least a glimpse of that by STILL being one of the best players of the game in his early 30's. And I think there's a real chance he's got another few years left to be this kind of player, even if he slows down a little, or moves to a corner spot, or even becomes a primary DH. He is an ELITE athlete, even if he's 10-20% less than what he was in his 20's, when healthy. And what's even more impressive is him as a person. Ask him about a bit hit or a major defensive play, you will get a short and humble answer. As him about the performance of a teammate, and he will effuse at length. And talk about loyalty? He wants to be a Twin for life. And while we can bash the ownership all we want, they do have a reputation for treating their players and their families well. Buxton is a class act. And I want him to be a Twin for life. HOPEFULLY, that means he's so healthy and good he earns ANOTHER contract as a productive corner OF/DH that carries over until he's 35-36-37. Yeah, I'm being carried away a little bit. But could he be the next Cruz if he stays healthy? Is it that inconceivable? Contract value or not, if you are a Twins fan, or even just a baseball fan, you should be rolling in delight for what watching a healthy Buxton brings to the experience these days. I keep reflecting on Monday's game where they were celebrating Plouffe's birthday in the box. And then Buxton comes to the plate and hits ANOTHER towering HR shot! What a great moment! Whether he's done in a couple of years, or beats father time and gets another contract to be the next Cruz, I really want this wonderful player and person to ONLY wear a Twins jersey for his ENTIRE career. BUT, if things don't turn around, and he says he wants to finish with Atlanta, or another team, for a final shot at a WS, I won't begrudge him. Instead, I would root for HIM and whatever team that might be. I just hope that never happens. Watching him is a JOY! And I want to witness as many of those joyful moments as I can. And I want to see his last game played, whenever that is, still wearing a Twins jersey.

Really excited to see Diaw moved up. Houston should right behind him. While Diaw probably has a lot to still learn behind the plate, his athleticism and BAT are really exciting. Hopefully he develops a little more power, but he doesn't have to be a power hitter to be a really good offensive catcher. And he also seems to always have a good OB% as well. Here's hoping he stays healthy the rest of the season and is ready for AAA in 2027.

I know this is kind of a throw away topic, but I was initially confused when I turned on the Twins game Sunday and didn't recognize the play by play voice. I even thought I had the Rangers announcers for a moment. It's my understanding that with Atteberry out on a break, Provus asked to cover the radio broadcast with old friend Gladden. So MLB broadcaster Greg Caserta is taking Cory's spot briefly. While I LOVE Cory's, i just wanted to say that I thought Caserta was very good. He was very professional and fun to listen to. And despite being under the MLB umbrella, he sort of "played up" fandom for the Twins a bit, as if he was a normal team broadcaster. I wouldn't mind him being a future fill in for games in the future.

Should we be surprised at the improvement Houston has made? In college he was known as a solid contact, good eye, balanced BB/K hitter. The biggest question was how much pop/power he was going to have. How much of his HR splash in his last season at Wake was legitimate? He's not a small guy at all at 6' 3" and 205lbs. So I can see him developing double digit HR power at some point. But I'm more concerned with just HITTING and legging out 30 Dbls and the occasional Trip or 2 or 6. His current OB% is .68 points higher than his AVG. That's not bad. I'm very pleased his K% has dropped so significantly. And he's hitting has been excellent. He's shown enough XB power so far to offer a little danger to pitchers. But I would like to see his OB% climb a little higher. I think there was a little knee jerk reaction to his BAT after his poor performance at A+ after his promotion there at the end of 2025. SO FAR, I think he's done a good job easing those concerns. As far as a possible INF crunch, I hope it happens. The players involved in any "crunch" are all 1st or 2nd round picks. So it would a good problem to have, and not an improbable situation to be sure. However, invariably, SOMEONE doesn't turn out, or gets injured, or traded, or in Lewis's case, maybe becomes a FA in 2 more years. But it would be a nice problem to have for sure. **I suspect the OF is going to be a much bigger potential "crunch" begining in 2027...which might also affect DH and maybe even 1B...but that's a different discussion for a different day. As to Keaschall playing 1B, I'm not crazy about it, but I can see some logic behind it. (I think 2B is his best home given some more development time). But IF you had Houston at SS with decent hitting, a little POP, and good speed, Lee and K-Pepper providing solid bats, possibly 20 HR power each, and addition speed from KC, it wouldn't be crazy to have a non power hitter at 1B. I am ABSOLUTELY NOT comparing them as players, but Rod Carew transitioned to 1B and was a career #1 or #2 hitter. If you have offense and power at multiple positions, that's what really matters at the end of the day. While they all had SOME power, through the 80's and early 90's, there were a number of solid 1B like Hernandez, Grace, and Joyner that were more AVG and OB and Dbls power hitters rather than being thumpers. Doug Mientkiewicz was a very similar type of player at 1B. And in very recent times, the Twins had a batting champion in Arraez playing 1B and contributing to the offense, even though he had very limited power. All I'm saying/pointing out is there are many ways to build a lineup. 30 years ago, most SS and CF were defense only. And if you had one with power, they were the exception, not the rule. Obviously, that dynamic has really changed over the years. Some might have forgotten...or don't want to admit...that hard work turned Julien from a poor 2B to an average 2B for 2024. The fact that his bat and defense BOTH tanked in 2025 doesn't excuse the fact that he actually DID improve. Keaschall is far more athletic than Julien. His offense is a work in progress, but he's been pretty solid after a bad April. And I still think 2B is his best position. And I still have him penciled there for the next few years unless he just doesn't improve. But is it OK to give him some time to adjust, learn and grow, and hopefully see his arm improve it's strength a little more? If his total offensive package continues to improve...and he's at least trending that way...with a solid AVG, quality OB%, at least some XB power, and good speed and base running, there's no logical reason why he can't, potentially, be the future 1B. There's a TON of offensive potential over the rest of the INF, and the OF, and even DH simply based on so many TOP prospects just waiting to break through at AAA. So it would OK if a leadoff hitter was sitting at 1B. I just prefer him at 2B and think he will really improve as this season carries on, and going in to 2027.

I honestly thought he was done after 2024 and was a little surprise he was kept in the system. I figured it must be for depth purposes at Wichita. And then, of course, he goes out and looks like an entirely different ballplayer. The one thing I noticed about his MILB career as that his OB% was always significantly higher than his AVG. It generally sat 70 to 100 points higher each season. So while that guarantees nothing in regard to future success, I think it does offer up some belief that his bat may play at the ML level.

Nope. This is where the Twins should have followed the Brewers way of doing things. (Also similar to the Guardians and Rays). A healthy Winter League and a strong ST should have had Rodriguez in RF to begin the season. And the Twins should have followed the way the Brewers handled Chourio, live with what you got and give him time. And Roden should have been in LF splitting time with Martin. OK, sliding doors scenario. But do either Rodriguez or Roden get hurt if on the ML roster? Who the hell knows. But while I actually like Bell...and he's heating up now...it SHOULD have been a season in the OF with Rodriguez and Roden with Martin fitting in, and no Larnach, and probably Wallner as the DH. Tell me I'm wrong? Wallner has struggled and been sent down to prove he's a ML player, which has surprised the hell out of me. And Larnach is STILL a barely above ML average hitter. Again, tell me I'm wrong? The OF, especially for a limited payroll team and TONS of talent sitting at AAA waiting to be the NEXT WAVE of a competitive team, should have been Buxton, Rodriguez, Roden, and Martin to begin the season. Wallner would be the 5th OF and primary DH. Fedko, recently given a shot, and Jenkins, Gonzalez, and Mendez were the next in line. Tell me that doesn't make more sense than the way the current roster was built?

Unfortunately, Rosario was pushed back to AA ball, same as Mendez, due to a "crunch" at AAA that I don't necessarily agree with. Just as a reminder, his TREMENDOUS 2025 season SHOULD have been his SECOND MVP season. But he lost out to an older journeyman player. I have no idea if bad luck, fighting an injury, or being pissed off made Rosario start the season slow. But he has really been cranking up his game and it's about time he gets a AAA promotion. ***IF the Twins had just gone the logical route and trusted in their TOP prospects, Roden and Gonzalez would have been with the team and Rosario would already be at St Paul. I was a bit surprised when I saw Sprock playing catcher. As a former 3B, you have to think the arm is there. His bat offers some potential and some power potential. As a 2025 draftee, he did play 23 games last season and did OK. He's hitting hitting even better this season as a still 21yo. While he's still splitting time, which is normal, they must think he's got real potential behind the plate. We'll see. He's at least off to a decent start with the bat at least. And then comes Diaw. Look, I wouldn't DARE to compare him to Mauer! But athletically, and base HITTING ability, he's as close as we've drafted in years! First off, Mauer was an AMAZING catcher. Diaw is not, and has a lot to learn behind the plate. But he's a good enough athlete to play CF on his days off. Doesn't that kind of athlete intrigue you behind the plate? And his BAT is similar to Mauer, or maybe Harper considering he's RH. I have no doubt he still has a lot to learn being a CATCHER first and foremost. And that's where I'd like him to spend the majority of his time. His biggest obstacle is just staying healthy. I have no idea how much HR or XB power he might grow in to. But he can flat out HIT. I think he's a prospect that is being ignored by many. I think he's about ready for AA in regard to his BAT. Not yet 23yo, but close, I think he's ready. Now, how much time it takes him to refine his catching skills is a different story. He's certainly not a part of 2027. And if it takes him another year, year and a half, or two years, I think many are sleeping on a potentially quality bat with at least some power, and maybe underated as to the Twins "future" catcher.

Good, bad, right or wrong, Lewis appears to be an emotional player. For whatever reason, he really lost all confidence. He seems to allow bad streaks to affect him. The confidence lessens, and suddenly he's frustrated and things snowball. Now, I think some mechanical issues were also probably part of his poor performance and frustration as well, it wasn't all "bad luck" or a mental approach issue. Going going not only provided him a mental reset, but also a mechanical one. There's little doubt he's on a hot streak and will come down to earth a bit. But I think most of us can agree that the talent is still there to be a good player. His body has changed, and there have been injuries that have affected him, but talent doesn't just disappear, even with some physical changes. (I.e. he's not as nimble or fast as he was as a young prospect, but he's grown bigger and stronger). **FWIW, a small consideration concerning his future, last season and this season, currently, he's been as healthy as he's ever been at the ML level. Is that a key/clue to his future performance? I DON'T want to get hyperbolic here, but even with some natural regression from Lewis, I have to ask: "is it possible the INF is starting to take shape"? Seriously. Lee seems much better at 3B. While his BAT still isn't where anyone wants it, and he's been streaky, he's still shown improvement. Lewis is settling in as a 1B, can also cover 3B and 2B if needed. And while it's really easy to dismiss what Clemens has been doing, the truth is his 2 best ML seasons have been with the Twins in 2025, and even better in 2026. Again, I don't want to give in to hyperbole, but is it POSSIBLE he's a late bloomer who REALLY took a next step due to not only late development but also opportunity?? SOMETIME SOON K-Pepper is going to be brought up to play SS. Not saying he's going to be a STUD from DAY ONE, but he's a TOP 50 prospect for a reason. He STABALISES SS offensively and defensively. I'm not going in to another debate about Keaschall still developing and needing time to see how he develops, but the offense has started to come around. So WHEN K-Pepper is up, we've got the still young and improving Lee at 3B, KC at SS, Keaschall at 2B, and 1B covered by Clemens and Lewis, BOTH who have the ability to also play other positions. Kreidler has SURPRISED with his bat so far, and Gray has come through in big moments. But perhaps Kreidler's glove and versatility makes him the right choice to keep when KC comes up? It's not inconceivable that the best option for super utility INF for 2027 might just be the emergence of Ross, currently at AAA. He might be the best version of Kreidler and Gray combined. But he's still got some things to prove. But if Lewis has indeed turned a corner...maybe finally understanding he HAS the talent, but it's up to HIM to be positive and OWN his future...we really might be looking at a semi COMPLETE INF going forward really soon. OBVIOUSLY, K-Pepper isn't here YET. But don't you have to be kinda excited about Lee, K-Pepper, Keaschall, Lewis and Clemens and Kreidler/Gray/Ross completing this INF?

Yes, roughly 25% of all pitching is LH. That means 75% is RH. That means a RH bat still faces RH pitching a good 75% of the time. It's true that some RH hitters just aren't good enough against RH arms at the ML level and they really are just a platoon bat against LHP barring "emergency" action. But then again, how do you know if a RH hitter can actually hit ML RHP unless you let him try? I liked the idea of Martin getting an extended run against ALL pitching. He deserved it. So far, it hasn't worked out well. I hope Fedko gets the opportunity to face RHP and isn't immediately made a platoon bat. Again, he might be good, or he might not be good. But you need to find out what he can and can't do to find out if you have a solid #4-5 OF in your system, right under your nose....or not.

Good for him! He might be good, he might be decent, he might be bad. But at least the FO is giving him an opportunity.

I don't always agree with Law in regard to the draft or prospect rankings. But he's always pretty logical in his rankings and beliefs. But this BLOWS ME AWAY! The Dirty Sox have done some crazy things in the draft before, and might again. But to draft Lackey #1 would have to be some sort of $ game plan wouldn't it be? I mean, he's a great pick. But a catcher over a premium SS? I mean, I really love the Twins drafting Lackey even with a history of highly drafted catchers being a 50-50 proposition. But Lackey does seem to be the real deal. So IF this happens, it's the Dirty Sox saving another 1$M or so for their next pick. So would the Rays "cheap out" and take Emerson or Tyler Bell over Roch? Both fit their player profile for draft picks. I honestly can't believe the Dirty Sox would pass over Cholowsky. No matter how good Lackey is, I just don't see it. I still see Roch #1....how can you pass on this talent...Emerson #2 to the Rays because he not only fits their profile, but because he's just so damn good of a prospect. And that still leaves Lackey at #3 for the Twins, IMO. I think Law might have been a little tipsy when he posted that idea, lol. Unless the Dirty Sox just got stupid, or decided they were smart enough to outwit everyone else, I still think chalk makes sense. But as much as I really like Lackey, IF we were gifted Cholowsky SOMEHOW, my only complaint would be memorizing his name. Lol

A poorer version of Laweryson? This one confuses me, unless it's for AAA depth, but I guess he's already on the 40 man. I sorta get the idea of Klein bouncing around between AAA and the Twins, just to keep him stretched out for multiple innings, but where does it stop? Morris has been given a chance to be a late inning option and has started to show real promise there. (I still think him starting a BP game recently was a bad choice). But Klein, similar to Morris, and BOTH remind me of better versions of Jax at the same point in development. They have the stuff to be set up men, or quality 1-2 middle relievers at worst. Rashi will be around for a week or two. Laweryson is probably better once he gets another inning or two under his belt. There's really nothing to see here.

Only one comment. This sucks! I've still got faith he's a solid set up man.

IMO, the most logical conclusion is just ramping him up both offensively and defensively to be the MOST READY he can be. And I'm OK with that. Since Lewis was sent down, Lee was moved to 3B. That wasn't done as a temporary move. And since then, K-Pepper has been played exclusively at SS. While there is at least some slight concern about chase rate, I'd say that's true for about 80-90% of all rookies. Expecting him to be some sort of STUD offensively and defensively right out of the gate is a mistake. And that's why I object somewhat to the headline. He just has to continue being his normal self. There really shouldn't be that much pressure on him. Just be better than who you are replacing, but don't even think about that. Just be YOU. Lee is where he should be. He's just better at 3B overall, with a lot of tools to be a good 3B, even without a cannon. And his offense has improved, he just needs to find better consistency. And I'm not going to derail this OP in regard to Keaschall at 2B or any mention of Lewis. It's POSSIBLE that a year or so from now that Houston's bat is at least decent. And his glove is so amazing that he moves K-Pepper to a different spot. Dreams and bird in a hand folks. We have the absolute best SS prospect we've had in years sitting at AAA right now. I've stated very clearly even before the season began that the Twins would have a SPLIT season. The first part was just being competent enough with the bullpen and a strong rotation to keep the team around .500 before we got to see the young arms, and the young OF, and K-Pepper settling SS Alas, we've seen the young arms earlier than expected in some cases, and hopefully will see more. Injuries have set back almost the entire OF part of the "next wave". Luckily, we're still only approaching mid June, so there's still a real chance the build up for 2027 that I expected and hoped for will still take place. But K-Pepper is the ONE top prospect that has so far avoided "the curse", lol. I DON'T like pressure added to him. Again, all he has to do is be himself. The skills say he's a solid SS with the potential to be above average. That would be OUTSTANDING and help settle the left side of the INF. Should he, or we, care that MAYBE in a year, or year and a half that there might be an even better defensive SS ready to take over? Well he shouldn't, because he's got all the talent in the world to be a STUD 2B or 3B and things change over time. I really don't understand why he's not up yet considering the hot streak he's been on. But again, if they just think another week or two getting prepped makes sense, who am I to argue? I think he potentially changes the defense AND the lineup. I'm just not sure I agree with his shoulders bearing weight. I think it goes deeper than that.

To be honest, I only skimmed the OP because I already know my answer is NO. The ONLY reason to send him down is because the coaching staff...who works with him and sees him DAILY in everything he does...believes he could benefit in some way with a little AAA time. His bat was actually really solid in May. He's not off to a bad start in June so far. If the Twins hitting coaches can't coax a little more pop/power from his bat, I'm really not sure what the AAA coaches could do differently. Personally, I still think he's been used improperly, especially after he got hot in May. With all worship and deference to Buxton hitting #1, I still prefer him hitting in the #2 spot with Keaschall being the #1 that he seems destined for. As to his defense, he's not good. But I've seen worse. I maintain this is the FIRST FULL SEASON he's played 2B for a couple of years. The hope is two-fold: 1] After TJ surgery and THEN a broken arm his arm will eventually be at least a little bit stronger. 2] He's got all the athleticism in the world to just be a "decent" if not good 2B. Again, he's really still getting adjusted again. Remember, he had BARELY began playing 2B again in 2025 before the Twins brought him up out of necessity. In a season that is CLEARLY a RE-TOOL...not a complete rebuild...why on earth wouldn't we give him the entirety of the 2026 season to work at 2B before we start to make harsh determinations that he simply can't be at least a viable 2B? We've already begun to debut arms, some of whom have been asked to perform earlier than hoped for and expected. Despite some lumps, there have also been some really good developments. With healthy luck, we may see a couple more settle in before the season is done to ready the staff for the future. Unfortunately, the player side of opportunity has been blown apart by injuries to a few top prospects. But it's STILL only June 10th. There's still a lot of season for K-Pepper, Roden, Jenkins, Rodriguez, Mendez, and maybe Gonzalez to debut and get experience. But one thing often discussed in various OP and Forums is how OTHER teams like the Guardians, Brewers, and Rays do things. They survive and do well often BECAUSE they give their prospects a CHANCE to succeed. My biggest issue with the Falvey, and now Zoll I guess, FO was being so obsessed with depth that they ignored poor depth decisions at times. THIS season, I would have had BOTH Roden and Rodriguez on the opening day roster. Unfortunately, Roden got hurt early. In theory, Rodriguez would still be healthy as he wouldn't have slid in to 1B in a Saints game. You know, the whole "sliding door" example of life. K-Pepper should be up really soon. His promotion doesn't affect Keaschall. We DON'T need THREE utility players, even if they're doing OK in their roles. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a young prospect is keep working with him, but keep playing him to LEARN through experience. If Keaschall's bat suddenly tanked, instead of being on an upswing, I might be inclined to give him a AAA reset to settle down and re-focus. But we're not seeing an offensive decline. We have problems, we have issues, but giving Keaschall a very long rope to develop is not one of them.

I believe he was signed for multiple reasons. While he brings a quality veteran presence to the locker room, the real reason was to be a DH and provide offense to a team that needed another couple of bats, with the HOPE his strong finish would mean a decent start this season. Alas, past the first few weeks, he's followed a general career path of starting slow. If he did/does follow hus career path of heating up around June, he's a big bat for a team in any kind of playoff race. But if the team isn't/wasn't in any kind of playoff race, he might be moved for a solid AA or A+ arm or bat with some potential. Especially with a number of top bat prosoects sitting at AAA. Bell wasn't on my personal radar this past offseason, but I didn't hate the signing. What I DIDN'T like was the overall roster construction with him plus Larnach, plus Wallner. But that's not Bell's fault. But as someone else stated, he's really not blocking anyone at this time, other than Wallner, who I'm guessing is still 2-3 weeks away from getting his next opportunity. That gives Bell another 2-3 weeks to see if he snaps back to being a hot bat or not. And really, who else do you play besides him? You might as well run with him for another 2-3 weeks and see what happens. No decision needs to be made until then. Somewhat contrary to those comments, Roden is on his rehab assignment and will probably be back with the Saints in a couple of days. With the amount of time missed, he's probably going to need a couple weeks with the Saints to get back in a groove. It's even possible he's brought up before Wallner. And SOMEONE needs to be up so Martin isn't playing daily. I 100% the right decision was to let Martin play daily. It hasn't turned out. He needs to face LHP and occasionally RHP. But he's not built for daily play. K-Kepper should be brought up very, very soon. Take your pick who goes down between Arcia, Kreidler, and Gray. They've all done fairly well. But we sure don't need all THREE of them. Jenkins wasn't quite ready to be brought up, even though he was on a hot streak. And he's not going to be ready in a few weeks either. Rodriguez is further out. You can debate Mendez is ready, but he's still damn young, and didn't even begin the season in AAA. And WHEN do you give Roden a shot, if not now?? And you still have the Wallner equation. I don't believe there is any reason for Bell to finish the season with the Twins. But again, he isn't blocking anyone for the next 2-3 weeks, so let's just see if he actually gets hot, and might be moved for something other than cash. Then we have another opening. As far as Sabato, I'm still not a believer. But slowly, painfully so, he has reached AAA at 26yo, and is actually performing well this season, just turning 27yo a couple days ago. I wouldn't dare compare him to another Muncy, but what IF he's actually turned a corner? I don't know about everyone...it's clearly a split decision...but I wouldn't mind a couple months of an audition to see if MAYBE he's a late bloomer or truly a 1st rounder that just didn't turn out.

I have been pleasantly surprised by Larnach this year. Almost as pleased by him as I've been disappointed in Wallner. Well, there's no room for both next season. Rodriguez has no more options. Roden is already ready, even if it's as a really nice piece of the puzzle, and not a daily regular. And there's still Jenkins and Mendez and Rodriguez to consider. So there might not be room for EITHER of Larnach or Wallner. So as far.as.the OP goes, yes to moving Larnach Yes to moving Rogers if you can actually get something foe him. Absolutely not on Gomez unless it's some crazy over pay. You hit the waiver lottery and got a good arm out of it. He's relatively young, cheap, and controllable. This is what we're trying to acquire, not trade off. I'm hesitant on Clemens. Frankly, I don't know if this is him raising his game as a late bloomer, or just a single good season. But his glove work is solid, especially at 1B, he can run at least a little bit, and the LH power is pretty good. Consider how cheap he is, he's a nice 12th or 13th man to have on the roster. I'm not in a hurry to give that up unless there's a decent over pay. Otherwise, I think he might be more valuable just being kept.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY: I just find it fascinating that some fans can be so down on ownership and the build of the current team...not to mention the dive down following the end of the 2023 season...that they can't appreciate a little good news about a very talented prospect doing well. Dislike my comment, give me a thumbs down, whatever you feel like doing. It's just an observation that I don't understand. NOW, back to our regularly scheduled program: Prospect rankings are fun, but they are also fickle. How do YOU like to rank prospects is always an issue. IMO, Winokur is one of the Twins top prospects based on talent and projection. It took a big payday to keep him from going to college. But I actually like the college comp discussion. It's not a stretch at all, with his talent, that he might be a 1st round pick in the upcoming draft as a 21yo junior. And while he might go to A+ right away, he probably goes to A- for a couple of weeks to get an introduction, and then moves up to A+ to finish the season. Meanwhile, Brandon is off on a HEATER after a slow April, a great month of May, and might just be at AA July 1st barring something bad happening. I will admit to only seeing him a little bit at SS. What I have seen is a few clunkers where it looked too many body parts in motion all at once, and awkward missed plays. And then I see those parts work in unison and he makes a great snare and a rocket throw...many times off balance...straight to 1B. Reminds me of vintage Correa when it goes right. I just don't think that is his future, and I think the Twins agree. (BTW, the Twins philosophy is to keep someone at SS as long as possible as it will only help them be better 3B or 2B in the long run). He's now playing more 3B and CF. And that's where he belongs, and where his defensive chops should be honed. I've said this for a while now, I think he has the potential to be the next CF following Buxton. Rodriguez and Jenkins are FINE CF. But IMO, Winokur has not only good speed, but a long frame that could add a couple of pounds and still not lose any speed. I dare say he's at least as fast as Rodriguez and Jenkins, but might maintain his speed longer. But he's more than athletic enough to be a prime 3B prospect depending on how the Twins INF looks 2yrs from now. Does Lee continue to develop defensively at 3B? Does his improved but still somewhat inconsistent bat continue to develop as well? (And Lee HAS improved this season). Even if K-Pepper is as good of a SS as he seems to be...almost certainly better than we have currently...what if Houston's BAT is at least solid? His glove just might be special. So then there is a potential shift somewhere in the INF that I'm just not going to get in to right now. Some say Winokur is a "show me" since he's repeating A+ again. Really? That's a legitimate arguement? There aren't a ton of 20yo at A+ to begin with who perform well. And there's also not a lot of 21yo who produce the way he is currently at A+. As has been pointed out, for whatever reason, he had a bad and disappointing April. May came, and he has RAKED after a slow start to the season. While the K % is still higher than I'd like, it's also mitigated by a higher AVG, OB, BB numbers etc. I agree he's by no means a finished product. His April vs May splits indicate he's on the right track. I have no problem waiting to see what he does in June...same for Houston BTW...but I think he's about ready for AA come July 1st. And no matter his ramp up at AA, as a 21yo with his talent and potential, we should be encouraged by that promotion. He may NEVER be a good ML player. That would be a shame. Because based on pure talent, he's right up there with Rodriguez and Jenkins. For those who question if he's a wasted talent at 1B? It COULD happen. It's possible Lee or K-Pepper are established at 3B. And it's possible one of Rodriguez or Jenkins or Fountain of Youth Buxton is sitting in CF, and MAYBE his best opening is at 1B. Having a big, athletic 1B who can steal bases and crush HR is NOT a waste of athletic talent, as some have suggested. Imagine a 1B who can scoop everything, chase down foul balls and pop ups with the best of them, who can steal 20+ bases and crush 20-30 HR. Would that be a waste of talent? I think 1B is a "fall back" IF there isn't a staeting spot at 3B or one of the OF spots. Hmmm....unlikely...but it COULD happen. But NO, he wouldn't be a waste at 1B. The speed is there. The power is there. The athleticism is there. It's ALL about his BAT. And with apologies to some old school believers, if he can MAINTAIN a 30% K rate...NOT saying I wouldn't like it lower...but still HIT in the .250-.260 range and still have an above .300 OB% to go along with a good glove, a great arm, and power and speed, you have a potential All Star player. It all comes down to the BAT. He's got the other 4 tools. Can he just continue to HIT well enough to be a ML ballplayer. I'm very encouraged by his May after a surprisingly poor April. But this kid is a TALENT. And really, we should all be rooting for him as much as anyone in the system based on that talent.