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Anyone who has ever competed in an athletic event knows that a road game brings unique challenges. Travel, lodging, finding healthy meals, time away from family, time in front of fans cheering against you, finding suitable injury treatment, and changes in routine all present obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve success. The move from the Metrodome to Target Field exposed the influence that a particular ballpark layout and environment can have on a player. Any pitcher that tries to make a living at Coors Field (and any batter that took the money and ran from Coors!) can tell you that where you play the game matters too. It stands to reason that certain ballparks play into and out of a player's skill sets in different ways. Thanks to the afternoon-stealer known as FanGraphs, I dug into some of the batting wRC from road games information for 2022. Since I actually wanted to keep stadium type and normal schedule in the mix, I chose wRC over wRC+, but feel free to run the names and numbers yourself to see what changes. The top 40 names of best wRC on the road sounds like an All-Star roster. It’s also completely devoid of Twins players. Carlos Correa is the first to show up at #46, with a 42 wRC (126 wRC+). Luis Arraez joins the fray at #55, but of course he will be in the other dugout when the Twins come calling to Miami in early April. The next Twins entry is Gio Urshela at #112. Noticing a trend? The tide begins to turn towards 2023 with Jose Miranda, Kyle Farmer, Nick Gordon, and Byron Buxton cracking the top 160. I’m choosing to ignore Gary Sanchez being in there too, mainly just because I’m trying to keep this hopeful. As a team, the Twins fell in the middle of the MLB in wRC on the road, which is echoed by their 100 wRC+ score. This should be expected with very few outliers at the top of the success list, and very few players at the bottom. The top of the team list? A who’s who of playoff teams comes into focus. Noteworthy to me is Correa’s ability to perform amidst the boo-birds that he experienced all season long on the road. Royce Lewis’ amazing wRC+ (mid-300’s!) is tempered by the fact that we only got to witness it across eight road games. This speaks to the same injury and playing time issues that kept some of our better road performers to climb the list. Alex Kiriloff and Trevor Larnach showed their age and lingered towards the bottom third of the pack, and this is an area of professional ability that we can expect to grow into 2023. Rental players and minor leaguers/turned major leaguers due to necessity faired poorly, which is to be expected. This area is something to watch for as lineups get constructed on the road in 2023 as well, especially late in the season. Perhaps the brightest light that emerged from this research was the perspective on just how strong and balanced of a rookie campaign Miranda provided. You can see how his presence in the lineup became a source of hope for Twins territory as the season progressed. Lineup construction involves many variables. As metrics continue to develop for road games and individual ballpark success, it will be interesting to see just how much the Twins lineup fluctuates from series to series. In a world where righty/lefty splits rule the game, is the home/away split metric the next wave of overthinking baseball? Time will tell, but for Twins fans, improvement across this metric needs to happen sooner rather than later. PREP FOR THE SEASON WITH PREVIOUS 2023 TWINS' ROAD TRIP GUIDES Trip #1 Kansas City & Miami (3/30-4/5) Trip #2 New York & Boston (4/13-4/20) Trip #3 Chicago & Cleveland (5/2-5/7) Trip #4 I love LA!? (5/15-5/21) Trip #5 Houston, We have a Correa! (May 29-31) Trip #6 Tampa to Toronto (6/6-6/11) Trip #7 Detroit to Atlanta to Baltimore (6/23-7/2) Trip #8 West Coast Bound Again! Oakland/Seattle (7/14-7/20) Trip #9 Kansas City & St. Louis (7/28-8/3 Trip #10 Detroit & Philadelphia (8/7-8/13) Trip #11 Milwaukee (8/22-8/23) Trip #12 Texas & Cleveland (9/1-9/6) Trip #13 Chicago & Cincinnati (9/14-9/20) Trip #14 Colorado (9/29-10/1)

For Rocco Baldelli’s Twins, Carlos Correa is back and here to stay at shortstop. He may miss time over the next handful of years, but the hope is that he remains an anchor in the lineup. That doesn’t change Royce Lewis having a focus on cracking the roster and factoring in wherever his manager can use him. Having undergone a second ACL surgery, Lewis is now on the way back and if you ask him he’s ready to go. Just recently he started stepping in for live at bats, and watching him work for the past week showcased an impressive talent ready to show out. His physical stature looks good, and the speed tool continues to remain in place. Though he’ll start the season on the 60-day injured list, Lewis will be an option for Minnesota early this summer. I caught up with Royce and sat down to ask a few questions about this team, his rehab, and where the coming season may take him. Twins Daily: With this being the second time going through rehab on a torn ACL, what’s different now? Royce Lewis: The main difference is that I started in Fort Myers and then when the hurricane happened I went to Dallas to finish there. With the city being in such a bad condition, I didn’t have the same resources so it made sense to stay in Dallas. I talked with the Twins once or twice a week. As soon as Nick Paparesta signed, he talked to me once a week himself. Minnesota wrote up the schedule and would send it to my physical therapist. He acted as the middleman and just told me what to do. TD: You recently started hitting, or taking batting practice. How does that feel? How is the lateral movement going? RL: As of three days ago (March 16) we’ve been doing lateral stuff. I think I could be pushed a bit more and challenging myself more. I think I could be playing today, I truly feel great. I don’t fault the team, I’m not mad at all. The doctors got together and it makes the most sense with the second ACL injury on the same knee to play it safe. It’s about the next 15 years, I’m young. TD: With Carlos Correa coming back, has there been a mindset change about position or where you may end up at all? RL: I haven’t been told anything about positions and I’m still training like I’m a shortstop. To be honest, me playing shortstop last year and then moving positions randomly for ten days or whatever was something I could do with ease. If you can play shortstop you can play anywhere up the middle. Short, second, center, those guys can kind of play anywhere. I feel stable, and ready to go. As you saw I’m taking live at bats, but they aren’t letting me hit, I can’t swing. I’m just tracking right now, but I do feel like I’m seeing the ball great. I’ve had a couple of check swings because I’m antsy. Tuesday (March 21) is right around the corner, so I’ll hit Tuesday or Wednesday depending on who’s throwing. TD: With regards to the new rules, both pitch clock and bases, is there an opportunity to be more aggressive? RL: I usually just steal when the situation is right. I think I can get it. The bases will definitely help, it feels a lot closer. We exposed the three pickoff thing a lot in the minor leagues. As a runner, they’re promoting people to run more. Our team (Minnesota) was a bit lower on that last year, but I think this year we’ll push the envelope a bit more with the help of those new rules. I can’t wait, hopefully I get some more green lights. TD: What’s the plan from here? Do you have a destination already after camp? RL: The only thing I know is that I’ll be down here (Fort Myers) through April. Because of the whole 60-day thing, you only have 20 games you can play before. May 29th is the last day, so you’re thinking around May 9th or 10th to go somewhere to play. I think it will depend on the weather. If it’s cold, we’re not going to send you to St. Paul. Even healthy people get stiff in the cold, so maybe Wichita. TD: What makes 2023 a success for you? What are you shooting to accomplish? RL: Really to come back and make the roster. Our team is so good. We have great players and depth on both sides of the ball. To be able to crack that roster you have to be playing good. I think that’s a good goal of mine. I want to be able to help this team make a playoff push. In my heart of hearts I believe this is a playoff team. We need to stay healthy. This is a World Series contending team. TD: Why is this team different from last year? What about 2023 Opening Day looks different? RL: Having everyone have a bit more experience and be a bit more comfortable with each other. Guys like Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, myself, there’s been debuts and people feel a bit more ready. The depth is truly a thing. Good teams like the Astros and Dodgers have depth. You see a guy like Jose Altuve out for 8-10 weeks and it’s like guess what we have so-and-so to fill in and he’s also a baller. Look at Nick Gordon, he’s the best utility player in baseball. Twins fans are going to see how good this team really is. We have health right now. TD: Ending on a light night, new jerseys, which one is your favorite? RL: I like the gray pinstripes, but I think the cream Twins Cities top is the best. I love that we switched it up. I wish we had one or two more in our back pocket. I loved the red and the baby blue. There is no denying the short cameo last season was among the highlights of the year for Twins fans. Seeing Lewis play alongside Correa on the dirt this season would be great, and he remains one of the most exciting prospects Minnesota has had in quite some time.

After 18 straight postseason losses and two consecutive disappointing seasons, fanbases would usually be down. Not I. The team and everything surrounding it feels fresh. My excitement is primarily due to the front office's demonstrated desire to win. They signed Carlos Correa to a record deal, disproving the "cheap Pohlads" term. I loved the bold move of trading fan favorite Luis Arraez to acquire Pablo Lopez, which showed that they are willing to take risks to win more games. Along with those significant moves, they acquired multiple pieces that provide upside or depth that I believe should guarantee a competitive team on the field. Off the field, the Twins have taken several steps to build hype and engagement with the team - the most visible of which is the reveal of a whole new set of uniforms. The new jerseys came with the slogan "inspired by the past; built for the future," and I thought they did just that. They combined elements from the Killebrew era and the Hunter/Mauer era, bringing in a new, unique flair that I felt had been missing. This mix of past and future allowed the jerseys to resonate with all ages of Twins fans. The Twins didn't just unveil the new uniforms; they hosted an event in the rotunda of Mall of America and brought in their star players to show off the jerseys for the first time. I was at this event and witnessed firsthand how successful it was, as it brought in a large crowd and got people talking about the Twins, even in the dead of the off-season. In an effort to continue to improve TwinsFest, they added a new event called TwinsFest live. The event got great reviews as it was much more personable than other TwinsFest experiences, featuring player bartenders and other opportunities for fans to meet with the team. I hope they continue this event for years to come. The Twins have also worked to improve their online presence ahead of the season. I felt their old graphic designs for social media posts were unprofessional, so I was glad to see the Twins changed them to be simpler and modern and fit better with the new uniforms. On TikTok, they began posting daily videos asking Twins players fun questions. As a younger fan, I appreciate seeing the Twins engaging with and building a newer audience. They also added a new YouTube series called The Diamond, giving viewers a more in-depth, behind-the-scenes look. I enjoy this type of content as it shows off the Twins' star players and makes the team easier to cheer for. This offseason, the Twins worked to improve on multiple fronts, whether it was the on-field product, the merchandise, the offseason events, or social media content. The result is an entirely new, fresh look for the Twins and more excitement for the upcoming season than most prior years. Now I can't wait to see the on-field performance match this excitement and provide a memorable season for all Twins fans.

We’re quickly approaching Opening Day, and as the Minnesota Twins look to iron out their 26-man roster before heading to Kansas City, they’ll continue to make cuts from the major league side of things. As the World Baseball Classic wraps up in the coming days, there will be a few players that return to camp as well. Here’s what I’m hearing and have observed through the past week of action: Sonny Gray Gray threw against the Boston Red Sox Single-A team on Wednesday afternoon. As expected, he was dominant. Ryan Jeffers came down to the back fields to catch the outing, and it was a bit more traditional. Not using pitch com, Gray did have a pitch clock set up behind the batter. He mowed down hitters, and during his final inning, allowed a Red Sox batter to start at first base in order for him to work from the stretch. With Wednesday being his day to pitch, he is lined up for an Opening Day start against the Royals. It was Joe Ryan who captured that honor last year, but appears Gray will take it from here. He should have two more starts before the regular season kicks off. Gray could certainly be a difference maker on the mound for the Twins this year. Entering the final year of his deal, a strong season could earn another big payday. Carlos Correa He returned to Minnesota’s lineup on Friday after missing some time following the birth of his son. He noted working out while away, and there is little reason to think he’ll have any rust to knock off. Correa has been a pillar of preparation this year for Minnesota and could be in for a massive season during year one of the mega deal. Nick Gordon Thursday saw a return to action for Gordon. He had missed time following an ankle injury suffered on a defensive play. Rocco Baldelli had him at second base against the Rays and he went 1-for-3 on the afternoon. Gordon should again be expected to play a substantial amount in a utility role, and is a key part of Minnesota’s 26-man roster. Royce Lewis Thursday morning saw Lewis doing sprint work on the Twins practice field before he stepped in the cage. Resuming hitting roughly a week ago, the stroke looked smooth as he sent a handful of batting practice balls over the fence. Returning from a second ACL injury, Lewis looks strong and back to form. He’ll continue to rehab having been placed on the 60-day injured list, but should be an option for Minnesota come early summer. Lewis did take live at bats on the back fields prior to the Twins game on Friday. He continues to do rehab work and has a bit longer rehab day on Saturday. I plan to talk with him following his workout, so be on the lookout for a more in depth interview in the coming days. Alex Kirilloff The good news is that Kirilloff is reportedly swinging with no pain. He has been seen smiling and upbeat following batting sessions and that is not something that Minnesota saw much of last season. The bad news is that he has yet to appear in any game action and time is running out. It remains to be seen how he will be utilized the rest of the way this spring, but logic says he’d need to get game action before being an option to start on Opening Day. Kirilloff got in some love at bat work prior to Friday’s action on the back fields. He does have a noticeable amount of wrist tape on his left forearm. The swing is still smooth, but it doesn’t appear he lets it fly every time. He was struck out in a few at bats by Alex Phillips and Sean Mooney. It was nice to see him a bit more ramped up than the casual batting practice action Thursday. Byron Buxton Although he has yet to appear in a major league game this spring, Buxton is getting plenty of work in. He got five at bats during the Triple-A game on Thursday as Louie Varland worked against the Braves minor leaguers on the mound. Buxton batted second each inning and did not play the field. He finished his day with a walk and didn’t have much opportunity to show off the wheels. Regardless of where the cuts are coming, it’s good to see Buxton appears on track to go north with Minnesota. Omari Daniel The 2022 draft pick was taken in the 14th round last year and swayed away from college. He underwent Tommy John surgery not long after and never made his professional debut. He was in the lineup Wednesday for his first professional action. The speed was on display and is impressive. He’s not a guy that appears on prospect lists, but the Twins did significant work to get him into pro ball and it’s nice that he’ll be completely healthy this year. Hernan Perez Minnesota continues to bring in depth and did so in the form of Hernan Perez. He is playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic alongside of Pablo Lopez, Luis Arraez, and Eduardo Escobar. There shouldn’t be much expectation for him to sniff the big league roster, but he can help at St. Paul. Perez hasn’t accumulated much major league time of late but had a run with the Milwaukee Brewers. Edouard Julien He was incredible on a global stage during the World Baseball Classic. Going 7-for-13 with a pair of doubles and homers, the bat just continues to play. He’ll return to Twins camp this week, and after being optioned earlier this week he’s ticketed for more time in the minors. Triple-A is probably the next stop, but he certainly is making a compelling case that he belongs. Should someone miss time, his bat could be enough to warrant opportunity. Lineups The Tampa Bay Rays brought one of the worst lineups I have ever seen for their action against the Twins on Thursday. There wasn’t a single player close to being a big-league regular that was in the lineup. Because that how spring training goes, Tampa won the game 2-0. It’s certainly a good thing that the result doesn’t matter. Joe Ryan did work four innings and punched out five. That would put him on track to start Minnesota’s second game of the season. He should have two more outings before heading north. What other Twins questions or comments do you have as spring training continues on?

Last year, Carlos Correa found himself in Twins camp following a lengthy lockout and an odd free agency process. He was thrust into action while only getting a handful of game at-bats. Despite the challenges, he parlayed it into a successful first year in Minnesota. Across 136 games, held back only by an unfortunate hit by pitch and a bout with Covid, Correa posted an .834 OPS, which translated to a 140 OPS+. He blasted 22 homers in his first year calling Target Field home, and while the defensive metrics were slightly down on him, he played a solid shortstop. However, if you watched the Twins consistently last year, you know there were stretches where it seemed Correa got lost. What if a complete spring training and traditional lead-up to the season unlocks a new level? The reality is that Correa could be embarking on a path that leads him to the Hall of Fame. His career trajectory is already impressive, and continued production for the Twins will have him in the conversation when he hangs up his cleats. Still in the prime of his career at just 28 years old, this should be another high-producing season for the superstar shortstop. Correa’s 140 OPS+ last year trailed only his 155 OPS+ during 2017 when he was named to his first All-Star team. Last season was odd in that offense was down due to MLB again tampering with the baseball. We don’t yet know how this season’s ball will play, and we don’t know to what extent it will be manipulated on a per-game basis. What we can look into is Correa’s production as a whole. Through his first 24 games last season, Correa owned just a .693 OPS. It’s unsurprising that a player would start slow, even less so when playing in a cold-temperature state like Minnesota. His next 47 games culminated in an impressive .876 OPS and saw the former Houston Astros post nearly a .400 on-base percentage. Correa hit the skids from the end of July into early September, though. While teammates were dropping like flies, he remained in the lineup but had little protection. He hit just three homers in his next 36 games and owned an ugly .695 OPS with just seven total extra-base hits. During the final month, over a span of 29 games, Correa did everything he could to produce for the Twins. Correa posted an impressive 1.032 OPS while batting a whopping .370. He had 15 extra-base hits, of which seven left the yard, and he was arguably the best hitter in baseball during that time. Baseball is a sport of streaks, and while you will have cold streaks, Correa keeping his trends pointing up could go a long way in 2023. ZiPS and Steamer projections have him slated for slightly diminished OPS marks with two additional home runs. However, ZiPS sees the fWAR tally coming in at 5.9 after being 4.4 last season, which certainly accounts for enhanced defensive production. For a guy who has twice topped a .900 OPS in his career, it’s not unthinkable to believe he could do so again this season. The projection systems seem a bit light regarding how offense may change this year, and Correa has more comfort going for him in 2023. He likes hitting in Target Field, and knowing it’s his home for the long haul could bring on an excellent show this summer. How high do you expect Correa’s stock to rise this season, and where is a reasonable expectation for his offensive production to check in at?

Projected Starter: Carlos Correa Likely Backup: Kyle Farmer Depth: Nick Gordon, Willi Castro Prospects: Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis, Noah Miller THE GOOD Every projected starter in the Twins infield has been saddled with limitations this spring. All of them, that is, except for the guy whose injury concerns cost him $150 million during the offseason. Correa, currently away from the team for the birth of his new baby boy Kenzo, has looked healthy and unhindered in Twins camp. The ankle issue that cratered contract agreements with the Giants and Mets was always considered more of a long-term concern, but nonetheless it's good to see Correa out running around in games after all the hoopla. Even aside from the health thing, whatever weight you want to assign it, we should objectively expect the 2023 season to be the best of any in Correa's new long-term contract – merely because he's as young as he'll ever be. At 28, the shortstop is still in his physical prime, and hasn't shown many signs of slowing down on the field. The Twins would be perfectly content with a repeat of his '22 campaign, in which Correa slashed .291/.366/.467 with 22 homers and was worth 4.4 fWAR. But we know he's got another gear, and saw it truly emerge in the second half, when Correa found his groove and posted an .866 OPS, mixing in many clutch moments that were amiss in the early months. Fast forward to this year: Correa is familiar and comfortable with his new surroundings, settled in for the long haul. If we see the late-season version of C4 from Day 1, he'll be an MVP contender, as he was in 2021. The organizational depth chart behind Correa is quite loaded. I hesitate to call it an embarrassment of riches, but the Twins boast a lot of shortstop talent, and that's a very good place to be. Correa's backup, Farmer, has started more than 200 MLB games at short over the past two seasons. The utilityman Gordon came up as a shortstop, and has played 31 games there for the Twins. Beyond those two, four of the system's top 20 prospects – Lee, Lewis, Austin Martin, Miller – have played shortstop exclusively in the minors. The Twins are obviously hoping Correa sticks at the six-spot for quite a while, but there's no shortage of current or future replacements in the wings. THE BAD There are a few things to note regarding Correa and his future at shortstop. The first is that his defensive metrics dropped off a cliff last year, following a long and very stable run of excellence. It's difficult to know what to make of this, but the stark contrast against all previous seasons is too much to ignore. Even if you think his nosedive in Outs Above Average, Defensive Runs Saved, and other fielding stats last year was noise, there's reason to believe Correa's biggest strength (his arm) could be neutralized by rule changes that prevent infielders from touching the outfield grass. Playing deep was a big part of the cannon-armed shortstop's edge. The other thing to keep in mind is that the Mets were ready to sign Correa as a third baseman and he was ready to accept the assignment. The idea of life at a new position has already been implanted. He's staying at shortstop with the Twins, but it now feels like an ephemeral arrangement. If the ankle starts barking at some point, or last year's defensive stat trend presages things to come, Correa will likely move off short. That eventuality seems implied in the structure of a contract with steeply declining salaries in the latter years. THE BOTTOM LINE The Twins have one of the premier shortstops in the game, and he's locked in for the long haul. There are a few different factors that make it reasonable to wonder just how long Correa will stick at short, despite his being only 28 years old and one season removed from a Platinum Glove, but that eventual scenario doesn't instill much dread at the moment. This is the strongest position in the Twins organization, featuring arguably their best player and inarguably their biggest concentration of top prospects. Not all of those young talents will stick, of course, but several have a real chance. If Correa puts together a season that convinces the Minnesota brass his tenure at shortstop is nowhere near done, those prospects could easily become the club's most valuable trading collateral for buy moves at the deadline. Catch Up On Our Position Preview Series: Position Analysis: Catcher Position Analysis: First Base Position Analysis: Second Base Position Analysis: Third Base

From a baseline perspective, the win total is a point of contention each year. While not predictive of standings in the vein that Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA attempts, over/under win totals attempt to place a value on a team's overall ability. This season Bovada has the Minnesota Twins checking in at 83.5 wins while giving them equal odds (+150) to finish either first or second in the AL Central. Ending with the win total, here are some thoughts on Twins over/under lines being offered for the 2023 season: Byron Buxton HR Total - 27.5 Despite his speed, Byron Buxton’s best swing has always looked like it would produce more of a power hitter than someone that needed to steal bases. We have seen that play out in recent seasons, and despite playing just 92 games last year, he blasted 28 home runs. On a per-game basis, Buxton’s power is in line with Mike Trout and some of the best sluggers across all of baseball. Minnesota would probably like to see Buck reign it in a bit more at the plate, leaning into a higher level of discipline. He will still run into his fair share of long balls, which comes down to the number of games he can remain healthy for. Hoping that this is the season for the fluky injuries to stop; Buxton playing anything north of 100 games should allow him to cruise by his home run total. It’s a risk betting on his health, but give me the over here. Carlos Correa Batting Average - .280 Batting average is not the indication of results that it was once viewed as, but there is still plenty of value to be placed on it. Last season the Twins star shortstop hit .291 across 136 games. That included a significant slump during the middle of the season. He is a .279 career hitter and has hit over .280 just twice in his eight-year career. I don’t think I’d touch this line, but I could certainly see an argument for the over. With the lack of a shift, Correa could see a few more hits fall, and he gets the benefit of a normal Spring Training where he can settle into his new home. Overall, I think Correa’s slash line trends more towards on-base and slugging, so while his OPS should rise, the batting average may fall. Give me the under on this one. Pablo Lopez/Joe Ryan Wins - 10.5 Pitcher wins have very little value in and of themselves, but they will forever remain a tracked statistic. Last year, Rocco Baldelli was hamstrung with regard to how deep his starters could go in a game. That shouldn’t be the case, given the depth he has this year, and that should benefit the pitching staff as a whole. Joe Ryan led the club with 13 wins last year and shows up in this space for 2023. Lopez was reason enough to trade Luis Arraez, and he is coming off a 10-win season of his own. In the Minnesota rotation, both players should be expected to have plenty of offensive backing, and a better bullpen should protect their leads. Eleven wins is a substantial number, but a good Minnesota team should have a couple of double-digit winners. I’m not sure these are the exact two, but I think at least one should get there. I’ll take the over on Lopez and let it be. Minnesota Twins Wins - 83.5 Looking at the division, I think it’s fair to suggest that Minnesota is right there at the top. Cleveland didn’t do much to get better this offseason, and while they are the reigning champs, it may have been more to do with taking advantage of a situation. Chicago still strikes me as the roster to look out for, and while Pedro Grifol is better in charge than Tony La Russa, that may not be enough to vault them up. Even if the Twins can’t grab the AL Central title again, and I wouldn’t bet against that, they should surpass 84 wins. This looks like a group that can fly past 90 and even a disastrous finish, as the walking wounded saw them win 78 last season. The pitching depth is there, and while the lineup looks different, this team is constructed to compete. I’m taking the over. What are your favorite bets or over/under tallies for the 2023 Twins?

Neither is inherently evil, whether it's the pitch clock or your politics. The application of both is where it can get ugly quickly, and things may start to get a little awkward at family gatherings, and yes, I'm still talking about the pitch clock. Love it or hate it, the new rules are here for 2023, and the Twins have built a team that can take advantage of the new era of baseball. With the shift changes, the pick-off rules, bigger bases, and the fact that the full season for an MLB player is roughly 150 games, the Twins used these facts to help coordinate roster moves. The Twins offseason was a roller coaster ride for shmucks like me trying to figure out what was going on with this team. Now that the dust has settled, the picture is more visible. The front office has constructed a team with elite defense and some left-handed bats that can benefit from an open right side for the first time in their careers. Defensively, teams with elite athletes that can cover ground and make superstar plays, rather than having a spray chart in their back pocket telling them where to play to create outs, will benefit the most. Athletes will be back making more outs, not data points. Having an elite defensive shortstop becomes way more attractive now that there will be a premium on being able to range to the left and right and make big-time throws. Now that shortstops can't swing to the other side of second base, we will see Carlos Correa (aka C4) ranging to his left and making that spin throw on the right side of second base a couple of times this year. I'm excited to see shortstops limited in their shifting ability and see some of the most impressive athletes in the world be able to show it off. The Twins get to be, arguably, the biggest beneficiary. The Twins also brought in Joey Gallo, who we have seen with a wider stance, driving the ball to all fields early in spring. Even this tiny sample size is encouraging. With no shift and pitchers not having as much incentive to throw the cutter inside because there is no iron curtain on the right side, we could see Gallo finally flourish. With a simplified Gallo approach, fans may see a fun uptick from your dad's least favorite player (trademark pending). Joey Gallo also fits the mold of the elite defenders that the team has placed a high value on; Michael A Taylor and the already-established Kepler/Buxton outfield combo may be worthy of a Soul Patrol-level nickname. The shift doesn't impact the outfield as much, but it's worth noting that the Twins attacked the defensive side of this team with the thought of improving their offense too, or the banned shift may provide that offensive uptick on its own. Every team in the league has abandoned the idea of a guy playing 162 games. (In 2022, only Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson and shortstop Dansby Swanson played in all 162 games.) The depth and positional flexibility will make Baldelli's job pretty simple (that thought may get the old-timers to sleep at night). The Twins have solid defenders that can play all over. Farmer, Gordon, Solano, Gallo, Kirilloff, Miranda, and Taylor (fans will see him and Buxton in the same outfield) can all play multiple positions. So much tinkering can be done with this lineup and not lose the edge created defensively. There are quality options when a player gets a day off due to injuries, rest, or just putting the best nine out there on a given day. The Twins aren't a finished product as it stands right now. More moves may be coming, but the Minnesota Twins will defend as well as anybody in the league as a unit. Great defense in a pitcher-friendly ballpark has the potential to be a phenomenal winning formula. It's getting to be time for the rubber to meet the road. I'm excited to start seeing the payoff of all the moves and top-tier defense returning in the MLB. There is no doubt in my mind that Twins management took the new rules into account when building an elite defensive ball club for 2023. Regarding the rule changes, you can see the glass half empty or half full, but we should know by now that the Twins front office sees a glass that was made too big. They dealt with reality and facts and used that logic to create a competitive product for 2023. Go, Twins!

Jim Pohlad will still be involved with the Twins to a degree but as his 70th birthday approaches next month, he decided it was time for him to pass his day-to-day roles to Joe Pohlad. Jim Pohlad will still be the team’s representative in ownership for any league matters. Many Twins fans ponder what will be different with Joe Pohlad compared to Jim Pohlad. From the first three months on the job, it’s already apparent to some fans that Joe is more public-facing and involved with the front office. For starters, Dan Hayes of the Athletic wrote in his piece on Joe Pohlad (published February 14) that, unlike his uncle and grandfather’s time as the Twins chairman, he will be keeping an office at Target Field. On top of that, Joe Pohlad was heavily involved in making sure the Twins brought back superstar shortstop Carlos Correa and gave him the largest contract in team history. “I can think of no better way to articulate the seamless transition from Jim, his uncle to Joe than what we just went through,” said Derek Falvey during Correa’s press conference on January 11. “Ultimately going back to March and the contract we came up with, and then this offseason. Joe's been a part of those conversations for the last five plus years, at least that I've been here. So I expected that but Joe's patience was matched in a similar way, what Scott [Boras] and Carlos were showing, but also that persistence and that desire to find a way to get to this outcome.” Later during the press conference, Twins Daily co-owner John Bonnes followed up on this quote from Falvey asking Joe Pohlad if the large contract for Correa was a sign of things to come with future free agent deals. Joe Pohlad responded saying, “We'll take that on a case-by-case basis. Like Derek said earlier, we're in constant communication, and we're always looking at ways to make our team better. So if those opportunities come forward, then we'll evaluate that [them] then.” While Joe Pohlad has had a more active role in team transactions than his uncle in the last five years according to Falvey, he still does not want to become or be seen as an owner “who’s always meddling,” as Hayes wrote in the same article on February 14. Joe Pohlad’s interaction in the team’s baseball operations since returning to the front office in 2018 has not come without experience. He spent time as an assistant in the baseball operations department beginning in 2007. His experience there, which not many owners in Major League Baseball have had, sheds light that he is willing to shed the common trope Twins fans attribute to his family; the “Cheap Pohlads.” When asked individually at the January 11 press conference if Correa’s re-signing shows critical fans that ownership is committed to building the team for a championship, Joe Pohlad responded, “I hope so. I think how we view it, or at least how I view it, is this the best route for us in order to get to where we want to be, which is a competitive team that can compete for a World Series?. Ultimately, the goal is to win and is every move we make going to add to that and achieve that goal? And this [signing] is gonna do that.” Joe Pohlad was built up in the Twins organization to be fitted for this role. He’s worked in a variety of roles within the Twins in anticipation of the day when this role was bestowed on him. In an era of Major League Baseball where the reputations of team owners usually bring negative connotations to their franchises, Joe Pohlad may be the outlier. Especially when compared to the ownership of teams such as the Houston Astros’ Jim Crane, the Cincinnati Reds’ Phil Castellini, and the Baltimore Orioles’ John Angelos. Joe Pohlad is in a similar boat as Castellini and Angelos with other family members (specifically the fathers of Castellini and Angelos), who are still living and have the ownership of the team in their name. Unlike the two though, Joe Pohlad has not made any comments that have had fanbases question their commitments to their franchises or the game of baseball. As the first full season with Joe Pohlad at the helm warms up in Ft. Myers for spring training, he has demonstrated many reasons for Twins fans to hope things are changing for the better. Maybe even enough to made the phrase, “Cheap Pohlads” be heard less often as fans return to Target Field for the 2023 season.

"He makes it look easy" is one of the highest compliments you can pay a person when it comes to something so immensely challenging as playing baseball at the highest level. And yet, that's Brooks Lee in a nutshell. The 2022 first-round pick has handled everything thrown at him with such a sense of grace and nonchalance that it's easy to see why the Twins keep throwing more. Selected eighth overall out of Cal Poly, Lee impressed the organization enough with his smooth transition to the pro game that they advanced him rapidly over a two-month span. Following a brief opening stint at rookie ball, where he batted .353 in four games, Lee skipped right past Low-A and went straight to Cedar Rapids. In 25 games with the Kernels, the switch-hitter slashed .289/.395/.454 with four home runs and an 18-to-16 K/BB ratio. His performance was so impressive that he received a late promotion to Double-A, where he went 11-for-26 (.423) in six contests, including four playoff games. This spring, the Twins are showing a ton of faith and belief in Lee. Oftentimes when a prospect drafted nine months earlier is invited to big-league camp, it's used as an opportunity to soak in the experience and acclimate to major-league surroundings. Not in Lee's case. They're throwing him right into the fire. Through the first four days of spring training games, Lee made three starts and handled the assignment with aplomb, notching four hits in nine at-bats. "He’s clearly not overwhelmed with the situation," observed manager Rocco Baldelli after Lee went 2-for-3 against the Braves on Tuesday. For his part, Lee says he wasn't quite expecting to get this much early-spring action ... not that he's disappointed. "It's pretty surprising, but I signed up for it. I'm having a lot of fun." For those familiar with Lee's background, his ability to take it all in stride and enjoy the moment shouldn't come as a huge shock. The Coach's Kid The narrative about a coach's kid with supernatural baseball aptitude can be an overplayed trope, but in Lee's case it is impossible to deny. After starring for San Luis Obispo High School in California, he was considered a top name in the 2019 draft, but withdrew his name the day before, informing teams he intended to play at Cal Poly for his father Larry, who'd served as Mustangs head coach for nearly two decades. A 2020 season lost to injury and COVID was followed by an excellent 2021, where he batted .342 with a 1.010 OPS, and then an even better 2022, which featured a .357/.462/.664 slash line and cemented his status as a top-10 draft pick. Growing up as a coach's kid creates a deep and unique connection to the baseball field, and the fundamentals of the game. It's apparent to Lee's current manager, who himself was coached by his father as a youth. Rocco has credited Dan Baldelli with developing his love for the game, so he can relate to this special aspect of Lee's makeup. "He’s a very relaxed guy when he’s at the ballpark," Baldelli said. "He gives off the impression that he is a coach’s son and he spent many, many, many years of his life at a baseball field, and he knows everything that goes on at the baseball field. It doesn’t feel like there’s a ton going on here that he’s completely unfamiliar with." In particular, Baldelli has been impressed by Lee's ability to process information and adapt on the fly. "The at-bats look good. He makes really good adjustments during at-bats, he finds a way to get his barrel kind of on a good plane. Depending on what’s going on in the count, depending on the pitcher he’s facing, he’s not a one-trick pony at the plate, that’s pretty clear from watching him." This crucial quality helps explain why Lee emerged as a top 2022 draft prospect – MLB.com had him ranked as the fifth-best draft prospect ahead of time – and why the Twins were so delighted to get him with the No. 8 pick. So far he's been everything they could've hoped, with his initial performance standing out so much that Lee managed to sneak (ever-so-slightly) past Royce Lewis to claim the No. 1 spot on our latest Twins prospect rankings. Now all he has to contend with is a troubled history for those who've been in this position before. Breaking a Pattern of Top Prospect Letdowns I wrote recently about the track record for Twins prospects who've topped our rankings over the past 10 years. It's a list that includes: Most recently, Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff, who are both grappling with potentially career-threatening health issues as we head into this season. Austin Martin, who plummeted in the rankings following a tough encore season at Double-A in 2022. Fernando Romero, who fizzled out and never came close to reaching his high-end starter potential. Byron Buxton, whose career thus far has epitomized the disruptive power of uncontrollable forces impacting elite athletes, even when their on-field play matches their promise. Can Lee break the spell? His skill set is so advanced, balanced, and resilient that it feels almost impossible to envision a Martin-esque performance drop-off. Injuries are of course less predictable, and Lee hasn't been able to totally avoid their grip – he suffered a hyperextended knee in 2020 that required surgery – but he's fully healthy and without any restriction this spring. That differentiates them from so many other players in camp, and has probably contributed to the number of opportunities available to him here in the first week of games. The natural question now, for The Natural, is what comes next. What's Ahead for Brooks Lee? I'm assuming Lee will open the year at Double-A. That's a semi-aggressive assignment on its face, but so send him back to Single-A would feel almost unfair to the pitchers there. Once he's settled in Wichita, Lee is instantly in range of a big-league promotion, and his showing this spring helps build confidence he'll be ready for the call whenever it comes. "Offensively, defensively, everything we’ve thrown at him, he’s handled it, done it, excelled at it, and he looks good," said Baldelli. Assuming he picks up where he left off in the minors, it becomes a matter of when and where Lee's opportunity will arise in the majors. The Twins are hoping it won't come anytime soon at shortstop, where Correa is penciled in for years to come. The more imminent opportunity figures to come at third base, and it sort of feels like the organization is planning around such a scenario, maybe sooner than later. Playing third would be a relatively new experience for Lee, who played shortstop exclusively in college and has yet to appear anywhere else defensively as a pro. He said short is his favorite position, but added, "I love third too." Maybe it's meant to be. After all, Lee was named after legendary Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson. In the past, he's set his sights on an accordingly ambitious career path. "Honestly, I think I should be a Hall of Famer when I grow up and be in the talk for one of the greatest of all time," Lee said back in 2021 as a redshirt freshman at Cal Poly. These days, he's a little more subdued in his goal-setting. Asked what he hopes to accomplish this year: "Just be satisfied with how I did at the end of the season, that’s all I care about. Haven’t really thought about stats or anything like that, or where I’m gonna be." Sounds like a coach's kid. And while he doesn't have his dad in the dugout anymore, Larry is never too far away – Brooks says he talks to him "every day." Upon reaching the big leagues, Lee will have the luxury of a more contemporary mentor close at hand. After Correa exited his spring training debut on Wednesday, I asked for his impressions of Lee thus far. "Man that kid is a stud," Correa said, with an added emphasis on the last word. "I really, really, really like this kid. I’m very high on him. Don’t be surprised if we see him up this year, he’s very, very good man. Everybody I talk to about him, it’s high praise. I don’t get impressed very easily. That was definitely a great pick by the Twins." Just a couple of first-round shortstops who make it look easy.

Twins fans got to see Carlos Correa in his first Grapefruit League action on Wednesday afternoon as he batted second and started at shortstop in the Twins 4-4 tie with the Philadelphia Phillies. He singled in his first at-bat and felt good even before that. On his first swing he pulled a ball foul and then stepped outside the batter's box to reflect on how good his swing was. Then he remembered the new pitch clock. John Bonnes got the rest of the story from Correa. ⬇️🙃 correaclock-landscape.mp4

The Twins ended Wednesday’s home game against the Phillies in a 4-4 tie, but the day was more eventful than that boring outcome would suggest. In this 22-minute rundown of today’s key topics, I talked about: Carlos Correa’s spring debut, and some of the thoughts he shared after the game about putting a frustrating offseason behind him, dealing with the new infield positioning limitations, and facing the Phillies’ top prospect (who is a fellow Scott Boras client). Bailey Ober’s hugely encouraging first spring start, which featured eye-opening velocity readings, as well as his thoughts on how it went. Weather-related implications of the pitch clock that I’d not considered until something Ober said after his outing. News that José Miranda will not play in the WBC due to lingering shoulder soreness, and why Rocco Baldelli isn’t especially concerned at this point. If you're a Caretaker, just scroll down for your exclusive content! And if you're not, maybe consider becoming a Caretaker? You likely visit regularly, and that's going to become even more likely as the season gears up. Supporting something you value feels good, especially when it's been here feeding your baseball habit for over 10 years for free, right? We're in spring training reporting because we love this stuff, and we want to share it as much as we can, so you can find lot of free content from Fort Myers other places on the site. But unfortunately, spring training is expensive, and that's especially true this year after Hurricane Ian damaged a lot of the lodging options. Plus, there are lot of other benefits, like a free Winter Meltdown ticket and early access for guest, special callouts on the site, and lots more inside or in-depth content like this. So please consider joining our little club. The money is going to a site you love, to support coverage you love, and writers you value. Thank you so much. Join Here to support Twins Daily and get your exclusive content!

Spring training's start is a time to reflect on the off-season and look ahead to the upcoming campaign. The Twins' off-season plan included a whirlwind of moves, including signing the biggest free-agent contract in team history. Other AL Central teams were less active, so that begs the question: Are the Twins the AL Central's Most Improved Team? Last Friday, The Athletic's Jayson Stark surveyed 29 executives, former executives, coaches, and scouts for their opinions on the upcoming season. The Twins ranked as the sixth most-improved team in the American League. All the remaining AL Central teams ranked in the top five among the least-improved teams in the AL. The Tigers ranked as the overall least-improved team with 19 votes. Let's recap what happened in the AL Central this winter. 5. Tigers Off-Season Recap: Traded Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens for Nick Maton, Matt Vierling, and Donny Sands; Signed Michael Lorenzen; Signed Matthew Boyd; Traded Joe Jimenez for Justyn-Henry Malloy and Jake Higginbotham In 2021, the Tigers surprised many on the way to a third-place finish in the AL Central. Last season, there was even more anticipation surrounding the team, with many of their top prospects expected to impact the big-league roster. Their season failed to get off the ground for Detroit as the club struggled to a 66-96 record. The team's offseason moves will minimally impact the roster, and that's why the club projects to lose 90 games. Tigers fans can hope that Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Matt Manning, Spencer Torkelson, and Riley Greene improve at the big-league level, but Detroit's season looks bleak. 4. White Sox Off-Season Recap: Lost Jose Abreu and Johnny Cueto to free agency; Signed Mike Clevinger; Signed Andrew Benintendi; Signed Elvis Andrus; Traded Theo Denlinger for Franklin German Many expected the White Sox to run away with the AL Central in 2021, but the club finished with a .500 record. Pedro Grifol, the former Royals bench coach, is stepping into the managerial role. Like the Twins, Chicago was hit hard by the injury bug last season. Jose Abreu has been a team leader on and off the field, so it will be interesting to see how the team adjusts to not having him in the lineup. Mike Clevinger is under investigation for domestic violence, so there is no guarantee of how much he will pitch for the club this season. Andrew Benintendi is a solid addition to the club, but there are other holes on the roster. Elvis Andrus was still on the market and agreed to a deal over the weekend. The White Sox had room to make plenty of other moves but decided to put their faith in a healthier club in 2023. 3. Royals Off-Season Recap: Signed Jordan Lyles; Traded Wyatt Mills for Jacob Wallace; Signed Ryan Yarbrough; Signed Aroldis Chapman; Traded Adalberto Mondesi for Josh Taylor; Traded Michael A. Taylor for Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz; Signed Zack Greinke Kansas City seems stuck in rebuilding mode with some high-end young players and a farm system ranking in the middle of the pack. The Royals aren't going to contend in the near future, but some exciting players are on the roster. Their place on this list is related more to what the other AL Central teams did or didn't do this winter. Aroldis Chapman is an all-time great relief pitcher, but it's hard to know what he has left in the tank. Kansas City can hope he has a great first half, and they can deal him before the trade deadline. Royals fans can pin their hopes on watching Zack Greinke join the 3,000 strikeout club with 108 Ks in 2023. 2. Guardians Off-Season Recap: Traded Carlos Vargas for Ross Carver; Traded Nolan Jones for Juan Brito; Signed Mike Zunino; Signed Josh Bell; Traded Owen Miller for a PTBNL; Traded Will Benson for Justin Boyd Cleveland didn't need to add much to their roster to be projected near the top of the AL Central. Last season, projections didn't have the Guardians running away with the division, but Minnesota and Chicago fell apart. Many experts will pick Cleveland to win the division again, but they must prove that 2022 wasn't a fluke. The Guardians had a couple of offseason needs, which the team filled with Mike Zunino and Josh Bell. Those aren't big-name free agents, but the club was already considered the most complete in the AL Central. Their organization continues to pump out big-league-caliber pitchers, and Jose Ramirez is one of the game's best hitters. Cleveland fans can look to the future when David Blitzer takes full ownership of the club, which could increase the team's payroll. 1. Twins Off-Season Recap: Signed Carlos Correa; Signed Christian Vazquez; Signed Joey Gallo; Trade Casey Legumina for Kyle Farmer, Trade Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz for Michael A. Taylor; Trade Luis Arraez for Pablo Lopez, Jose Salas, and Byron Chourio; Trade Gio Urshela for Alejandro Hidalgo Minnesota's whirlwind winter has been full of ups and downs. Correa seemed headed to multiple other organizations before returning to the Twins. Vazquez adds depth behind the plate, which was one of the team's most significant needs this winter. The front office also upgraded the rotation by trading for Pablo Lopez, even though it cost Luis Arraez. On paper, the Twins have tremendous depth throughout the roster, which can help if/when injuries impact the team in 2023. Some of the moves will help the team more than others, but the team's leaders have set high goals. Can this roster meet expectations? How would you rank the moves made by the AL Central teams this offseason? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

On Tuesday, Baseball Prospectus—one of baseball's leading analysis site—released their PECOTA projections for every player in MLB. PECOTA predicts nearly everything; minor stats like caught stealing, hit by pitch, and triples emanate from its crystal ball along with more crucial numbers like slugging and BABIP. For this article, we will focus on DRC+ and WARP. Below are Minnesota’s likely opening day position players (plus Royce Lewis) along with their position, DRC+, WARP, and player comp. You can read more about DRC+ here, but to oversimplify, it’s a play off Fangraphs’ wRC+ that also considers inputs like pitcher quality and play outcome relative to the stadium; a hit off Jacob deGrom is worth more than a hit off a position player, after all. 100 is league average, with each point in either direction standing as a percent in relation to the average. If that doesn’t make sense: Byron Buxton’s 119 projection means he will be 19% better than the average hitter. WARP is Baseball Prospectus’ version of WAR; 2.0 is considered an average player. Note: These are the 50% projections, meaning each player has a coin flip’s chance of beating or falling behind their projection. Alright! We have some zesty numbers above. I’m struck by Jorge Polanco standing as an equal with Carlos Correa (they were ranked 44 and 45, respectively) as they share an identical DRC+ projection. Cody Christie wrote that Polanco is Minnesota’s most underrated player, and he may be correct. Correa’s projection appears surprisingly tepid, given that he’s bested a 117 DRC+ in his last two seasons. The next surprise is Joey Gallo. Despite Gallo owning one of the most extreme profiles in baseball, PECOTA sees his 2022 as something of a fluke, and the machine hands him a generous 107 DRC+ projection. I think the Twins would be glad to receive that kind of production from Gallo. His comp is spot-on. Now, on to some disappointments. Nick Gordon’s 86 DRC+ appears low, but PECOTA is typically suspicious of high strikeout/high BABIP players. It’s a tricky balancing act—any drop in power kills his entire profile—but it’s not impossible for him to succeed; Gordon will need to prove himself again in 2023. Then, Trevor Larnach. I scrolled through about 1500 players before finding Larnach munching on algae at the bottom of the list, impressing no one with an 85 DRC+. He suffers from a similar ailment as Gordon: producing with a compromised strikeout-fueled skillset, but he also lacks the playing time to prove his system works. To end this article, we’ll go over a few fun projections. PECOTA loves what Yunior Severino cooked up in the minors last season, handing him a 97 DRC+ despite just a handful of games in the high minors. Jose Salas—part of Minnesota’s return for Luis Arraez—earns a 0.7 WARP projection despite a putrid offensive line; the machine must love his defense. PECOTA sees something in Jair Camargo’s profile; he earned a 0.4 WARP projection despite traveling in the same boat as Yunior Severino. And finally… 36-year-old ByungHo Park has a 99 DRC+ projection. Legends never die. Any other numbers catch your eye? Are there any projections not covered in this article you would like to know about? Leave a comment and start the discussion. Note: Baseball Prospectus tinkers with PECOTA until the start of the season; these numbers were taken on February 14th and may not match future projections. Also, if you question PECOTA's value, Rob Mains wrote about how successful the machine is and where it fails.

For the Minnesota Twins, 2023 represents an opportunity to right the ship. Rocco Baldelli got off to a great start in his managerial career, but since the 2019 Bomba Squad, things haven’t been the same. Despite a postseason berth in 2020, the Twins have missed playoff baseball each of the past two years. This roster looks the part of being the best we’ve seen in some time, and the front office now wants to see it matter on the field. While we are still a bit away from seeing the Twins in game action, there is plenty to catch up on from the offseason. Who’s Out From the Opening Day roster last year, just 14 players currently remain in the system. Notably, starting catcher Gary Sanchez is gone, and so too are starting infielders Luis Arraez and Gio Urshela. Minnesota flipped the arbitration-eligible Urshela to the Los Angeles Angels for prospect Alejandro Hidalgo, while Arraez’s departure brought in Jorge Lopez (along with Jose Salas and Byron Chourio). The rotation will no longer see Dylan Bundy or Chris Archer among it, and longstanding organizational piece Miguel Sano remains unemployed at the moment. For Minnesota, this roster is one of renewed belief. Although Arraez was beloved by fans, his deal brought in much-needed pitching help. It will be weird to see Sano in a different uniform if and when he ever surfaces again, but not being in the organization has removed a vein for storylines. The rotation a season ago was largely pieced together, and with both departures for the Twins still being unemployed, it’s not shocking that the new group shows more promise. Who’s In Most importantly, Carlos Correa is back. Although it took some weird twists and turns to happen, Correa is with the organization at least for another six years, meaning that his deal lines up perfectly with Byron Buxton’s. A true superstar shortstop, Twins fans could watch C4 trend towards an eventual Hall of Fame enshrinement due to his exploits in the new Minnesota threads. The shortstop is also joined by a new backstop in Christian Vazquez. He is expected to start the bulk of Minnesota’s games, and will push Ryan Jeffers into more of a reserve role than he saw a season ago. The outfield grabbed an addition in Joey Gallo, and while he’ll need to bounce back from a down season with the Dodgers and Yankees, he adds defensive talent that could make Minnesota’s outfield the best in baseball. The rotation brings back Kenta Maeda at 100% after missing last season due to Tommy John surgery, and the aforementioned Lopez should be expected to contribute in a big way as well. The bullpen has largely gone unaddressed, but that could be an area Minnesota looks to tweak before Opening Day. Kyle Farmer was added as a fallback option, and now immediately slots in as a high-level utility player. What Are We Watching For This season is one for the youth. Jose Miranda is going to start at the hot corner and be expected to contribute immediately. Plenty of promise has followed Alex Kirilloff, and it’s up to his wrist as to whether he can be the regular at first base. Trevor Larnach has looked the part of a true impact bat, but injuries have kept him off the field. He was solid in left field last season, but will need to show he can remain healthy. That was the major downfall last year, health, and Nick Paparesta’s addition to the organization can hopefully make a quiet impact. Seeing the likes of Buxton, Tyler Mahle, Jeffers, Jorge Polanco, and any number of other players remain available should only enhance Minnesota’s chances. Which Twins player will breakout in 2023? We have seen Louie Varland win the Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Year each of the past two seasons (2021, 2022). Royce Lewis made his big league debut in 2022 and should be back this summer. Simeon Woods Richardson showed up for one start at the end of the year as well. Does Austin Martin or Brooks Lee get the call? Maybe David Festa forces his way into big league action. Although the Twins may not have the top end talent of some other organizations, their prospect depth is plenty exciting. Many of Minnesota’s regulars will remain in camp with the organization. There are a few others that will play for their native countries in the World Baseball Classic this spring. Checking out a few of them in action during more meaningful games could give fans a glimpse of how ready they are for the regular season to start. With Cleveland having made just minor upgrades in Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, their top spot is ripe for the picking. Andrew Benintendi is a nice get for Chicago, but expecting Mike Clevinger to contribute there any time soon isn’t a good bet. The division is again right there for the taking, and it starts this week.

All player images are courtesy of ESPN.com

The Minnesota Twins' defensive outfield should be stellar and fun to watch in 2022. With Byron Buxton, Joey Gallo, Max Kepler, and Michael A. Taylor all providing close to elite-level production and Trevor Larnach proving to be a solid defensive outfielder, the team shouldn't have many issues producing one of the best defensive outfields in Major League Baseball But how good is the infield defense? The Opening Day infield will likely feature Jose Miranda at third base, Carlos Correa at shortstop, Jorge Polanco at second base, Alex Kirilloff at first base, and a backstop pairing of Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers. In this article, I will not include any data on Alex Kirilloff at first base simply because it is a new position for him, and there is very minimal data to make any assumptions on how he will perform defensively. Fielding goes far beyond just putouts and errors, so to judge how good the Twins' infield is defensively, we will look at several different stats: Outs Above Average (OAA), Runs Above Average (RAA), and Defensive Runs Saved (DRS). Each of these stats uses a formula to dictate where a fielder sits compared to the average MLB player. If a player has a positive number in the OAA and RAA stat, they were better than average. If that number is negative, they were below average. DRS tells us how many runs that player saved with their glove. Again, if that number is positive, that is the number of runs they saved with their fielding ability in 2022. If the number is negative, they accounted for giving up that many runs over the year. If a player boots a ball with a runner on third base and that runner scores, the player doesn't automatically get -1 DRS, just as hitting a walk-off home run doesn't automatically give a player 1 WAR. All these stats are accumulated throughout every ball in play in the season. With those stats briefly explained, how did the Twins infield fair in 2022? We can start with the good news: the Twins catchers were fantastic. Christian Vazquez accounted for 11 DRS over 918 innings, and Ryan Jeffers had 4 DRS in just 496 innings. No matter who plays catcher for the Twins in 2022, they are sure to be very reliable defensively. Not to mention, both should also be above-average hitting catchers at the plate. I like what the Twins have done here with the position. The next best infield defender in 2022 was Carlos Correa. In 2021, Correa was elite at the position, compiling 12 OAA, 9 RAA, and 21 DRS on his way to winning a Gold Glove Award. To say his numbers dipped in 2022 would be quite an understatement. Last year, Correa produced -3 OAA, -2 RAA, and 3 DRS. This dramatic number dip is shocking because the eye test told us that Correa was a terrific defender in 2022. Though the numbers don't back that up, there is still a chance that Correa rebounds in 2023 and returns to at least being a solid fielder. Just two years removed from an elite-level campaign, Correa is a candidate for positive regression. However, there is also the general belief around the league that Correa will eventually move to third base. Maybe 2022 is the start of the defensive deterioration that will push him there sooner rather than later. The remaining two infielders, Jose Miranda and Jorge Polanco were not good in the field in 2022. We can start with Miranda, who split time at first and third base last year. In 2022, Miranda played 595.1 innings at first base and 246.2 innings at third base. While playing first, Miranda accounted for -4 OAA and -3 RAA. At third, he was right around league average, accounting for 0 OAA and 0 RAA. Overall, Miranda produced -6 DRS on the year in his split time at both positions. Miranda is set to be the Twins full time third baseman this year, so we will get a better read on how he is at third base. If Miranda shows to be a below average fielder at third base, this will likely be his last year playing third base consistently, as I think when Royce Lewis returns, he could fit at third as a plus defender. While his numbers at first weren’t good in 2022, I think Miranda will be at least a league average defender at first baseman if given a full-time role, which would likely be where he ends up if Lewis takes over third. Miranda’s bat will continue to play, but he will need to continue to work on his glove. Polanco was not a good defender in 2022. Polanco has never been a good fielder. He was atrocious defensively at shortstop in 2019 but is also well below average at second base. Last year, Polanco had -9 OAA, -7 RAA, and -1 DRS. Polanco is another player, like Miranda, who makes his money at the plate. If Polanco can continue to provide solid production at the plate, he will provide excellent value to the Twins, especially with his team-friendly contract. However, unless he shifts his focus, Polanco will continue to be a defensive liability. "Nothing falls but raindrops" may again be the theme of the outfield as they help out their fly-ball pitchers by making spectacular web gem-type plays day in and day out, but the infield defense is flawed. Even with the infield weighing them down, I think the Twins' defense will be top 10 in 2023. There's a chance the infield will experience a bit of positive regression defensively, and the Minnesota Twins will be an all-around enjoyable defensive team to watch.

Like the other 29 MLB teams, the Minnesota Twins face a new defensive challenge in 2023: they’ll have to adapt to rules barring shifts on the infield. When we think about the ramifications of that change, we often focus on fielders’ ability to reach and field the ball. In reality, though, there’s an interaction between raw range and throwing arm–one that will become more important. To that end, bringing back Carlos Correa at shortstop was crucial, but even his strong arm faces a tougher test under the new guidelines. Shifts aren’t just about reaching balls that would otherwise scoot cleanly through to the outfield. They are, in nearly equal measure, about making plays more comfortable for defenders. When a big-league team deploys a shift, a much higher share of ground balls hit by the opposition are within a step or two of a fielder’s starting position. They can usually make the play, plant their feet, and make a strong, balanced throw from a firm footing. In a post-shift world, we will see teams carefully calibrate their positioning to create as many of those easy chances as the new constraints permit. Inevitably, though, we’re going to see more plays made on the run. Since two defenders have to set up on each side of second base, the shortstop won’t be able to shade as far toward the hole against some right-handed batters as they previously had, because the second baseman will have to be a couple of steps further away from any ball hit to the left side of second base. That, in turn, will force the third baseman to play a step further off the foul line, in order to help defend the hole. This article continues exclusively for Twins Daily caretakers. To become a caretaker and read the rest of the piece, you can subscribe here.

It would not at all be fair to suggest that patience was a key reason Carlos Correa will be a Minnesota Twin for the bulk of his prime. Certainly, that is how things worked out, but it took both the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets backing out of deals in order to make it happen. It doesn’t matter to Derek Falvey or Thad Levine, however, as both are simply ecstatic it got done. With that deal, Minnesota was able to turn the tide. Without Correa, and leaning on the likes of Kyle Farmer, it was worth wondering if impending free agents such as Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda, or Tyler Mahle made sense to keep around. The Twins have a solid amount of pitching prospect depth, and while none of them currently look the part of an ace, they all carry a fairly high floor. The notion that Minnesota’s front office may have needed to pivot on its strategy of competitiveness changed in an instant. With Correa, the future becomes clear. Coming off two straight losing seasons, Rocco Baldelli and the Twins are angling to again be atop the AL Central. Chicago’s offseason was not a good one, and although Andrew Benintendi was a fine signing, Mike Clevinger is looking like a non-factor. The Guardians went out and got both Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, but it remains clear that the bulk of their production will need to come from internally-developed options. For Minnesota, Correa anchors an infield that now sees both Royce Lewis and Brooks Lee turn into supplemental talents. With both being Top 100 prospects, there is plenty of reason to believe they can contribute in a big way wherever they find opportunity. Byron Buxton is here for good, and although Joey Gallo is currently on just a one-year deal, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, Gilberto Celestino, and even Austin Martin all represent long-term outfield options. Jose Miranda looks the part of a fixture on the infield, and with a healthy wrist, Alex Kirilloff can be in a similar situation. Joe Ryan isn’t going anywhere in the rotation, and Pablo Lopez brings team control with him. For the first time in quite a while, the narrative isn’t about a window or a fleeting opportunity. For a front office, this should always be the goal. While winning a World Series is obviously the ultimate pinnacle, finding a way to sustain relevance is key. Attendance dipped lower than it has in decades last season, but fans will come back to the ballpark for a winner. They may immediately be mad that Luis Arraez is gone, but when the team has a lead in August, none of that will matter anymore. Before the Twins can look at putting another ring on their fingers, they’ll need to slay the giant that is the postseason losing streak. Putting themselves in a position to be a yearly participant was the goal, and it looks as though they have achieved that as a baseline. Consistency is now something that both Buxton and Correa can preach to youth, and it’s something that can be sold to free agents in the coming years. The front office will continue needing to change out parts, but that is a yearly process in baseball. The core of this roster is here to stay, and much of it looks to have talent worthy of starting on a nightly basis. It’s not as though the Twins are all of a sudden some sort of juggernaut, but the bones of the 26-man roster look better than they have in a long time. It was a weird way to get here, but Twins fans should be excited about this promise for years to come.

Heading into spring training, I put together an all-star team comprised of the best players at each position in the AL Central. Here's what I came up with. Catcher Winner: Christian Vazquez MIN This position was a fun one to compare. With Yasmani Grandal, Salvador Perez, and newcomers Christian Vazquez and Mike Zunino, it was tough to pick the best overall catcher out of the bunch. Vazquez got the edge over the rest because of his defensive ability. In 2022, Vazquez was among the league's best defensive players, accounting for 11 DRS. In comparison, Grandal had -5, Perez -4, and Zunino -2. At the plate, Grandal and Zunino are coming off down years, so it is hard to call either the best at the position. As for Perez… read on. First Base Winner: Josh Naylor CLE First base is arguably the worst overall position in the AL Central. The position is chock-full with youngsters like Alex Kirilloff, Spencer Torkelson, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Andrew Vaughn, who could be excellent baseball players in the future. However, after a 20-home run season in which he produced 1.8 WAR, the 25-year-old Naylor gets the edge over the rest of the field in 2023. Second Base Winner: Andres Gimenez CLE What a year it was for Andres Gimenez. 7.6 WAR and sixth in the MVP voting. Gimenez made significant strides in his game last year and cemented himself as one of the best second basemen in MLB. Jorge Polanco is the only other noteworthy second baseman in the division. While he is probably a top 10-second baseman in the MLB, he is still notably behind the skillset of Gimenez. Shortstop Winner: Carlos Correa MIN The new $200M man put together another stellar season in 2022, earning himself a hefty contract extension that could span the rest of his career. MLB Network ranked Correa as the second-best shortstop in all the MLB, right behind the Phillies' new addition Trea Turner. Bobby Witt Jr.'s future is bright, but for the moment, the best shortstop in the Central award belongs to Correa. Third Base Winner: Jose Ramirez CLE Third base was the biggest no-brainer of all. Jose Ramirez is among the best players in the league and has been providing top-level talent for Cleveland since 2016. There are some talented third basemen in the Central, but none were even close to Ramirez, a perennial MVP candidate. Left Field Winner: Steven Kwan CLE Steven Kwan had an excellent rookie campaign for the Guardians, producing 5.5 WAR, finishing third in the AL Rookie of the Year race, and winning a Gold Glove. Kwan was a contact machine, drawing two more walks than strikeouts. Andrew Benintendi comes in second place here as the only other noteworthy left fielder. Center Field Winner: Byron Buxton MIN Buxton is one of the best baseball players on the planet when healthy. He has every tool one could hope for in a star player. The only problem is Buxton has had a hell of a time staying healthy. Since he became an everyday player in the MLB in 2016, Buxton has played more than 92 games only once. Despite the minimal playing time, Buxton still has put up better numbers than the rest of the division and was ranked the second-best center fielder by MLB Network. If Buxton was to play 130 games, he could push for an MVP award. Right Field Winner: Max Kepler MIN Right field is another relatively weak position. Kepler gets the edge here over the field. An elite-level defender, who has shown flashes with the bat, Kepler produced 2.1 WAR in what was considered a down year in 2022. Kepler is also a candidate for positive regression at the plate in 2023 with the banning of the shift. Designated Hitter Winner: Salvador Perez KC While Perez doesn't have it defensively behind the plate, he can still swing the bat with the best of them. Perez hit 48 home runs in 2021, and while injuries limited his production in 2022, he still produced 23 home runs, 76 RBIs, and 2.7 WAR. Starting Pitcher Winner: Dylan Cease CHW One could argue for Shane Bieber, but Cease was undoubtedly better in 2022. Cease was unstoppable, producing 6.4 WAR, second in the Cy Young voting, and 22nd in the AL MVP race. Just entering his prime, Cease should only get better in the coming years and terrorize the division for years. Relief Pitcher Winner: Emmanuel Clase CLE Emmanuel Clase is nightmare fuel for opposing hitters. Clase wrapped up 2022 to the tune of 42 saves, a 1.36 ERA, and 2.8 WAR. He was voted MLB Networks' best relief pitcher, so it was hard not to choose him as the best relief pitcher in the AL Central. However, I should also mention another relief pitcher who produced 2.8 WAR in 2022 and has similarly nasty stuff. Jhoan Duran put together quite the rookie year for the Twins and should continue to thrive in his role in the back end of the bullpen. Totals CLE: 5 MIN: 4 CHW: 1 KC: 1 DET: 0 Debate on! Where do you agree? Where do you disagree? Let me know in the comments!

Like the other 29 MLB teams, the Minnesota Twins face a new defensive challenge in 2023: they’ll have to adapt to rules barring shifts on the infield. When we think about the ramifications of that change, we often focus on fielders’ ability to reach and field the ball. In reality, though, there’s an interaction between raw range and throwing arm–one that will become more important. To that end, bringing back Carlos Correa at shortstop was crucial, but even his strong arm faces a tougher test under the new guidelines. Shifts aren’t just about reaching balls that would otherwise scoot cleanly through to the outfield. They are, in nearly equal measure, about making plays more comfortable for defenders. When a big-league team deploys a shift, a much higher share of ground balls hit by the opposition are within a step or two of a fielder’s starting position. They can usually make the play, plant their feet, and make a strong, balanced throw from a firm footing. In a post-shift world, we will see teams carefully calibrate their positioning to create as many of those easy chances as the new constraints permit. Inevitably, though, we’re going to see more plays made on the run. Since two defenders have to set up on each side of second base, the shortstop won’t be able to shade as far toward the hole against some right-handed batters as they previously had, because the second baseman will have to be a couple of steps further away from any ball hit to the left side of second base. That, in turn, will force the third baseman to play a step further off the foul line, in order to help defend the hole. As a result, we’ll see more plays on which a third baseman’s momentum carries him into foul territory as he fields a ground ball up the line. We’ll see more shortstops making plays that require them to give ground and end up in shallow left field, with less time to get off a throw. We’ll see second basemen having to make a few more plays on which they must field the ball on the move away from first base, twist around, and throw off-balance from a position more familiar to the shortstop. These are all tough plays to make, because of a neglected secret of infield play: the time during which the ball is with the fielder is the window in which a groundout can become an infield hit. The ball is usually hit at somewhere north of 70 miles per hour, even on a seemingly slow chopper. Once a fielder grabs it and flings it, it nearly always travels more quickly than that from wherever they are to first base. The length and strength of the throw in question matters, of course, and the speed of the runner matters. Too often, though, we overlook how pivotal the time between a fielder slapping the leather on a grounder and their release can be. To evaluate how well the Twins can handle that in the new era, one must rely on more than velocity, including more nebulous metrics like "arm utility." We dive into that here, along with where the Twins' infielders rank, and the one advantage the rotation might give them. But just using ad revenue, we can't pay writers enough to do that kind of deep dive. So we reserve it for our Caretakers that support it. If you read Twins Daily, well, daily, maybe it's time to become a Caretaker. You're here, um, daily. You like getting deeper into the team. I'm sure you value the site. Plus, you'll love it. You'll get more meaty stories like this, plus get perks like Winter Meltdown tickets, and other special recognition. And you can join for as little as $4/month. You can read all about it and signup here. Those benefits are all nice, but the real reason to sign up is this: 100% of all Caretaker money is channeled directly back into the site. By signing up to be a caretaker, you’re supporting writers you value, and enabling deeper dive Twins-specific content like this that isn’t dependent on ad revenue. We hope you’ll consider it. We expect you’ll love the benefits, and we would love to have you take the next step in supporting the Twins Daily community.

Adding a right-handed bat has been a talking point for the Minnesota Twins all off-season. They somewhat addressed it by trading for Michael A Taylor, who hits right-handed but doesn't hit left-handed pitching exceptionally. With five left-handed hitters currently on the 26-man and switch hitter Jorge Polanco being better from the left side, this might be an issue for the Twins. Fortunately, I think this weakness might be overstated. Of the five left-handed hitters projected to get significant playing time, only two have a clear need for a platoon partner - Nick Gordon (career 54 wRC+ vs. LHP) and Max Kepler (career 73 wRC+ vs. LHP). Of the remaining hitters, Joey Gallo was abysmal against left-handers last season (23 wRC+ in 2022) but has handled them well throughout his career (104 wRC+ vs. LHP). Both Trevor Larnach and Alex Kirilloff have even splits between lefties and righties, albeit small samples. The Twins should see if either former top prospect can hit southpaws at the Major League level before condemning them to platoon roles. Given some big-time moves this off-season, it would be easy to forget the Twins' first acquisition, Kyle Farmer. Perhaps it was undersold as a skill, but Farmer is one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitchers. In 2022, per FanGraphs, among hitters with 150 plate appearances versus left-handers, Farmer ranked 13th with a 157 wRC+ (ahead of Trea Turner, whom Tony La Russa intentionally walked in a 1-2 count vs. a lefty), 7th with a .948 OPS, 7th in wOBA at .404, and 9th in batting average at .309. There is a very strong case that Kyle Farmer is one of the ten best hitters in all of baseball versus left-handed pitching. So what would a potential lefty-killing lineup look like for the Twins? I mentioned that Kyle Farmer might be a top 10 hitter against lefties, but they also have two other hitters on that list in Byron Buxton (159 wRC+ vs. LHP in 2022) and Carlos Correa (168 wRC+ vs. LHP in 2022). If he had enough plate appearances, Ryan Jeffers would also be on there (161wRC+ vs. LHP in 2022). Against a left-handed starter, a potential lineup could be: Byron Buxton CF 159 wRC+ vs. LHP Carlos Correa SS 168 wRC+ vs. LHP Kyle Farmer 2B 157 wRC+ vs. LHP Jose Miranda 3B 132 wRC+ vs. LHP Alex Kirilloff 1B 99 wRC+ vs. LHP (career) Ryan Jeffers DH 161 wRC+ vs. LHP Joey Gallo RF 104 wRC+ vs. LHP Christian Vazquez C 130 wRC+ vs. LHP Trevor Larnach LF 108 wRC+ vs. LHP (career) The Twins' front office has also stated Farmer could see some time in the outfield. You could sub out either corner outfielder for Jorge Polanco (career 93 wRC+ vs. LHP), move Farmer to the outfield, and move Polanco to 2B. Michael A Taylor was also left off this lineup but figures to see most of his plate appearances against lefties. If the Twins wanted to DH Buxton or not have two catchers in the lineup, Taylor slides into CF. Taylor could also play in either corner outfield spot and spell any left-handed bats in the lineup. He would be a one-for-one swap in either LF or RF, but if Kirilloff needs a rest day, Gallo can cover 1B for that day. If things start to fall apart, the Twins also have Kyle Garlick stashed in AAA, who's made a name for himself mashing lefties. The front office certainly thought that a right-handed bat would be useful, being mentioned with names like Yuli Gurriel, A.J. Pollock, and Andrew McCutchen . Still, I feel good about the current roster construction's ability to hit left-handed pitching and don't see this as something that needs to be addressed.

Throughout the winter, fans will react differently to any transaction the club makes, from significant acquisitions to prospects left off the 40-man roster. Teams can trade away fan-favorite players or sign free agents to multi-million dollar deals. There are no guarantees in baseball, and the Twins front office has left themselves open to praise or criticism depending on the long-term outcome of these moves. On paper, the Twins have improved and added depth throughout the roster, which projects to have the team back in playoff contention. 7. Trading Gio Urshela for Alejandro Hidalgo According to Baseball Reference, Urshela provided the fourth-most WAR on the team in 2022. One of the keys to his value was that he tied Luis Arraez for the team lead with 144 games played. Minnesota traded him to the Angels for Alejandro Hidalgo, a 19-year-old pitcher with a career 4.64 ERA in 17 appearances. Urshela is in his last arbitration season, and the Twins were ready to give Jose Miranda the starting job at third base. It's at the bottom of the list because the trade return was minimal. 6. Signing Joey Gallo to a 1-year, $11 million deal The Twins front office thinks Gallo can return to his previous form, but it will take time to know if signing him was the correct decision. Last season, Gallo hit just .160/.280/.357 (.638) with 19 home runs and 163 strikeouts in 126 games. He was an All-Star in 2021, leading the AL with 111 walks while hitting 38 home runs. Gallo is a multi-time All-Star and has won two Gold Gloves, but there is no guarantee he will return to that level in 2023. 5. Trading Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk for Michael A. Taylor Many thought the Twins were in the market for a right-handed hitting outfielder on the free agent market. The Twins decided to go in a different direction and traded for one of baseball's best outfield defenders. On paper, it seems like a solid plan to use Taylor for games when Buxton is not available to play in the field. He can bat at the bottom of the line-up and help the pitching staff on the defensive side. This move has the potential to be a sneaky-good move for the Twins, especially if it helps Buxton play over 100 games. 4. Trading Casey Legumina for Kyle Farmer Adding Farmer helped the Twins establish a floor for their middle infield this winter. If Correa signed elsewhere, Farmer would likely take over the starting shortstop role until Royce Lewis returned in the second half. Instead, Farmer can shift to a utility role that suits his skill set. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged over 145 games per season while playing every infield position. He's not a player to get excited about, but fans will come to appreciate what he adds to the roster. 3. Trading Luis Arraez for Pablo Lopez, Jose Salas, and Byron Chourio It was tough for the front office to trade away Luis Arraez, a fan favorite, but the return helps the team in the short- and long term. Lopez adds depth to the starting rotation, especially with injury concerns tied to multiple arms. Arraez's 2022 season showcased his peak value, but there is little upside in a first baseman with little to no power. The Twins also received two prospects in the deal, including one that already ranks in the team's top 10 prospects. Minnesota needs Lopez to be the pitcher he was in 2022, and it will be a bonus if either prospect is a regular at the big-league level. 2. Signing Christian Vazquez to a 3-year, $30 million deal The Twins had to improve behind the plate, and Vazquez should help to solidify one of baseball's most important positions. He's been on multiple World Series teams and has caught over 1,900 innings over the last two seasons. Minnesota will be relying on some young pitchers in the coming years, and Vazquez can be a veteran presence to help usher them into their big-league careers. Adding Vazquez was a move the Twins had to make, and that's why it ranks so high on this list. 1. Signing Carlos Correa to a 6-year, $200 million deal No other transaction will define the Twins franchise more over the next decade than signing Correa... the second time. He is one of baseball's best two-way players and has the rare ability to impact nearly all facets of the game. Minnesota saw what he provided on and off the field, so they were eager for him to return, even with questions about his ankle. Fans may have yet to fully embrace Correa because it looked like his Twins tenure would be short-lived. Now, there is a chance he will end his career in Minnesota, and that's something for fans to enjoy. How would you rank this winter's moves? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

There are multiple ways to examine a player's Hall of Fame credentials. Traditionally, voters looked at a player's cumulative stats like hits, home runs, and RBI, but the voting process has continued to evolve. Many sabermetric statistics have helped to build the case of more modern players, including Scott Rolen, who was elected last week. Offensive numbers can be the starting point of a player's Hall of Fame case, but defensive metrics can paint a fuller picture of some of baseball's best players. JAWS, a system created by Jay Jaffe, is another way to examine a player's HOF credentials. A player's JAWS is their career WAR averaged with their 7-year peak WAR. This method helps to compare players currently elected to the Hall of Fame with those that have yet to be elected. Some positions have fewer elected players, which can skew the data set. Baseball Reference has also added Negro League players to the rankings, but data is incomplete for these players. Carlos Correa currently ranks as the 35th-best shortstop, according to JAWS. Four Hall of Fame players rank near Correa in the 30-38 range of JAWS rankings, so he has already played up to a Hall of Fame standard. Correa's postseason resume also helps his credentials because he has posted an .849 OPS in 79 playoff games. He has the start of a Hall of Fame career, but he will need to continue to perform in the years ahead. Modern players like Jimmy Rollins (32), Miguel Tejada (29), Troy Tulowitzki (27), and Nomar Garciaparra (25) all rank ahead of Correa, according to JAWS. It seems unlikely that any of those players will be elected to Cooperstown, so Correa must move up the rankings during his Twins' tenure. There are currently 26 elected shortstops, which is tied for the second most for any position. Correa must move into the top 20 to solidify his Hall of Fame case. Adding to his career WAR will be one of the best ways for Correa to build his Hall of Fame case. He has averaged 5.88 WAR in seasons where he's played more than 100 games. This total includes three seasons where he posted a 6.7 WAR or higher and a 5.4 WAR in his first Twins season. If he has four more seasons averaging a 5.0 WAR, he will move his career WAR to 61.5. That WAR total would place him among the top 20 shortstops of all time. Correa provides tremendous defensive value, which will also be part of his Hall of Fame resume. He's posted a 129 OPS+ for his career, including a 140 OPS+ during the 2022 season. These are outstanding totals, but he will fare poorly with traditional Hall of Fame counting statistics like hits and home runs. He needs to continue to play above-average defense at shortstop to have a case similar to Scott Rolen, who was elected to Cooperstown last week. Rolen posted a 122 OPS+ for his career while being known for his strong defense. Correa can hope for similar results. Minnesota hopes Correa averages more than a 5.0 WAR in the early years of his six-year contract, and there is hope he can fulfill the four team options. He played seven years with the Astros, but his Twins tenure can cover up to 11 seasons. Correa's ankle became a focus of his free agency saga, so he must prove he can stay healthy for the contract's life. For better or for worse, the Twins' success over the next decade is tied to the health of Correa and Byron Buxton. Correa's current trajectory has him on a path to Cooperstown. His long-term legacy is tied to the Twins and what he accomplishes over the next decade. Can he put himself in the conversation as one of baseball's all-time best shortstops? Twins fans get the opportunity to watch him build his Hall of Fame resume, which shouldn't be taken for granted. Do you think Correa will make the Hall of Fame? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

Following a .973 OPS across 124 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, Jose Miranda found his way into the Baseball America and MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospect lists coming into the 2022 season. Even as he tore up the two levels previously, there just wasn’t room for him on the Opening Day roster. Last season, Rocco Baldelli broke camp with Miguel Sano as his first baseman and Gio Urshela manning the hot corner. Luis Arraez was a utility defender factoring in both places, and Nick Gordon was even further insurance. As much as Miranda did the year prior, he was going to need to force his way in or wait for an opportunity. It was an incredibly small sample size for Miranda before making his May 2nd debut with the Twins. Playing in only 21 games for Triple-A St. Paul last year, he posted just a .737 OPS during a cold month of April. His 10 doubles were promising, as were the two blasts, but everyone knew what they saw a season ago was real. When the dust settled on his rookie season, Miranda wound up playing in 125 games for the Twins. His 116 OPS+ was a very promising start, and he rocketed his first 15 homers while still contributing a .325 on-base percentage. Through his first 80 games Miranda had an extremely impressive .811 OPS, and it wasn’t until pitchers began to figure him out and make adjustments that numbers slipped late. Entering 2023, plenty more is known for Miranda. Urshela and Arraez are both gone. He will play the hot corner, a position he has more traditionally called home. Despite being lackluster defensively at first base last season, it’s at third where he shines a bit brighter. He’ll again have veteran Carlos Correa to guide him on the left side, and their friendship has only strengthened since the Puerto Rican descended upon Spring Training last year. Knowing where he stands within the organization should provide some level of comfort this spring. Miranda is projected to be worth 2.6 fWAR per Steamer, which would more than double his 2022 value. A .269/.324/.449 slash line reflects a nice jump in overall OPS, and 20 homers would be a good boost from the power production a season ago. Steamer also has these numbers derived from just 133 games, which would only be slightly more than Miranda played at the big league level last season. Barring an untimely injury, he should be expected to cruise past that number. While it looked as though Correa may head to New York and play third base alongside fellow Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor, his return to Minnesota keeps him at shortstop and still has him playing alongside a countrymen. Miranda has already established himself as a substantial part of the Twins future, but it’s in 2023 that he could break out to an even higher level. For a guy that is not at all unaware of success in this sport, seeing growth in year two of the majors would be a substantial boost for all involved. Plenty of the Twins lineup will be reliant on youth doing the heavy lifting, and for a team that isn’t old by any means, there is no reason why the 24-year-old Miranda can’t be right in the thick of it. The rookie debut was a fun one, but a breakout similar to that of which we saw on the farm in 2021 would carry the Twins youngster to new heights.