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As Sonny Gray moves on to St. Louis, the Twins are left searching for ways to fill the void at the top of their starting rotation. Does it make sense to package one of their most coveted prospects for a controllable starter? Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports When the Twins drafted Brooks Lee in 2022, the scouting report showed an incredible ability to put the bat on the baseball. With decent pop and an insanely low strikeout rate, the Cal Poly shortstop worked his way into being a borderline top-5 prospect in the draft. That's why fans were rightfully excited when the Twins were able to scoop him with the 8th pick. Lee immediately entered MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect list, and currently sits as the 18th overall prospect in the entire league. The hype around Lee is as high as it’s been, as fans get ready for him to make his way to the MLB roster. Already traveling through all minor-league levels and finishing 2023 with the St. Paul Saints, Lee appears close to making his MLB debut. Would it make sense to capitalize on Lee’s value and cash in on their current infield depth by trading Lee for an arm to replace Sonny Gray? The Twins have a logjam of infielders either at the major-league level or close to making their debut. Currently either on the MLB roster or carrying a 2024 ETA, according to MLB.com, the Twins have Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien, Alex Kirilloff, Jorge Polanco, Willi Castro, Kyle Farmer, Lee, Yunior Severino, Austin Martin, and Jose Salas (unlikely to debut, but meets these criteria). As we saw in the 2023 offseason when the Twins traded Luis Arraez to the Marlins for Pablo Lopez, they are not afraid to capitalize on their depth to fill an area of need. The area of need again this year is a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. So, what’s the case for moving Lee? The first reason is that Lee is unlikely to play shortstop in MLB. The most likely path for Lee is at either third base or second base. The Twins currently have two young studs (in Lewis and Julien) holding down those spots for the foreseeable future. If Lee were to stick around, the Twins would likely find ways to make it work, but it would eventually force one of them to either move off their spot or DH regularly. You can never have too many quality bats, but it could get crowded quickly with the other names listed fighting for playing time. Another reason to consider packaging Lee is that, of the players listed above, Lee holds the most value. He’s also relatively unproven. While Lewis and Julien have shown to be impactful bats at the highest level, Lee hasn't exactly dominated in the minors. He spent his last 38 games in Triple A and posted a .732 OPS. He has also yet to post an OPS above .850 with any team in his young professional career. Lee hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t lit the world on fire. He's shown himself to be a solid hitter, a potential everyday big-leaguer, but I’m not sure he possesses the star power that some think he does. Maybe the Twins should strike while the iron is hot and capitalize on his high prospect ranking to solidify their rotation. I think Lee will be a very good baseball player at the highest level. However, when you mix his current value with the Twins’ need for a top-of-the-rotation starter, it makes sense to consider packaging him for a guy who can help the already-solid roster take the next step. Just to take one example, Astros southpaw Framber Valdez is becoming the subject of some trade speculation this week. When trading prospects, you risk watching them become stars on another team, but there’s also a risk in holding them and watching them not pan out while their value depreciates. Could the next Pablo López be just one Brooks Lee away? What are your thoughts? Should the Twins consider packaging Brooks Lee for starting pitching help? Let me know. Go, Twins! View full article

The Twins need a Sonny Gray replacement and have an upcoming logjam in the infield. The Seattle Mariners have a wealth of starting pitching. Could the two teams match up this offseason in a deal? Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports The Mariners were reportedly willing to discuss trading some of their young pitching last trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why on their depth chart. With several younger arms emerging to complement some quality veteran options, they’re in a position where they may feel comfortable making a big move. The Twins have become surprising candidates for a big move in recent years. Perhaps the two sides could agree on a win-win deal this winter. A few arms in Seattle can likely be ruled out immediately. Luis Castillo just began a five-year, $108m deal that takes him off the table. Robbie Ray was injured last season in year three of a five-year, $115m deal. His eventual return in 2024 may be a factor in the Mariners looking to deal an arm. It can also be assumed that this bunch has no cheap options. If a deal develops, the Twins will be parting with serious capital. It’s worth looking at each potential option and why they may be enticing to the Twins front office. Logan Gilbert With almost 400 innings in the last two seasons with low to mid 3s ERAs, Gilbert has established himself as a front-end starting pitcher at age 26. The only reason the Mariners would even consider parting ways with such an asset is that they have so many other quality pitchers who are even younger. Gilbert is an established workhorse that could bring tremendous value. Controlled through 2028, Gilbert will be in arbitration into his 30s. Whichever organization Gilbert is in will control him for nearly all of his prime, and some believe he's capable of picking up a few more strikeouts, which would bring him to an even higher level. Gilbert would immediately fill Sonny Gray's shoes as the #2 behind Pablo Lopez, and the Twins would feel great penciling him into game two of a playoff series. George Kirby Kirby was more effective than Gilbert in 2023, throwing 190 innings with a 3.35 ERA. He’s certainly lived up to his first-round pedigree, as Kirby attacks the strike zone with a four-pitch mix and threw seven different pitches in 2023 at least once. The Twins have seen firsthand that when Kirby is on, he can make easy work of opposing lineups, and like Gilbert, there may be another level to his game when it comes to strikeouts as he matures. Kirby would also be a legitimate #2 behind Lopez, and his pedigree includes tremendous health and dominance on the mound. At just 25 with team control through 2029, Kirby may cost even more than Gilbert, and it’s possible he’s not on the trade block at all. Bryce Miller Miller is certainly a step down from the top two in Seattle, but there’s a lot to like. His profile resemble's Joe Ryan's fastball-heavy approach, but Miller averages over 95 mph on the heater. His offspeed was a work in progress, but he sometimes dominated despite his decline in the 2nd half as he neared his innings cap. Miller finished the season with just over 130 innings, creating a floor to build off of in 2024. Being less established, Miller should cost less, but his six years of team control still won’t make him cheap. Other Options Seattle’s rotation also consists of younger names such as Bryan Woo and Emerson Hancock, who only briefly debuted but carry pedigree and at least brief periods of success. It’s unlikely the Twins would take on such pitchers, but you never know what they may see that they could improve. Marco Gonzalez is also still in Seattle, and despite his season-ending early due to forearm issues, he’s been a solid pitcher for the entirety of his career. Should the Twins look in that direction, he could be a cheap back end of the rotation option. Cost The Mariners need more exciting options, particularly at second base, for the near future. This makes the Twins a perfect trade match. Edouard Julien has proven he’s a long-term solution at the position, which raises questions regarding players such as Jorge Polanco and top prospect Brooks Lee. With Polanco, as Twins fans know, the Mariners would get an immediate impact player at second base. Even with a reasonable $12m club option for 2025, the Twins would likely have to add significant prospect capital for someone on Gilbert or Kirby’s level. It would likely have to include a name like Emmanuel Rodriguez and other quality names. Brooks Lee could make up a significant part of a return if the Mariners are interested in him. It would be a big gamble on the Twins' part, but it could prove worthwhile if the Twins get a controllable Sonny Gray replacement in return. A trade with Seattle for a controllable starting pitcher would likely be shopping at the high end of the trade market. Sonny Gray’s possible departure can’t be understated, and this is where the Twins have to look. A trade with the Mariners would surely cost several well-known names. Is it worth it to pick up a potential front-of-the-rotation starting pitcher? View full article

Every organization has players who are deemed untouchable when it comes to making trades. Here is a look at Minnesota’s assets that have little chance of being traded this winter. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints Some organizations are not planning on contending during the 2024 season, which likely means they would be willing to trade away current value for future long-term pieces. Contending teams like the Twins must find the right balance between supplementing the current roster and adding future assets to open the team’s winning window. The Twins' current roster includes significant depth on the position player side, so that’s a strength from which the team will make moves. Minnesota’s lost TV revenue means the club plans to cut payroll by $15-30 million next season. Veteran players like Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler, and Kyle Farmer are likely on the trading block to clear some salary space. After examining Minnesota’s roster, two player types are untouchable in trades. Current young players with surplus value moving forward and veteran players with high contracts and trade restrictions. Baseball Trade Values attempts to quantify each player's surplus value in a potential trade, so it’s easy to see why these players are untradeable. 1. Walker Jenkins, OF Surplus Trade Value: 45.1 The Twins selected Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and he’s already established himself as one of baseball’s best prospects. Minnesota pushed him to Low-A, and he posted a .989 OPS in his professional debut. His surplus trade value isn’t the highest in the organization because he is far from the big-league level. The Twins aren’t trading Jenkins because he is on his way to becoming a superstar. 2. Royce Lewis, SS/3B Surplus Trade Value: 44.2 The Twins saw how valuable Lewis can be to the line-up in the second half of last season. He added muscle to his frame while rehabbing from two ACL tears, increasing his power production. He will get an entire off-season to acclimate to third base, his new defensive home. On a team with big names like Correa and Buxton, Lewis is quickly becoming the face of the franchise. 3. Pablo Lopez, SP Surplus Trade Value: 43.1 The Twins have yearned for an ace since trading away Johan Santana was. Lopez stepped into that role last season, and the front office quickly signed him to an extension. He had some ups and downs during his first season with the Twins, but he was fantastic in October. He will be at the top of the team’s rotation through 2027. The Twins continue to try to add to their rotation, so there is no reason to try and trade Lopez. 4. Brooks Lee, SS/3B Surplus Trade Value: 48.1 Lee has the highest surplus trade value of any player in the Twins organization because he is on the cusp of the big leagues. He has a full six years of team control, with some of those years being at a minimal cost. Jenkins and Lee are ranked closely on many national prospect lists, but Lee has a lower floor, and Jenkins has a higher ceiling. The Twins were lucky to get both players in their respective drafts, and the hope is they are in the middle of the team’s line-up for the next decade. 5. Joe Ryan, SP Surplus Trade Value: 39.1 Near last year’s trade deadline, I wrote that Ryan was the team’s most valuable trade asset. His performance struggled in the middle of the season as he dealt with a groin injury. However, there is hope that Ryan can have a healthy 2024 and reach his full potential. Some of his trade value has decreased because he is in his last pre-arbitration season. Still, the Twins want Ryan to take the next step and prove he can be a player they rely on in the playoffs. How would you rank the players listed above? Would the Twins consider trading any of these players for the right starting pitcher? Leave a Comment and start the discussion. View full article

The Twins had a trio of terrific rookie debuts in 2023, and other top prospects are getting closer to the big-league level. Here’s a timeline of when to expect the team’s top prospects to debut. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Austin Martin) Baseball player development is a non-linear path, with players facing different obstacles on their way to the big-league level. Organizations can be aggressive with some top prospects and move them through the farm system quicker than expected. Other prospects might suffer injuries or poor play and be forced to repeat a level for multiple years. Every prospect follows a different journey, making it intriguing for fans to follow. Below is a look at the top 10 prospects in the Twins organization according to Twins Daily’s end-of-the-season voting. Not every outlet updates its ranking multiple times per year, but Twins Daily updates the player rankings and scouting reports monthly so there is a live view of each prospect's progress. Multiple names below are on pace to impact the Twins roster next season. 1. Walker Jenkins, OF ETA: 2026 The Twins took Jenkins with the fifth overall pick in the 2023 draft. He was promoted relatively aggressively during his professional debut by ending the year at Low-A. In 26 games, he hit .362/.417/.571 (.989) with five doubles, four triples, and three home runs. It’s expected that he will start the year in Fort Myers with a chance to play in Cedar Rapids at the end of 2024. That should put him on pace to reach the big leagues in the second half of 2026, at which point he'll be 21 years old. 2. Brooks Lee, SS/3B ETA: 2024 The 2023 campaign was Lee’s first full season as a professional after the Twins took him with the eighth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He started the year at Double-A, posting an .841 OPS in 87 games. Minnesota promoted him to St. Paul in the season’s second half, and his OPS dipped to .731 at a level where he was over four years younger than the average age of the competition. Lee will start the year in St. Paul and be one injury away from making his big-league debut. 3. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF ETA: 2025 Rodriguez will have an advantage over other names on this list due to being added to the 40-man roster this winter. These roster spots are valuable, and it gives him a better chance at making his debut because the team might need to dig into their depth if there are multiple big-league injuries. Rodriguez played the 2023 season at High-A, hitting .240/.400/.463 (.863) with 38 extra-base hits in 99 games. The Twins will plan for him to spend the 2024 campaign at Double-A, which puts him on pace to debut in 2025. 4. Marco Raya, SP ETA: 2025 The Twins have taken a unique development path with Raya by aggressively promoting him while limiting his innings pitched. He ended last season at Double-A in his age-20 season. Between two levels, Raya posted a 4.02 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP in 62 2/3 innings spread across 22 starts. He never pitched more than four innings in an appearance and never threw more than 54 pitches. It seems likely for Raya to spend all of 2024 at Double-A unless the team continues to be aggressive with him. 5. David Festa, SP ETA: 2024 Festa emerged as one of the organization’s top pitching prospects last season after being taken in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He pitched at Double-A and Triple-A with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. He posted an 11.6 K/9 in 92 1/3 innings across 24 appearances (22 starts). Minnesota faces a self-imposed payroll crunch next season, which may leave the team relying on internal options for added depth. Festa will be at Triple-A, waiting for his opportunity to join the Twins’ rotation at some point next season. 6. Charlee Soto, SP ETA: 2027 Soto has yet to make his professional debut after being drafted by the Twins with the 34th overall selection last June. He didn’t turn 18 until after the draft, so he has a lot of time to develop in the organization’s farm system. He will likely be the last player on this list to debut, but he has an exciting future with his pitching profile. 7. Austin Martin, 2B/OF ETA: 2024 Martin was the top-ranked prospect included in the Jose Berrios trade with Toronto, and he’s seen some ups and downs during his time with the Twins organization. He struggled during the 2022 season with a .683 OPS at Double-A before heading to the AFL and being one of the league’s best hitters. Last season, he injured his elbow during spring training, and there was some discussion that he’d need surgery. Martin rehabbed the elbow and posted a .791 OPS in 59 Triple-A games. The Twins have an opening in center field, and Martin might be able to take over that role at some point in 2024. 8. Brandon Winokur, OF ETA: 2027 Minnesota went well over-slot to sign Winokur for $1.5 million as a third-round pick. Winokur played 17 games during his professional debut and hit .288/.338/.546 (.884) with five doubles and four home runs. He has shown flashes of being a potential five-tool outfielder, but he is far from Target Field. Like Soto, he won’t debut for multiple seasons, and many things can go wrong with development along the way. 9. Luke Keaschall, 2B ETA: 2026 The Twins love to draft college bats, so the club targeted Keaschall with their second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Minnesota was aggressive after signing him by having him play at three different levels and finishing the year with Cedar Rapids. In 31 games, he hit .288/.414/.478 (.892) with 14 extra-base hits. The Twins will likely have him return to High-A to begin 2024, which puts him on pace to debut during his age-23 season. 10. Tanner Schobel, 2B/3B ETA: 2025 Schobel was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, so his development path shows what the Twins might follow with Keaschall. He split time in 2023 between High- and Double-A while posting a .776 OPS in 126 games. Minnesota continues to play him at second and third base, and this defensive flexibility might help him reach the big leagues even sooner. Do you agree with the ETAs listed for each prospect? Which player will have the most significant impact on the Twins next season? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

We’re all excited to see what’s in store for these guys, but now’s not the time for the Twins to get cute with it. Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Pump the brakes on Brooks Lee. For that matter, the same applies to Austin Martin, Yunior Severino, Jair Camargo, Chris Williams, and DaShawn Keirsey. Lee is the third baseman of the future, hopefully. Martin, Severino, Camargo, Williams, and Keirsey will all likely appear in games for the Twins at some point during 2024, but we don’t need to put the cart before the horse. The Twins have a number of decisions to make with an already crowded infield, a questionable mix at first base, a backup catcher making $10 million in both 2024 and 2025, a hole in centerfield, and an unclear budget for making additions. Many of the aforementioned names could be written in as key contributors in those spots. However, none of those players are beating down the hatches. Lee has 60 games at AAA with a mediocre August and a solid September. Martin similarly has 59 games and one outstanding month in St. Paul. Severino and Keirsey have even less than that. Williams and Camargo are both in their mid-20s coming off great offensive years, but they still haven’t gotten a single plate appearance in MLB. None should be the answer to any question at the beginning of 2024. It would put the Twins in a very difficult spot. If Martin or Keirsey are your personal long-term answer in center field, you’re welcome to that. You might see Camargo as a long-term backup catcher, replacing Vazquez. Forcing that to happen in March is a problem. The recent success of rookies Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien, and Matt Wallner has been incredible, but it’s important not to expect that level of production to be the norm, even for prospects at the top of organizational rankings. It’s not normal. Their success was exceptional. They themselves may struggle to find the same level of success going forward. So often prospects, even those who are hyped and go on to have great careers, struggle in their early stints. Names like Torii Hunter or Michael Cuddyer come to mind, struggling for years to find their footings before becoming mainstays in the Twins lineup for a decade. Other prospects don’t manage to get their footing at all, such as more recent examples like Stephen Gonsalves, Alex Meyer, Oswaldo Arcia, or Joe Benson. It’s difficult to project success, even in players at the upper levels of the minor leagues. Both Jose Miranda and Trevor Larnach have shown flashes of being very good players, but they have also gone through extended stretches that cast a cloud over their long-term outlook—and both were Opening Day starter in 2023. If that’s not the organization showing a reliance on them, I’m not sure what is. Fortunately, Miranda and Larnach were able to be replaced by Lewis and Wallner, respectively, but it would be foolish to assume that that outcome was always a given. What if the team didn’t open the season with Lewis and Wallner in reserve as alternative options? What if they were going to sink or swim with Miranda and Larnach? They would have been in trouble. Likewise, starting 2024 with upper minors depth in key roles is asking for the same. The Twins clearly have a philosophy in this type of situation, and it’s probably the right one—they want depth. That’s exposed in the acquisitions of players like Michael A. Taylor, Joey Gallo, and Donovan Solano. Granted, not all of these types of acquisitions are beneficial, but that’s kind of the point. They want options. Do those options sometimes block our favorite prospects on the depth chart? Sure. But it also allows those prospects to be a short-term backup plan, protecting them and the team. Blocking prospects is the cost of bringing in big league depth. Beginning the year with some sort of big leaguer in those roles ensures better talent is in the organization. Those same big leaguers wouldn’t take a minor league deal to serve as a backup to the prospects. The decision is effectively between bringing in an MLB veteran and having a top prospect as a backup or having a top prospect with a minor league veteran as a backup plan. One of those plans has a better rate of success. It’s risky business trusting a big league role to someone who’s never seen an MLB pitch, and it can go wrong in any number of ways, be it performance or injury. Sure, the MLB veteran could struggle or get injured too, but it’s much more comforting to be able to turn to a top prospect than a career minor leaguer in that event. If any of the aforementioned players do break camp with the team, it’s not the end of the world. They all have the potential to be competent pieces at minimum. It just shouldn’t be what any of us are clamoring for. They’ll be here when it’s time. Right now, the Twins have a division to win. View full article

Twins fans rightfully are excited about having high-quality pitchers and pitcher depth. However, what makes that even more exciting is that they have done so while continuing to get strong performances from young hitters too. The Twins could always draft or sign and then develop position players. Consider the names drafted and signed under the regimes of Mike Radcliff and Terry Ryan. It’s a Who’s Who of Twins hitters. Hunter. Mientkiewicz. Jones. Cuddyer. Morneau. Mauer. Kubel. Span. Buxton. Sano. Kepler. Polanco. And with many of the same people in the scouting department, we are again seeing emerging, talented position players. Many have debuted in recent years to varying success (and opportunity). Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien, and Matt Wallner were keys to the Twins second-half success. Meanwhile, players like Ryan Jeffers, Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Jose Miranda, and Nick Gordon have helped the Twins win over the past couple of seasons. While there are finally more pitchers in the Twins system to be excited about, there continue to be solid-hitting prospects around the diamond. Let’s take a look at some of the depth around the field that can be found in the Twins organization: Catchers The Twins have two catchers on the big-league roster, Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez. Jeffers will not be eligible for free agency for three more years. Vazquez has two years remaining on his three-year deal. Jair Camargo was added to the Twins 40-man roster since the end of the World Series. The burly backstop showed his powerful arm and his power with the bat for the St. Paul Saints in 2023. He will likely return to the Saints to start the 2024 season and be the guy called up if there is a need. Chris Williams, who is not on the 40-man roster, has become one of Twins most prominent power prospects the past two years with the Saints. He can catch, but he’s got enough bat to be a DH or get time at first base if needed. Patrick Winkel was the primary catcher with the Double-A Wind Surge. He is arguably the best defensive backstop prospect, but he can also hit with extra-base power. Noah Cardenas spent the entire season at Cedar Rapids. He can hit and get on base at a strong clip while playing well behind the plate. Andrew Cossetti may have as much power potential and offensive prowess as any of these catching prospects. He split his first professional season between Ft. Myers and the High-A Kernels. He ended the season representing the Twins in the Arizona Fall League. View full article

Draft tandem JD Cameron and Jeremy Nygaard team up for a new podcast to discuss prospects on their way to the big leagues. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo It's awards season for MLB. Jeremy and JD break down ROY awards in the AL and NL and talk through prospect promotion incentive draft picks, highlighting players from the Brewers, Cubs, and Twins most likely to earn their organization one in 2024. The guys dig into prospects added to 40 man rosters for each org to protect them from Rule 5 selection, in addition to highlighting a possible low cost pitching add for the Twins who was a 40-man roster casualty. You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, leaving us a positive review and five star rating at I-Tunes or Spotify, retweeting show related content on Twitter, and subscribing to the Twins Daily YouTube page. You can follow us @DTS_POD1, @J_D_Cameron, @Jeremynygaard, and @TheodoreTollef1 on Twitter. Send us your prospect and draft related questions for our next episode. 0:00 Intro 2:15 Sonny Gray Rejection 7:43 AL/NL Rookie of the Year 13:06 Prospect Promotion Incentive 25:35 Rule 5 Protection Day 30:09 Twins Additions 35:50 Brewers Additions 37:30 Cal Quantrill Pitch Usage 46:08 Cubs Additions 52:30 Questions View full article

If the Twins are thinking ambitiously about trade targets this offseason, these are the types of players they'll need to consider parting with. Here in the month of November, Twins Daily is providing offseason preview coverage with a phased thematic approach. Last week we took a deep dive on free agency possibilities; this week we're shining the spotlight inward with a focus on players currently in the Twins organization and how they might factor into the team's plans. Along with articles on the site that will explore this focus from every angle, we're also releasing a new section of the 2024 Offseason Handbook for TD Caretakers, which includes Seth's breakdown of organizational depth at every position, and a story from me ranking the 10 players in Twins organization who best blend tradeability with trade value. If you use the coupon code 2024HANDBOOK at checkout, all Caretaker packages are 25% off! You can read an excerpt from that story here, or become a Caretaker to access the whole thing! (If you are a Caretaker, you can scroll to the bottom of this page to download the full PDF for the chapter.) The Twins front office has not been shy about swinging big trades and giving up high-profile talent in the process. In the past we've seen them trade top pitching prospects Brusdar Graterol and Chase Petty to acquire frontline starters, and more recently, they gave up cherished team fixture Luis Arraez in the Pablo Lopez swap. These moves involved some painful losses, but they were also responsible for shaping the league-leading 2023 rotation. As the Twins endeavor to fill key gaps left in their starting pitching corps this offseason, history tells us there's a good chance they'll turn to the trade market. The other factor at play: Minnesota has a lot of players in the mix who look like plausible trade candidates. To their credit, the front office has built up some redundancies, or at least reasonable depth, to make certain quality players less essential to the future. The Twins have productive veterans they could be motivated to deal, as well as elite prospects they could use to aim exceptionally high in their hunt for controllable frontline pitching. Here's my take on 10 players who could realistically be traded this offseason, in order of how much value they might bring back by my estimation. I didn't include players who have no-trade clauses (Correa, Buxton) or players who I simply could not imagine being traded (Jeffers, MLB starting pitchers). I also didn't include players who are candidates to be traded, but have mostly neutral value because of their salaries (Farmer, Vazquez). 1. Brooks Lee, 3B Lee is not the Twins' top prospect, according to TD's rankings, but I do think he is their most valuable and viable trade chip. He's a truly elite prospect in the game – 18th overall in the season-ending MLB Pipeline rankings – and he is pretty clearly major-league ready or very close. Turning 23 next spring, Lee will be a cheap, controllable regular for years to come. He's established a solid floor while still offering an All-Star level ceiling. This blend of qualities makes him highly appealing to a wide range of rebuilding and contending teams. Placing Lee at the center of a trade package would put the Twins in the conversation for almost any hypothetical high-end pitcher on the market. And while losing him obviously would not be fun, we already find ourselves talking about how to make room for him in a crowded Twins infield next year. 2. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF Rodriguez is not quite the same caliber of prospect as Walker Jenkins (below), in absolute terms. However, I do think he has a special sort of intrigue that could make him alluring to front offices enamored by his rare skill set. To be clear, E-Rod's game is not without known flaws. He has a lot of swing-and-miss in his plate approach, with a 30% K-rate in three minor-league seasons helping contribute to a .242 batting average. He's also had some injury issues. But the corresponding strengths really jump out at you. He's a speedy, lefty-swinging center fielder whose power is uncommon and whose patience is almost unheard of. The 20-year-old has an absurd 21.3% career walk rate in the minors. While constantly facing more advanced competition, he has gotten on base more than 41% of the time. After leading the High-A Midwest League in OPS and finishing second in wOBA, Rodriguez is flying high, ready to tackle Double-A. His relative proximity to the majors adds to his value from a trade acquisition standpoint. 3. Walker Jenkins, OF If the Twins were to make their newly drafted top prospect available in trades, they could get a haul. And technically, that is an option on the table. An MLB rule change in 2015 made it so teams can trade draft picks in the same year they were selected, which was previously prohibited. Jenkins was a consensus top-five talent in a loaded draft, and followed up with an emphatic pro debut that puts him in the discussion as a top 10 global prospect. Still, it seems really unlikely the Twins would shop him already. And even if they did, any club drawn to his immense upside would also have to grapple with an added level of uncertainty compared to Lee and Rodriguez. Jenkins has played 26 total pro games and is likely multiple years away from the majors, even in a favorable scenario. Then again, when you're talking about the #16 prospect in baseball (per MLB Pipeline), you're talking about gargantuan trade capital. View full article

Lee has skyrocketed through the minors yet seems to have taken a back seat to Royce Lewis and Walker Jenkins as we talk about prospects. What's next for Lee? View full video

Last season, the Minnesota Twins had the good fortune of winning in the draft lottery and moving up to the fifth overall pick. In 2022, their good fortune came in the form of Brooks Lee, and he’s done nothing but succeed since turning pro. 2024 could be the year he calls himself a Major Leaguer. Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Heading into the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, there was little belief within the Minnesota Twins that Brooks Lee would be available with the 8th overall pick. As the draft played out, however, Sean Johnson and the scouting department found themselves in an incredible position to find Lee within their reach. Lee quickly made that decision look even better as he rocketed through the system, posting a .839 OPS during his first 31 professional games and reaching Double-A. In 2023, Lee made it to St. Paul at the beginning of August after finishing Double-A with a .841 OPS (nearly 100 points above the Texas League's .751 average OPS in 2023). His offensive performance would tail off in September, but before that, he had a 23-game stretch with the Saints in which he slashed .287/.365/.500. More importantly, he was mere miles away from the ultimate goal of calling Target Field home. Lee has shown plenty of in-game power, but his profile at the plate is one of an all-around hitter. Being disciplined and commanding the zone while making consistent contact comes naturally. Defensively, he still looks the part of a shortstop. However, his future position with the Twins will be contingent on the presence of Carlos Correa, Royce Lewis, and Edouard Julien. Given his hitterish qualities and strong glovework, he could contribute to Rocco Baldelli's plans in 2024 somewhere on the diamond. For someone who's been around the game since he could crawl, Lee knew his job would be different, but it's always hard to anticipate what that looks like once you experience it. Having a full professional season in the rearview has given him some perspective. "The season is obviously long, but you don't fully understand it until you're in the thick of it," Lee says. "The first year is all about learning; there are so many games to be played, so getting frustrated about a single game is pointless. You learn quickly how to get your body and mind in the best possible shape for the game ahead of you and take it day by day." Following his 125 games played in 2023, he now understands what is required in the offseason to prepare for that workload. Planning an attack for 2024 will include tweaks from his previous process, including trying to repair weaknesses exposed by higher-level pitching. "What I took away most from Triple-A was that the pitching was smarter and more precise," says Lee. "As I went up levels, those pitchers capitalized on going towards hitters weaknesses or being consistent with locating their wipeout pitches. It's hard to hit but even harder when you have a particular hole that an opposing pitcher can expose." Despite the late-season doldrums, Lee showed plenty of attractive attributes at the plate. Case in point, Lee had two opposite-field home runs with the Saints in early September that registered 103 and 104 MPH off the bat, respectively. Matt Wallner and Alex Kirilloff were the only Twins players to hit opposite field shots at a higher exit velocity. "My issue was that my great batting practice swing didn't translate into games," Lee says, diagnosing what he plans to work on this offseason. "I want to be in the right positions at load, launch, and follow-through. If I can do that, I can take my swing and tailor an approach I think will be most successful against whoever I'm facing." As part of his maturation, Lee also had a front-row seat to what Royce Lewis was doing on his rehab back to the big leagues. "Royce was most helpful as a hitter in Double-A and Triple-A when he rehabbed. He has a unique and specific way of dissecting pitchers and then creating his plan. He is so advanced, and it was super beneficial for me to hit behind him." Baseball has been part of Lee's blood, and his dad, Larry, has been a constant driving factor. The elder Lee, a lifelong college coach, has been the head coach at Cal Poly for the past 21 seasons. Coach Lee will undoubtedly be present to some degree in his son's development this offseason. "I hope all my offseasons revolve around working with my dad," he says. Lee says he will spend some much-needed time decompressing away from the game this December with his girlfriend. The majority of the offseason, however, involves training daily with two of his former teammates at Cal Poly. "I want to be more agile and quicker, so I must spend time on technique," Lee adds. The infielder has stolen just seven bases in 13 tries so far in his career, and with the renewed emphasis on base stealing, having that additional weapon makes him much more dangerous. Personal success is important to Lee, but baseball is a team game, and winning is the ultimate goal. The Twins did a lot of that this season, and while he saw some of the action in St. Paul, being locked in on a postseason run took things to another level. "It was impossible not to follow the postseason, especially with the Twins having a special year. I am even more excited to help the team because the veterans and young guys in the locker room know what it feels like to make it to the postseason and have had a taste of winning." If Lee can set himself up personally for success, plenty of team success will follow. He knows that 2024 could be a special year for him, but ultimately, one thing drives all motivation. "I am not chasing anything specific other than helping a team win as many games as possible. Winning takes care of everything." Minnesota saw success in 2023, and they'll look to expand on that in 2024. It was a season in which the youth made a high impact on the Twins. That can be the formula again next year, and Brooks Lee should be at the forefront of that movement. View full article

Draft tandem JD Cameron and Jeremy Nygaard team up for a new podcast to discuss prospects on their way to the big leagues. Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo The World Series concluded while we were recording. What better time to reflect on each organizations top prospects? As we get ready to enter the offseason, JD and Jeremy break down the Just Baseball Top 100 Prospects list in depth, digging into 2023 numbers for Emmanuel Rodriguez, Brooks Lee, and Walker Jenkins. You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, leaving us a positive review and five star rating at I-Tunes or Spotify, retweeting show related content on Twitter, and subscribing to the Twins Daily YouTube page. You can follow us @DTS_POD1, @J_D_Cameron, @Jeremynygaard, and @TheodoreTollef1 on Twitter. Send us your prospect and draft related questions for our next episode. 0:00 Intro - Halloween, Bremer, AFL 12:28 Top 100 Prospects 17:32 Tyler Black 25:19 Luis Lara 29:32 Matt Shaw 33:30 - Jacob Misiorowski 39:53 - Kevin Alcantara 44:00 - Emmanuel Rodriguez 50:12 - Owen Caissie 54:13 - Brooks Lee 1:00:00 - Jeferson Quero 1:02:58 - Cade Horton 1:07:35 - Pete Crow-Armstrong 1:09:32 - Walker Jenkins 1:13:00 - Jackson Chourio View full article

The Twins saw a trio of rookies emerge as critical cogs in a line-up that struggled in the season’s first half. Here are three rookies who can join the Twins next season and have a similar impact. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints It’s hard to imagine how the Twins’ season would have played out without the team’s trio of rookie players. Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien, and Matt Wallner immediately impacted the roster and helped the club win its third division title in the last five seasons. This trio of rookies all had an OPS+ of 130 or higher while establishing themselves at baseball’s highest level. There have been few times in baseball history where a rookie trio has compiled better totals than Minnesota’s rookies last season. From a team construction standpoint, it would be in the team’s best interest if their prospect pipeline could continue to produce big-league talent, but that can’t always be the case. There are signs of other prospects joining the Twins next season and producing at a high level. Here’s a look at three players who could be Minnesota’s next great rookie trio. Brooks Lee, SS/3B TD Top Prospect Ranking: 2 The Twins have been aggressive with Lee since taking him with the 8th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. In his professional debut, he played at three levels and finished the season at Double-A, where the Wind Surge were on the way to the Texas League Championship Series. In 2023, Lee started the year at Double-A, hitting .292/.365/.476 (.841) with 31 doubles and 11 home runs in 87 games. He was promoted to Triple-A for the stretch run and posted a .731 OPS at a level where he was nearly 4.5 years younger than the average age of the competition. His bat has been his best tool since the Twins drafted him, but there are long-term questions about where he fits on the defensive spectrum. He’s played primarily shortstop in his pro career, but many evaluators feel he will shift to third base as he continues to add muscle to his frame. For the long term, the Twins could employ an infield with Lee at third and shift Lewis over to second base. 2024 Outlook: Lee will start next season in St. Paul, but he projects to make his big-league debut at some point next season. He’s one of the most advanced hitters to come through the Twins’ system in quite some time, and many national outlets will rank him highly on their top-100 lists this winter. Austin Martin, UTL TD Top Prospect Ranking: 7 Martin’s time in the Twins organization has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. Minnesota added Martin as one of the key prospects in the Jose Berrios trade with Toronto. At the time of the trade, he was considered one of baseball’s top 25 prospects. In 2022, he struggled with a .683 OPS at Double-A while dealing with some injuries. The Twins sent him to the Arizona Fall League following the season, and he destroyed the baseball by hitting .374/.454/.482 (.936) with seven extra-base hits in 21 games. Based on this performance, there were high hopes for him entering the 2023 season. Martin suffered a sprained ligament in his right elbow during spring training, and there was a chance he’d need to undergo Tommy John surgery. Instead, he rehabbed the injury and returned to the field in July. In 59 games, he hit .263/.387/.405 (.791) with 11 doubles and six home runs. His days at shortstop are likely behind him, but his athleticism allows him to play center field and second base regularly. 2024 Outlook: The Twins must continue to get Martin back on track so he can make a meaningful impact at the big-league level. Byron Buxton’s future in center field seems like a long shot, so Martin might be able to play a role at an essential up-the-middle defensive position. Yunior Severino, 2B/3B TD Top Prospect Ranking: 12 Severino had a tremendous season on his way to being named the TD Minor League Hitter of the Year. In 120 games, he hit .272/.352/.546 (.898) with 17 doubles and 35 home runs between Double- and Triple-A. The Twins player development team has worked hard with Severino to make more consistent contact, and he seemed to put it all together at the organization’s two highest minor league levels. Next year, he will be 24 and still young to be playing at Triple-A, so there is hope for him to make continued improvements in the years ahead. The Twins will need to add him to the 40-man roster this winter to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, which seems straightforward. Severino has continued to add to his defensive flexibility by playing 125 innings or more at three different infield positions (1B, 2B, 3B). This defensive versatility should help to make him an option when an injury impacts the team’s roster next season. 2024 Outlook: Other prospects will rate higher than Severino on national prospect lists, but he still has an opportunity to be an above-average player at the big-league level. There are other prospects ahead of him on the team’s depth chart, but look for him to debut in the second half of 2024. What kind of impact can these players have on the 2024 roster? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. View full article

Here are some of the internal and external options the Twins could consider at first base for 2024 in the event that Alex Kirilloff's recovery from shoulder surgery extends into next season. Image courtesy of Bill Streicher, Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Alex Kirilloff is slated for labrum repair surgery in his right shoulder, and the Twins won't know a timeline until after the procedure takes place next week. Considering the nature of this type of significant surgery, there is a decent chance that his recovery will carry over into the 2024 season. At the very least, the Twins need to be thinking very seriously about what the short-term (and perhaps long-term) picture looks like at first base in AK's absence. Here are a few paths they could take this offseason to ensure the position is in good hands for next year. Re-sign Donovan Solano Perhaps the simplest answer. Signed for $2 million at the start of spring training, Solano proved to be a key fixture for the Twins. He led the team in starts at first base (64), and was a solid contributor with his .369 OBP and 110 OPS+. If the Twins wanted to run it back, they could probably do so on another inexpensive one-year deal. But, even if you're envisioning the solution at first base is somewhat of a stopgap, don't you want to aim higher? Solano turns 36 this offseason, has no power, and was not terribly impressive defensively. By almost any value-based metric he was a below-average player. He also left a bad taste in all our mouths by striking out three times in the elimination game against Houston. Donnie Barrels, your service is appreciated, but I think it's best for both sides to move on. Sign a different free agent first baseman Of course, there are plenty of other fish in the sea of free agency. But trust me when I say that this year's first base class is not very appealing. There's not really a star-caliber player in the bunch, unless you are targeting someone like Cody Bellinger or Jeimer Candelario as a first baseman. Rhys Hoskins is a slugger who'd look good in the middle of the Twins lineup, but he missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL suffered in the spring. Otherwise the pool consists of a bunch of older fading players who can hardly be trusted to be offer much more than Solano. Trade for a first baseman Trades are the more interesting avenue for outside additions, if you're looking for a real difference-maker at first base. Two names stand out as potential targets: Pete Alonso and Paul Goldschmidt. Alonso is an elite power hitter who fits with the offensive profile that Minnesota remains committed to. He's entering his last year ahead of arbitration and the woebegone Mets could seek to cash in rather than lose him for nothing. (Not to mention clear salary in pursuit of Shohei Ohtani.) Goldschmidt is coming off a relative down year, and entering his final season under contract at age 36. He's the kind of experienced veteran icon (and recent MVP) who would add another layer of respected leadership in the clubhouse. But he has a no-trade clause, and may prefer to stay in St. Louis even if their contention outlook is uncertain. An exciting big splash like Alonso or Goldschmidt would emphatically address first base for next year while keeping options open long-term. But either player would cost a ton to acquire. Is it worth it when you can turn to the following option? Solve for the problem internally Jose Miranda. Remember that guy? Okay, his own shoulder isn't looking like much of a sure thing either, but he remains a very relevant name on Minnesota's first base depth chart. And there are other players on hand who could aptly fill in at first base, at least on an interim basis. Edouard Julien got a couple of starts at first late in the 2023 season, and while the team seemed resistant to using him there much, they might feel differently if they can bring him along in spring training and let him own the position. This would of course open up second for Jorge Polanco, so it makes sense. Maybe Miranda or minor-league slugger Yunior Severino, who hit 35 home runs at AA/AAA this year, could plug in as a platoon bat alongside Julien. Another option: turn the keys over to Brooks Lee, who hasn't played first base yet as a pro but could almost certainly handle the assignment. This would open the door for Minnesota's top prospect to step in alongside the young nucleus. If the Twins (understandably) want Lee to get a little more seasoning in Triple-A, where he admittedly hasn't dominated yet, they can keep this idea in their back pocket. But the 22-year-old should be viewed as another depth piece in the first base equation. With all of these internal options being on the table, and with Kirilloff still being part of the plan at some point, I find it hard to believe the Twins will allocate major resources to a blockbuster addition at first base. If an opportunity materializes for someone like Alonso or Goldschmidt, the front office should definitely see it through. But they've got enough ready-made depth on hand that they should not feel overly pressured to add here, from my view. What do you think? What would be your plan at first base this offseason? View full article