Can prospects key a breakthrough?
Five issues facing the Twins:
The retooled rotation: At the trade deadline last season, the Twins dealt right-hander José Berríos to the Toronto Blue Jays, hollowing out their rotation for 2022. Kenta Maeda is also coming off Tommy John surgery and could miss most of 2022.
Prior to the MLB lockout, the Twins did not do much to address a glaring need, other than bringing Dylan Bundy in on a one-year, $5 million contract.
The largest free agent contract for a pitcher doled out under president of baseball operations Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine was a twoyear, $20 million deal for Michael Pineda, who is now a free agent.
With spending an unlikely option to rebuild the rotation, the Twins will likely need help from the minors throughout the upcoming season. Jordan Balazovic is the top-ranked pitching prospect in the Twins’ system, and the righty made 20 starts (3.62 ERA) for Class AA Wichita in 2021. Simeon Woods Richardson, acquired in the Berríos trade, could also break through after reaching Class AA last season.
Regressing vets: Max Kepler developed into an above-average, everyday right fielder by 2019, a year in which he clubbed 36 homers. But his average dropped from .252 to .219 during a 48game, pandemic-shortened campaign in 2020. Over a full season in 2021 he posted a .211/.306/.413 slash line with 19 homers and 54 RBI. That lack of production could cause manager Rocco Baldelli to begin using Kepler, signed through the 2023 season with a club option for 2024, in a bench role.
For each full season former MVP Josh Donaldson has played since 2014, he’s cracked at least 29 homers – except for last year, when he had 26 in 135 games. Donaldson will be 36 next season, and he is another player signed through 2023 with a team option.
Youngsters ready?
The Twins have several top-level prospects they are hoping can begin contributing to the roster, especially at positions up the middle. Royce Lewis was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft and plays shortstop, as well as other infield positions and center field. Outfielder Alex Kirilloff, a fellow first-founder, made his MLB debut in the 2020 postseason and is expected to have a starting role in 2022.
Then there’s Austin Martin, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft and another piece of the Berríos trade. He’s another shortstop who can play the outfield. Sound familiar? And it raises the question: Will the Twins hang on to him, or use his potential to address another area of need?
The AL Central: Maybe it’s a symptom of playing to the competition. The division was strong in the two years they were crowned champs during Baldelli’s tenure (2019, 2020). But it was the lone division last year to feature only one above-.500 squad (White Sox). With Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City not necessarily contenders, the Twins’ path to success should be clearer than most MLB teams.
Rebuilding year? Are the Twins “rebuilding”? Falvey refused to use that word when describing the team’s 2022 outlook. With a free agent pitching class that’s mostly expired, it will be interesting to see how that’s not the case.