Minnesota Twins: Breaking Down the 2022 AL Central Rivals-Detroit

Detroit Tigers prospect Spencer Torkelson takes batting practice during spring training minor league minicamp.
Detroit Tigers prospect Spencer Torkelson takes batting practice during spring training minor league minicamp.
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Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez hits an rbi double against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)

Minnesota Twins: AL Central Rival Projected Lineup

  • C: Tucker Barnhart
  • 1B: Spencer Torkelson
  • 2B: Jonathan Schoop
  • SS: Javier Baez
  • 3B: Jemier Candelario
  • LF: Austin Meadows
  • CF: Akil Baddoo
  • RF: Robbie Grossman
  • DH: Miguel Cabrera

Last year, the lineup was Detroit’s biggest weakness, but after adding Spencer Torkelson, Javier Baez, Austin Meadows, and Riley Greene (when he returns from injury) makes it one of the more solid groups in the American League.

They’ll strike out A LOT, and Barnhart, Cabrera, and Candelario aren’t going to light it up, but this team won’t be a pushover anymore. In fact, if Torkelson and Greene are hot to start, they might actually be pretty good.

Castillo is especially excited about the Baez move: “I was a big fan of the Javier Baez signing.The Tigers needed so badly to upgrade at shortstop that despite his strikeout numbers, Baez is a good fit for Detroit”.

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