Ranking the Twins Top 3 positions of need, and players who could fill in the gap

It’s January 16th in Twins territory, and the Minnesota Twins offseason has gone from disappointing to very successful in one move with the team bringing back Carlos Correa on a six-year, $200 million megadeal.

With Correa on board, the Twins addressed their three most pressing needs in shortstop (Correa), catcher (Christian Vazquez/Tony Wolters), and depth (Kyle Farmer, Joey Gallo, Willi Castro). Some sites have gone so far as to give the Twins a passing grade for this offseason.

But the job is far from finished.

Minnesota Twins: 3 biggest positions of need ahead of next season

The 2022 season ended in an incredibly disappointing way, and the fan base has grown incredibly apathetic towards the team. While the Correa deal helps a lot, the team still needs to do more in order to be ready for 2023.

With this in mind, we took a look at the currently constructed roster to find three positions and one honorable mention that could still use some help, because let’s face it: no team is perfect. The Twins may be well-positioned to win their first division title since 2020, but these positions could use the most help.

Honorable Mention: First Base

This position isn’t a position of need right now, but by the time June rules around, could be a big problem. On the 40-Man roster, Luis Arraez, Jose Miranda, and Alex Kirilloff are all capable of playing first base, but if Kirilloff gets hurt, Arraez is dealt for an arm, and Miranda experiences a sophomore slump, there’s no depth available. It’s not a need now, but it’s definitely not a strength.

Minnesota Twins Need No. 3: Starting Pitcher

I’m sure some people’s first thought when reading this will be “How can starters not be first? This is ridiculous. The rotation is the worst in baseball.” I encourage you to reconsider that thought process.

For starters, the Twins rotation is good. Sonny Gray, Tyler Mahle, Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda, and Bailey Ober make up a very solid group, and with Simeon Woods Richardson, Louie Varland, and Josh Winder waiting in the wings, the team has a lot more depth than it did last year too.

What it doesn’t have, however, is an ace. There isn’t a clear pitcher on this staff who can go up against a Max Scherzer or a Justin Verlander and inspire confidence. The Twins don’t necessarily need one of those guys, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.

With next-to-nothing left on the market, the Minnesota Twins have been active in the trade market, and while I don’t think Pablo Lopez is the answer (especially not worth trading Arraez, Kirilloff, Lewis, Larnach, or Lee for), there are some arms that might be available.

Max Fried could be available in a trade with the situation with the Braves deteriorating. If the Arizona Diamondbacks continue to struggle, the Twins could have the right combination to ship Lee and Lewis to bring in one of baseball’s best young arms. Maybe the New York Yankees dangle Frankie Montas after an unsuccessful half year in the Bronx.

Pablo Lopez doesn’t move the needle for the Twins, so if they can’t get a better pitcher than him via trade, the team should roll with the group they have and reassess at the deadline when the pool of talent available is deeper.

Minnesota Twins Need No. 1: Right-Handed Outfielder

The biggest issue that the Twins currently have is in their outfield. This might seem a big confusing, considering Byron Buxton, Trevor Larnach, Alex Kirilloff, Joey Gallo, and a shift-free Max Kepler are on this team, but it’s a little more specific than that. The team needs a right-handed hitter.

Buxton is your everyday starter until he gets hurt, Gallo is exclusively a lefty-only batter, Kirilloff will also have to play first, and we haven’t seen enough of Larnach to know if he’s truly the guy or not.

To make matters worse, outside of Buxton, all of those guys are lefties, the team knows it needs some help in this area, as it has already been in contact with A.J. Pollock and Andrew McCutchen. Now, with both of those players signed, Trey Mancini signed, and Kyle Garlick designated for assignment to make room for Correa, the Twins’ need is even greater.

In free agency, there aren’t many options available. Robbie Grossman is a switch-hitter who is dominant against lefties and is well-liked as a former Twin. Adam Duvall is a lefty killer and would be a good option. Jurickson Profar is a switch-hitter with a ton of versatility, but he’s merely solid against lefties.

Each of these options would help fill the need, but it’s unlikely we see any move until Max Kepler has been dealt. Regardless, if the Twins make a deal at any of these three spots, the team would become a lot stronger.