ESPN's top 100 prospects rankings prove Twins have one of the best farm systems in MLB
On Tuesday, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel released his list of the top 100 MLB prospects for 2026, which included six players in the Twins organization. Minnesota had the third-most prospects on the list behind the Cleveland Guardians (7) and Milwaukee Brewers (8).
The Twins' six players on McDaniel's list are outfielder Walker Jenkins (No. 9), catcher Eduardo Tait (No. 38), left-handed pitcher Connor Prielipp (No. 54), shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (No. 79), right-handed pitcher Charlee Soto (No. 94) and outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 97).
Getting to know the Twins' top prospects, which include Walker Jenkins, Eduardo Tait, Kaelen Culpepper and more
Most Twins fans are familiar with Jenkins, Minnesota's first-round pick from the 2023 MLB Draft. If he hadn't suffered numerous injuries since being drafted, he likely would've made his MLB debut by now despite being just 20 years old.
Arguably the Twins' best prospect since Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano, Jenkins slashed .309/.426/.487 (156 wRC+) with seven home runs in 52 games for Double-A Wichita last season before being promoted to Triple-A St. Paul. He struggled a bit with the Saints, hitting just .242/.324/.396 in 102 plate appearances, but he likely just needed time to adjust to Triple-A pitching. He should make his MLB debut next season.
Tait, whom the Twins acquired along with right-handed starting pitcher Mick Abel from the Philadelphia Phillies for closer Jhoan Duran, is an exciting prospect to look out for, but he likely won't be in the majors for a while, as he is just 19 and has yet to play above the Single-A level. In his minor league career, Tait has posted an .802 OPS in 977 plate appearances.
Prielipp, the Twins' 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, accumulated the most innings (82 2/3) of his professional career last season. A second-round pick out of the University of Alabama in 2022, Prielipp pitched just 28 innings in college due to injuries. Prielipp has also dealt with injuries with the Twins, and the organization has been cautious with the young pitcher, ensuring he doesn't pitch too many innings.
Prielipp, who throws a mid-90s fastball along with a slider and changeup, began the 2025 season with Double-A Wichita, posting a 3.65 ERA (3.31 FIP) with a 27% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate in 61 2/3 innings across 19 starts before earning a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul on August 16. In five outings (four starts) with the Saints, Prielipp has allowed 12 earned runs on 20 hits and 13 walks over 21 innings.
Culpepper, the Twins' 2025 Minor League Position Player of the Year, began the 2025 season with High-A Cedar Rapids, where he hit .293/.385/.479 (147 wRC+) with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 247 plate appearances over 54 games before earning a promotion to Double-A Wichita. Culpepper continued his success with the Wind Surge, slashing .285/.367/.460 (130 wRC+) with 11 home runs, 30 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 270 plate appearances over 59 games.
Soto is more of an under-the-radar prospect compared to the other Twins players on McDaniel's list, and he is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He made just three starts last season due to a bone spur in his elbow, but he will be healthy to start the 2026 campaign. His fastball can reach 100 miles per hour, and his changeup is his best pitch.
As for Rodriguez, the outfielder has missed significant playing time in his professional career due to multiple injuries. Rodriguez, who is known to draw a lot of walks and hit for power, reached Triple-A in 2024 and played there in 2025 when he was healthy and not rehabbing. He hit .258/.429/.423 with six homers, 27 RBI and nine stolen bases in 52 games with the Saints this past season. The 22-year-old is an average defender with a plus arm and above-average speed. He strikes out frequently, but his on-base and power skills suggest he could be an All-Star in the big leagues one day. In 60 plate appearances in Winter Ball this offseason, he posted a 1.063 OPS.
While all of these prospects have a chance to be stars in the big leagues and could help the Twins return to the postseason, history tells us not all of them will live up to their potential. Therefore, while having a good farm system is nice, the Twins need to make more impactful free-agent signings and/or trades if they want to put themselves in the best position to compete for a World Series title.