It's becoming increasingly obvious that the Minnesota Twins need to demote third baseman Royce Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul. While there's still some hope that the 2017 first overall pick can turn his career around, he's been struggling to the point where optioning him to Triple-A feels like the only thing Minnesota can do to try to get him back on track. Lewis, who is slashing .167/.269/.300 (63 wRC+) with three homers and 12 RBI in 27 games this season, may just need a month or two to mash Triple-A pitching to get his timing at the plate back on track.
In the event that Minnesota options Lewis, there are several players the Twins could consider to take his roster spot. The most exciting option is top infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper, who is hitting .252/.345/.460 (104 wRC+) with eight homers and 29 RBI across 36 games for Triple-A St. Paul this season. However, Minnesota may want to give Culpepper more Triple-A experience.
Orlando Arcia has been on a tear for Triple-A St. Paul
One player the Twins could consider to take Lewis' roster spot is former Atlanta Braves All-Star infielder Orlando Arcia, who signed a minor-league deal with Minnesota in the offseason. Arcia, who has 10 years of MLB experience, has posted an outstanding .324/.377/.577 (140 wRC+) slash line with eight home runs and 27 RBI over 36 games with Triple-A St. Paul this season. The former Brave can play all four infield positions.
Arcia, the younger brother of former Twins outfielder Oswaldo Arcia, has always been known for his strong defensive play at shortstop. He's regressed a bit defensively, posting -1 Outs Above Average (OAA) at shortstop last year, but he looked solid at third and second base with 1 and 3 OAA, respectively.
Arcia is likely a Quad-A player at this point in his career. Last season, he posted an abysmal .202/.238/.291 (33 wRC+) slash line with just three home runs and 13 RBI over 76 games with the Braves and Colorado Rockies. Still, his outstanding stats in Triple-A prove he deserves another chance in the majors. Sure, Culpepper would be the most exciting option for the Twins to call up to take Lewis' roster spot. But if the Twins believe Culpepper needs more Triple-A plate appearances, it could open the door for Arcia to return to the big leagues.
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