It's been a little over a month since I completed Part 2 of this series, the AL Central, which I originally began with the AL East a couple of months ago.The full scope of the scenario that I've created can be found in Part 1, but to summarize, the Twins would be selecting one player from each MLB team, with the selections being independent of one another. Players can not be a top 5 finisher in MVP or Cy Young voting at any point in their careers, can not have a 2025 salary of $20M or higher, and must have reached at least Double-A if they are still in the minors. It's now time for the AL West.
Athletics: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Age 22
Notable Ineligibles: None
The Athletics have a good group of young position players, with other names under consideration, including guys like Shea Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom, and Lawrence Butler, but the best of all is Nick Kurtz.
Kurtz was drafted by the Athletics with the 4th overall pick in last year's MLB Draft and reached the big leagues less than a year later. He's done nothing but hit since being called up, with his slash line 92 games into his career being .307/.398/.635, and he also has 27 homers and 23 doubles to go with it. He's looked like one of the best hitters in baseball for the better part of three months now, and looks to be the type of guy who can slot into the heart of a lineup for the next decade-plus. If his name wasn't in headlines already, he had one of the best offensive games in baseball history in late July, a 6-6 effort with 4 homers, a double, and 19 total bases. He's struggled defensively to this point, but his bat more than makes up for it. Kurtz would slot in as the Twins' first baseman for as far as you can look ahead at this point.
Houston Astros: Jeremy Peña, SS, Age 27
Notable Ineligibles: Yordan Alvarez
Carlos Correa anyone? No? Didn't think so. Anyways, Hunter Brown was a very intriguing option here, as he's taken the next step and been one of the better pitchers in baseball this season. Peña was just too difficult to pass on, though.
The 27-year-old shortstop has 4.6 fWAR on the season, as he's become an excellent defender at shortstop while also taking his offensive game to a new level as well. In 105 games this season, Peña is slashing .306/.355/.477 with 14 homers, 23 doubles, and 19 stolen bases. He's really broken out this season and become an excellent all-around player, and would be an immediate answer for the Twins at shortstop. The future at the position is a bit of a question mark for the team, although not for lack of intriguing options. Brooks Lee has played shortstop since Carlos Correa was traded at the deadline, and has looked a lot more comfortable both offensively and defensively since moving back to his long-time position. Kaelen Culpepper and Marek Houston also likely factor into the Twins' plans at shortstop, with Culpepper being at Double-A and Houston at High-A. Peña would give the Twins another cemented-in position player to build around, alongside guys like Byron Buxton, Matt Wallner, Royce Lewis, and Luke Keaschall.
Los Angeles Angeles: Zach Neto, SS, Age 24
Notable Ineligibles: Mike Trout
The Angels are a franchise in an interesting spot, where a lot of their production this season has come from expensive veterans that don't really factor into this exercise. Logan O'Hoppe and Christian Moore were intriguing options, but ultimately, Neto seems like the best choice.
24 years old, Neto is in the midst of his third big league season, and it's been his best yet. Through 114 games, he's slashing .270/.326/.491 with 23 homers, 29 doubles, and 24 stolen bases. The strikeout and walk numbers aren't ideal, but Neto has looked like a pure hitter that can still sustain success even with below-average swing decisions. He hasn't been great defensively at shortstop, but there's still plenty of time for him to progress there. Overall, he would be a great piece for the Twins to add to their infield core, whether the majority of his time came at shortstop or perhaps at second or third base.
Seattle Mariners: Cal Raleigh, C, Age 28
Notable Ineligibles: Julio Rodríguez
Choosing between Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh would've been incredibly difficult, but Rodríguez is ineligible due to his 2025 salary. Still, the Mariners have a trio of young starting pitchers who were all incredibly intriguing in Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, and George Kirby. Despite that, I'm going with Big Dumper, who has firmly established himself as the best catcher in baseball.
Raleigh, 28, has totaled 7.3 fWAR through 131 games this season, and his 50 homers lead all of baseball. He also has a .939 OPS in addition to excellent defensive play, and is still firmly in the AL MVP race alongside Aaron Judge. It also goes without saying that he's become a fan favorite around the league. Raleigh would be an excellent addition to the Twins, slotting in as the primary catcher with Ryan Jeffers moving into more of a backup role, although both would likely see a good chunk of time at DH too.
Texas Rangers: Wyatt Langford, OF, Age 23
Notable Ineligibles: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Corey Seager
The Rangers have some strong young talent, with starting pitchers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, infielder Josh Jung, and outfielders Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. They also have some strong veterans, as noted, who are ineligible due to salary and/or past awards. Ultimately, Langford is the choice.
Langford is just 23 and was drafted 4th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, one pick before the Twins' current top prospect, Walker Jenkins. Langford reached the big leagues last year, and while he's been an above-average hitter in the big leagues, he has yet to take that next step in stardom that some may have anticipated he would've reached by now. Still, he is only 23 and has plenty of time to continue improving. He would be an excellent fit on the Twins, especially considering he bats right-handed and the Twins are full of left-handed outfielders.