Massive Twins shortstop gave Minnesota a reason to believe in AFL action

The Arizona Fall League is wrapped up for the 2025 season, and Twins fans can get excited about one of their top prospects heading into next year. On its surface, No. 13 Brandon Winokur didn't produce an All-Star fall campaign, but his potential goes much deeper than just that.

Standing 6-foot-6 , Winokur is a versatile defender who is capable of playing shortstop, third base, and center field. This opens up a ton of opportunity for him as he continues to develop, giving the organization a chance to slot him wherever necessary. On offense, the 20-year-old batted .192 in the AFL this year, but he still found a way to drive in 12 runs across 21 games.

This is2 a guy who showed some serious opposite-field pop in the Arizona Fall League, launching two home runs and three doubles. He also drew nine walks. So, the biggest thing for the 2023 third-round pick is to get more consistent. Once he can unlock that part of his game, the sky is the limit for the imposing Winokur.

Winokur played in the regular season with High-A Cedar Rapids. In 122 games, he registered 26 stolen bases, 20 doubles, 17 home runs, three triples, 44 walks, and 68 RBIs. Not a bad campaign by any means.

He struggled with consistency, and would go on several 0-for stretches. But, when Winokur was on, he was among the best hitters in the Minor League Baseball. During his seven-game hitting streak from July 9-20, he batted 13-for-28 with six RBIs. From August 16-22, Winokur went 9-for-24 with five RBIs. He's shown flashes of excellence, so now, it's about maintaining that superstar ability.

Though there are other bigger-named prospects in the Twins' organization performing well, like No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins being MLB ready or No. 11 Kyle DeBarge earning Gold Glove Award honors this past season, Brandon Winokur is projected to be a player to watch in 2026. We expect him to break out soon.