3 positions the Twins could use as trade chips to be buyers at the deadline
Time to Capitalize on a Hot Stretch and Push for the Playoffs
It's been a bumpy ride for Minnesota Twins fans over the last few years, with some incredible highs being chased by depressing lows.
Whether making the playoffs to inevitably lose to the Yankees or assembling a competitive roster that fails to win 80 games, the Twins have been on the brink of a run for years. The window could be opening this year, as the team is heating up, looks like it has a complete lineup, and is fresh off a wildcard series win last season.
It’s time to go all in and be buyers, and here are three positions of depth that could be used as trade capital to land a big fish or strengthen some weaker positions
Infielders
The Twins have a glut of talented infielders, especially after the Brooks Lee call up.
It’s safe to say he will be here long term next to Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis (when healthy). After that, the Twins have a red hot Jose Miranda, veterans Carlos Santana and Kyle Farmer, utility pieces Austin Martin and Willi Castro, and oh by the way Eduard Julien is still in the minors. There might not be enough at bats to go around very soon.
The icing on the cake comes in the minors, where Luke Keaschall, Tanner Schobel, and Yunior Severino are all infielders and top prospects in the system. Keaschall has the highest upside, but Schobel and Severino (who is limited to the corners) knocking on the door at age 23 and 24 and ETAs in the next year or so.
Kyle Farmer is all but gone whether it be through trade or DFA, so anything you can get for or include him in would be a bonus. Anyone is available at the right price, but the Twins should look to use Martin, Schobell, Severino, and possibly Julien (although is value is at an all time low) as trade bait while keeping intact their core contributors.
Starting Pitching
After years of question marks, the Twinkies finally have a solid rotation. Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Simeon Woods Richardson have been a solid foursome, with Chris Paddack underwhelming as the five. David Festa just made his big league debut and Louie Varland is still on the team, so there’s room to deal from this group. Considering that four of the system’s top 10 prospects are starters leaves this as the best spot the Twins could use to land a big name player.
- David Festa (No. 4)
- Marco Raya (No. 7)
- Charlee Soto (No. 8)
- C.J. Culpepper (No. 9).
Every team needs starting pitching, so the Twins should make all four of these prospects available, as Paddack and Varland, as trade capital at the deadline. (You could even pitch me on selling high on Simeon, I’m all ears).
Excited for David Festa's MLB debut today. Both his stuff and his command have improved since last year.
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) June 27, 2024
He gained more than 2 inches of IVB on his fastball, while upping his strike rate by 10%. The slider has always been plus and the feel for his change has never been better. pic.twitter.com/uceMl0NLso
One of the Outfielders
The Twins have dragged their feet for a couple years now when it comes to moving one of their young corner outfielders, and it may end up coming back to bite them. Max Kepler is entering his walk year, while Matt Wallner, Trevor Larnach, and Alex Kiriloff have not necessarily impressed this year (while all kind of feeling like the same guy, to be honest). Larnach has been the most consistent bat this year, Kiriloff had a good 2023, and Wallner has shown signs of impressive power. Dealer's choice, but it’s time to press the button and move one of these guys. Kepler has been good and would be a rental pickup for another team, diminishing his return value. Pick one of the other three to trade or see who garners the most interest. However you want to slice the pie, one of these guys needs to be cashed in for deadline acquisition.
The Twins have historically been hesitant to go all in and make big moves at the deadline and unfortunately the same could be the case this year. However, there's no better time than now to buy in. They're blessed with depth to deal from this year, and don’t you think a Soto, Wallner, Martin package could net a decent return?