Watch: Royce Lewis destroys 422-foot home run in first game back with Saints (Video)
By Josh Hill
It's safe to say the Royce Lewis hype train is leaving the station -- again.
Lewis has been a top prospect in the Minnesota Twins farm system for what feels like ages, as injuries have constantly forced him back to square one and false started his ascension to being a Big League contributor. That day might be closer than we all thought, as Lewis is in the process of completing a rehab assignment and looks every bit the type of player the Twins both want to see and desperately need on offense right now.
His journey back to the Twins lineup will be triumphant in more than one way. Not only will it mean a potential future star joining the team, but Lewis will have battled back from two ACL tears in the span of less than 15 months. Last April Lewis tore his ACL for the second time while trying to make a play against the Kansas City Royals.
The injury cut his debut with the Twins short, a debut that was anticipated because of how the first ACL tear knocked his career trajectory off course.
It seems like the third time might be the charm for Lewis, as he returned to Triple-A St. Paul this week and is already leaving his mark.
Royce Lewis hits monster home run in first game back with Saints (Video)
In his first game back with the Saints, Lewis crushed an absolute laser of a home run that didn't land until it was 422-feet away from where he hit it.
It's truly a sight for sore eyes:
We missed you, Royce🙏
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 17, 2023
In his first AAA game this season, Royce Lewis has unleashed a 422ft home run that left his bat at 108mph💣 pic.twitter.com/ENyHnmdwLN
If it feels like we've been waiting forever forLewis to become an everyday part of the Twins lineup, it's because we essentially have. Lewis was the Twins top draft pick back in 2017 and has vasulated between being a Top 2 prospect ever since.
Those ACL tears set him back, but it didn't drop him in any prospect rankings and he's still only 24-years-old. Given the state of the Twins offense, Lewis' bat will be a welcomed addition to the lineup, and seeing him finally find a place in the Big Leagues will be the culmination of a journey we've all been watching for over a half-decade.
Judging from how well Lewis is playing at St. Paul and the glimpses we've seen from him in the past, the wait will be worth it.
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