Twins fans have reason for hope despite 2026 quickly falling apart

The Minnesota Twins have a 12-15 record after losing eight of nine games. While the team still has time to turn things around this season, a postseason berth is unlikely. But even if Minnesota ends up missing the playoffs for the third straight season, fans have plenty of reasons to be excited about the future.

Why Twins fans should be excited about future despite 2026 quickly falling apart

Young, electric starting pitchers

Taj Bradley and Mick Abel have shown they can be lights out when they're at their best. Although Bradley surrendered four homers against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays, in his last outing at Tropicana Field on Friday, the 25-year-old righty has an amazing 2.91 ERA and 25.2% strikeout rate in 34 innings across six starts this season.

Meanwhile, Abel, who is on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation, hurled 13 scoreless innings across his last two starts.

Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Pablo López, who will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing an internal brace procedure in February, are set to be free agents at the conclusion of the 2027 season. Unless Minnesota offers any of them a contract extension, they will all likely be on different teams before the 2028 season. If Minnesota decides to be sellers at the Trade Deadline, general manager Jeremy Zoll may deal Ryan, who would likely be one of the most sought-after starting pitchers in July. Minnesota may also deal López in the offseason or at the 2027 Trade Deadline. The Twins could also trade Ober this year or next, but he likely won't be desired by many teams due to his noticeable drop in fastball velocity.

Even with Ryan, Ober and López likely not in the Twins' rotation plans beyond the 2027 season, a rotation led by Bradley and Abel has the potential to be outstanding. Minnesota's top pitching prospect Connor Prielipp, who allowed two runs with six strikeouts over four innings in his MLB debut against the New York Mets on Wednesday, also has ace potential.

Assuming the Twins don't extend Ryan or López, the Twins' 2028 starting rotation will likely be led by Bradley, Abel and Prielipp. Lefty Kendry Rojas, whom Minnesota demoted to Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday after he threw two scoreless innings in his MLB debut against the Mets on Wednesday, also has the potential to be a big-league starter.

According to MLB Pipeline, the Twins' two best pitching prospects besides Prielipp are lefty Dasan Hill and righty Charlee Soto. Both young starting pitchers are prime candidates to be in the Twins' starting rotation in 2028 and have fastballs that can reach 100 mph.

Promising position player prospects

Along with many exciting young arms, the Twins have an abundance of promising position player prospects. Minnesota has four position players among MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects: outfielders Walker Jenkins (No. 11) and Emmanuel Rodríguez (No. 64), shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (No. 46) and catcher Eduardo Tait (No. 56). Fans can expect to see Jenkins, Rodríguez and Culpepper make their MLB debuts this season. Tait is just 19 years old, so he probably won't be ready for the big leagues until 2028 or later.

Additionally, despite his struggles this season, second baseman Luke Keaschall has the potential to be a star. Third baseman Royce Lewis has proved he can be an All-Star-caliber player when he's at his best. Austin Martin has also looked solid thus far in 2026. Not to mention, center fielder Byron Buxton is under contract through the 2028 season and has made it clear he wants to be a Twin for the rest of his life.

If the Twins supplement their young talent with established big leaguers in the next few seasons, the team should be exciting to watch.

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