The Minnesota Twins tried to use Royce Lewis at second base in the final weeks of last season and it didn’t go well. But while the Twins star was reluctant to the idea of a position change during a pennant race, he’s preparing for a potential move ahead of the 2025 season.
The news comes from Dan Hayes of The Athletic who caught up with Lewis as he trains in Frisco, Texas. While Lewis admitted he was “terrified” over the thought of moving around the diamond last year, he said that he’s had a “better conversation” with manager Rocco Baldelli about a potential move and is open to playing the position.
“I just needed some time,” Lewis said. “It’s hard to make a transition like that in the middle of the year. When you’re in the playoff hunt, I was already dealing with the stresses of trying to hit and figure out how to play through fatigue at the end of a season. I wanted to focus on some of those things other than .”
Royce Lewis’s second season had a disappointing finish for the Minnesota Twins
Like many players down the stretch, Lewis’s 2024 didn’t have a positive ending. Lewis hit a home run in his first at-bat in an Opening Day matchup against the Kansas City Royals but a severe quad strain and a right adductor strain had him miss nearly three months last summer.
While Lewis worked around the quad strain to hit .292/.354/.685 with 10 homers and 18 RBI in 24 games, he suffered his adductor strain on July 2 and hit .207/.270/.350 with six homers and 29 RBI over his final 58 games.
The struggles amplified as the season continued as Lewis hit .182/.224/.250 with one homer and 12 RBI as the Twins lost 26 of their final 37 games to fall out of playoff contention. The defining moment came during that stretch when Lewis was reluctant to play second base during a September series against the Tampa Bay Rays and publicly voiced his concerns to the media.
“If you take a baby out of its crib where it’s safe, it’s going to feel a little bit scared,” Lewis said at the time. “That’s kind of where I’m at right now.”
While Lewis rebuffed the Twins’ plan to use him at second base last September, he’s mixed in reps at the position during his training this offseason. While Hayes noted Lewis is comfortable playing “anywhere in the dirt,” he also feels more comfortable at second base than he did in September.
“It’s a totally different side of the world,” Lewis said. “I know a ground ball is a ground ball. But it’s the little things – coverages, footwork, double plays, worrying about my knees running in the outfield. …That’s why I was hesitant at the time.”
Royce Lewis could play second base for the Minnesota Twins in 2025
While the Twins haven’t officially told Lewis he will be playing at second base, it could be a great development entering next season. Fellow infielder Brooks Lee and Jose Miranda are more comfortable at third base and current second baseman Edouard Julien could wind up at first base after a disappointing 2024 season if the Twins don’t find an affordable option in free agency.
It could depend on Lewis’s health as he missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons after suffering two ACL tears in 18 months and has been on and off the injured list in his first two major league seasons. Lewis has been focused on loosening his body and changing his diet to prepare for next season and even his agent Scott Boras believes he could succeed at second base, comparing him to Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg.
Wherever he plays, Lewis will need to have a big impact if the Twins want to succeed in 2025.