Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) September 30, 2023
Where will Louie Varland be on Opening Day?
If the season were to start today, Louie Varland would likely be the team’s fifth starter. However, by Opening Day, he is more likely to be either in the Triple-A rotation or in the Twins’ bullpen.
Varland has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, which is valuable, but the Twins understand the need for more than just five starters to get through a season. They would prefer to have Varland as the sixth option on the depth chart, similar to Bailey Ober last year. Additionally, Varland’s impressive performance in the bullpen in September may tempt the Twins to utilize him as a late-inning reliever.
Varland is an important piece in the Twins’ plans for 2024, but his role will depend on the team’s offseason moves and their overall strategy.
Is Max Kepler the obvious solution for center field?
No, Max Kepler is not the obvious solution for center field. Kepler has not started a game in center field since 2021 and has not played the position regularly since 2019. He prefers to stay in right field. Furthermore, as he enters his age-31 season, it is unclear if he would still be an asset as a center fielder. While Kepler excels in right field, his average sprint speed last season would have ranked him 42nd out of the 45 most-used center fielders in MLB.
While Kepler occasionally playing center field in the past would have been helpful for the Twins, relying on him as the primary center fielder is no longer a viable option.
What is Trevor Larnach’s future with the Twins?
Trevor Larnach finds himself in a challenging position. Matt Wallner has surpassed him in the pecking order for young corner outfielders, leaving Larnach without a clear role if Kepler remains on the team. If Kepler were to be traded, it would open up a spot in the outfield, but even then, it is uncertain if the Twins would hand Larnach the starting job due to his inconsistent and underwhelming performance in the majors and minors.
Larnach, a former first-round pick, has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order power hitter, but his numbers in the majors (.222/.315/.385) and minors (.252/.366/.456) have been underwhelming. He struggles against off-speed pitches, which limits his effectiveness. While there is a possibility of Larnach starting in left field on Opening Day, alongside Wallner in right field, it is also possible that he begins the season in Triple-A as depth. The Twins may also explore trading Larnach, although his trade value is likely modest at this point.
Will the Twins be more aggressive with their prospects due to payroll restrictions?
Yes, the Twins will likely rely more on their young, minimum-salaried players to fill key roles earlier than expected. The team’s self-imposed payroll restrictions limit their options for roster-building, pushing them towards younger and cheaper alternatives. While this can be a positive if the young players are talented and ready to contribute, it also reduces the margin for error and makes it harder to stockpile quality depth.
The Twins’ approach to filling the center field position and the situation with Farmer are examples of how their shrinking payroll affects their roster decisions. The team will need to rely on their prospects to step up and perform, as they did with the standout 2023 rookie class. However, if the young players do not meet expectations, it could spell trouble for the team.
Which rookies could have an impact for the Twins in 2024?
While it may be difficult for rookies to have the same impact as last season’s standout class, the Twins have another wave of talented prospects nearing the big leagues. Expect to see top-10 prospects Austin Martin, Brooks Lee, and David Festa at Target Field next summer. Additionally, players like Rodriguez and Marco Raya could force their way into the team’s plans for 2024. Other prospects to watch as possible role players include Matt Canterino, Jordan Balazovic, Brent Headrick, Simeon Woods Richardson, Camargo, Severino, Keirsey, and Helman.
Why didn’t Royce Lewis receive any Rookie of the Year votes?
Royce Lewis had a promising rookie season, but he only played 58 games and did not rank among the top five rookies in various statistical categories such as home runs, RBIs, runs, steals, walks, hits, extra-base hits, total bases, or wins above replacement. Rookie of the Year awards consider both quality and quantity, and while Lewis showed quality in his limited playing time, he did not have enough quantity to compete with other rookies. However, this does not diminish his immense long-term potential.
Will the Twins have THC concession stands at Target Field?
It is highly unlikely that the Twins will have THC concession stands at Target Field. However, with the right planning, every concession stand can be a THC concession stand.
Will the offseason be long enough for you to miss Dan Hayes?
It has been a little over a month since I last saw Dan Hayes, and I will see him again in three weeks at the Winter Meetings in Nashville. Hopefully, that will be long enough to prevent my eyes from rolling out of my head when he starts talking about Brock Purdy being the next Tom Brady.
If the season were to begin today, Louie Varland would likely be the fifth starter for the Twins. However, by Opening Day, he is more likely to be either in the Triple-A rotation or in the Twins’ bullpen. Varland has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, which is valuable, but the Twins know they will need more than five starters to get through a season. They would prefer to have Varland as the sixth option on the depth chart, similar to Bailey Ober last year. Varland’s impressive performance in the bullpen in September may tempt the Twins to use him as a late-inning reliever.
Max Kepler is not the obvious solution for center field. He has not started a game in center field since 2021 and has not played the position regularly since 2019. Additionally, Kepler prefers to stay in right field. At age 31, it is unclear if he would still be an asset as a starting center fielder. While Kepler is an excellent right fielder, his average sprint speed last season would have ranked him 42nd out of the 45 most-used center fielders in MLB. The idea of Kepler as the primary center fielder is no longer viable.
Trevor Larnach is in a difficult position. Matt Wallner has surpassed him in the pecking order for young corner outfielders, leaving Larnach with no place to play if Kepler remains on the team. Even if Kepler is traded, it is not guaranteed that Larnach would be handed the starting job due to his inconsistent and underwhelming production in the majors and minors. Larnach has shown potential as a middle-of-the-order slugger, but his performance has been lackluster, hitting just .222/.315/.385 with 223 strikeouts in 693 plate appearances for the Twins. He will turn 27 before Opening Day and has not performed exceptionally well at Triple-A either. There is a possibility that Larnach could start the season in Triple-A or be shopped by the Twins, although his trade value may be modest at this point.
Due to self-imposed payroll restrictions, the Twins may need to be more aggressive with their prospects. They will have to rely on young, minimum-salaried players to fill key roles earlier than expected. This approach worked well with the standout 2023 rookie class, but it also limits the team’s ability to stockpile quality depth and leaves little room for error. The Twins’ shrinking payroll has restricted their roster-building options, leading them to consider younger and cheaper alternatives. While this can be beneficial if the young players are talented and ready to thrive, it can also be problematic if they are not.
The Twins have several rookies who could make an impact in 2024. While it may be difficult to replicate the same level of impact as the previous season, the Twins have a new wave of prospects close to the big leagues. Top prospects Austin Martin, Brooks Lee, and David Festa are expected to make their debut at Target Field next summer. Additionally, prospects like Rodriguez, Marco Raya, Matt Canterino, Jordan Balazovic, Brent Headrick, Simeon Woods Richardson, Camargo, Severino, Keirsey, and Helman could also have a role to play in 2024.
Royce Lewis did not receive any votes for Rookie of the Year because he played only 58 games and did not rank among the top five rookies in various statistical categories. While Lewis had a promising rookie season, the award takes into account both quality and quantity. Lewis showed great potential, but his limited playing time hindered his chances of receiving votes. However, this does not diminish his long-term potential.
It is unlikely that the Twins will have THC concession stands at Target Field. However, with proper planning, every concession stand can be a THC concession stand.
As for missing Dan Hayes during the offseason, it has only been a little over a month since we last saw each other. I will be seeing him again in three weeks at the Winter Meetings in Nashville. Hopefully, that will be enough time to prevent my eyes from rolling out of my head when he starts talking about Brock Purdy being the next Tom Brady.
(Note: This response has been edited and formatted to resemble an article written by a professional journalist for a newspaper. The content has been rewritten using natural language and improved grammar. Details about the original writer, copyright, or related articles have been removed.)chard Guasch, and Tyler Webb were also left unprotected, but they were not considered as prominent prospects and are less likely to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft.
Overall, the Twins made the expected moves with their Rule 5 protections, but the decision to leave Keirsey unprotected could be seen as a surprise. It will be interesting to see if any teams take a chance on him in the draft.