The Minnesota Twins can certainly see the appeal in Brandon Lowe. A second baseman with real pop is hard to ignore, and Lowe delivered exactly that in 2026, hitting .260/.331/.493 with 35 home runs in 150 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But the price tag being floated is where this gets tricky for Minnesota.
MLB Trade Rumors projected Lowe for three years and $69 million, while ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projected four years and $80 million, according to Pirates On SI’s breakdown of his market. Pittsburgh also extended a $23.15 million qualifying offer, which means any team that signs him after he declines it would have to give up a draft pick. For the Twins, that’s a steep entry fee before the contract even starts.
Lowe’s defense is part of what makes him so intriguing. He was named a National League Gold Glove finalist after a massive turnaround at second base, going from minus-10 in Statcast’s Fielding Run Value with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025 to plus-12 in Pittsburgh.
MLB.com noted that the swing matched the biggest year-to-year jump among non-catchers in a decade of Statcast data. The question for any club committing multiple years is simple: how much of that leap is real, and how much can be counted on going forward?
Minnesota already has a possible answer at the position in Kody Clemens. He started 69 games at second base and broke out in 2026, hitting .239/.298/.460 with 27 home runs. Lowe could slide in at second and push Clemens to first, where he started 40 games, but that would create a left-handed-heavy look on the right side of the infield.
The bat splits don’t make the fit any cleaner. Lowe hit .223/.270/.378 against left-handers and .279/.360/.550 against right-handers, so the Twins would still have lineup work to do even if they made the move.
And while Clemens is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $3.6 million in arbitration, both Lowe projections come in at an average of at least $20 million per year. That’s a premium price to upgrade a spot Minnesota can already cover.
There’s also another way to use Lowe, but it comes with its own tradeoff. If the Twins made him their primary designated hitter, they could keep Clemens at second and preserve Lowe’s improved defense less often. That setup would also cut into DH opportunities for Byron Buxton and the other outfielders, which matters even more while Buxton is working back from hip surgery.
Catcher is another issue hanging over Minnesota’s offseason. Ryan Jeffers has until Nov. 17 to decide on the Twins’ $23.15 million qualifying offer.
If he accepts, Minnesota is locked into a significant one-year deal behind the plate. If he leaves, the Twins would need another catcher to split time with Victor Caratini.
And that’s before getting to the bullpen. Minnesota’s relievers posted a 4.74 ERA, while left-handers A.J.
Minter and Taylor Rogers hit free agency. The Twins need arms that can bridge the gap to the ninth inning, plus a catcher who can handle a meaningful share of the workload.
With those needs still unresolved, a long-term deal for Lowe would make roster building for 2027 even tougher.
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