The Twins have enough young offense to dream on, but not enough certainty to stop shopping. That’s the tension hanging over Minnesota’s winter, and it starts with the middle of the order.
General manager Jeremy Zoll made it clear the club knows what it’s facing. Josh Bell and Ryan Jeffers are both headed for free agency, and that leaves two real holes to patch as the Twins build toward 2027.
Bell gave Minnesota 154 games of steady production, finishing at .255/.319/.419 with 21 home runs and a team-high 96 RBIs. Jeffers was just as valuable in a different way, putting up a .256/.353/.461 line with 14 home runs in 92 games and an .814 OPS that ranked among the team’s best.
If Jeffers does what is expected and declines his qualifying offer before signing elsewhere, the loss becomes even more pronounced.
“I think between Ryan and Josh Bell becoming free agents, it’s on our minds that that’s a real loss to our offense,” he said. “Also, we have a number of young players that we think are going to take real steps forward to backfill a good chunk of that. But we want to find a way to continue to supplement the offense and put the position player group in the strongest position we can.”
That’s the balancing act for Minnesota: trust the kids, but don’t bet the season on them alone.
There’s reason for optimism in the pipeline. Kaelen Culpepper, Walker Jenkins, and Emmanuel Rodriguez all reached the majors in 2026, and each could matter more next season.
Culpepper debuted in 33 games and hit .274, with a chance to take over as the regular shortstop. FanGraphs has him at 3.1 WAR for 2027, which would tie him with Byron Buxton for the second-highest projection on the roster.
Jenkins got his first taste of the big leagues too, appearing in 26 games and batting .226. FanGraphs projects him for 2.2 WAR next year.
Rodriguez’s season was interrupted by injuries, limiting him to 13 games and a .178 average, but the bat still carries intrigue. His 2027 projection sits at 0.7 WAR.
The Twins also got real production from a couple of other young regulars. Brooks Lee broke through with 24 home runs and 83 RBIs across 156 games, while Luke Keaschall turned in a strong all-around line of .282/.374/.407 with 10 home runs, 52 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 152 games. FanGraphs projects Lee for 2.9 WAR and Keaschall for 3.6, the highest mark on the club.
Even with that group, Minnesota still has a clear need for more thump. The Twins hit 187 home runs in 2026, good for 12th in baseball, and nobody on the roster got to 30.
Kody Clemens led the team with 27, Buxton followed with 25 in just 93 games, Lee added 24, and Bell chipped in 21. Useful numbers, sure.
But not enough to make the lineup feel finished.
There is some internal upside here. Buxton can change the shape of an offense when he’s healthy, Lee just posted a productive season, and Keaschall keeps finding ways to get on base and create chances. Still, the lineup’s biggest issue remains the same: Minnesota needs another reliable power source it can count on in the middle of the order.
That’s reflected in the projection systems, too. The Twins’ current position-player group sits around 25.4 fWAR, which places them 10th in baseball alongside Baltimore.
In the American League Central, Detroit is projected at 26.8 and Cleveland at 26.3, both just ahead of Minnesota. The gap isn’t huge, but it’s there.
Zoll’s message points to a front office that sees both sides of the equation. The Twins can let the young hitters keep growing, and they can still go find help.
For a team trying to get back into the mix in 2027, that second part matters. Adding another impact bat needs to stay high on the list.
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Twins Face A Risky Prospect Decision Before A Crucial Deadline
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Mercedes has drawn attention for his power potential in the minors, while Pasqualotto has put together strong work on the mound in Triple-A. Adding either one would be a bet on future value more than immediate major league help, and the Twins still have to weigh whether either player is ready to claim a spot on the 40-man roster for the 2027 season. [Read more 🡒]