The Minnesota Twins are well-represented in this year’s MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects list. Four players made the cut, signaling either a bright future for the franchise or plenty of ammunition to acquire a starting pitcher.
Shortstop Royce Lewis leads the list. Checking in at No. 45, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft ranked as high as fifth on the list in 2019. But he has not played an organized game in two years due to the pandemic and a torn ACL suffered last spring.
His last full season came in 2019 when he hit .236/.290/.371 with 12 homers and 22 stolen bases between Advanced-A Fort Myers and Double-A Pensacola.
Fellow shortstop Austin Martin also makes the list. The centerpiece of the José Berríos trade is ranked 52nd and figures to start the season at Double-Wichita. In 93 games last season, Martin hit .270/.414/.382 with five home runs and 14 stolen bases but it’s unclear where he will play defensively.
The final two spots belonged to players that could break out with the Twins this season.
Jose Miranda was the Twins’ minor league player of the year last season and debuts on the list at No. 95. Miranda blasted his way through the organization in 2021, hitting .344/.401/.572 with 30 homers between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul.
Joe Ryan also made the cut but figures to have a spot in the Twins’ rotation. Ryan is 97th on the list and was outstanding during a September call-up, going 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA in five starts.
While the presence of top prospects is exciting, it may not signal the future of the Twins. After the signing of Carlos Correa, the team appears to be all in for the 2022 season. With rumors that the Twins are interested in acquiring Frankie Montas, it’s possible that some of these prospects could be starring for someone else.
