All Things 2025-26 Minnesota Twins Off-Season Thread

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Ope3 said:
I would be less than amazed. The Wilfs have contributed significantly to this Thread.
Click to expand...
Are you a distant relative of Red’s🤨

Ope3 said:

Twins/Vikings/Wild/Wolves Championship appearance drought tracker

Counting the 2025 season seems illogical. - Has not started - Participants in the NFC Championship has not been determined - Seasons are not counted in this thread until the teams in question have been eliminated from Championship appearance contention 7 Complete NFL Seasons since the...
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com
Click to expand...
 

howeda7 said:
How much of that do you think is directly their fault? They spend to the salary cap, keep excellent facilities and don't meddle. That's all you really want from an owner.

They have to hire the right GM/Coach, but you can't really call Spielman/Zimmer a failure and Kwesi/KOC is TBD. At worst, they might have given Zimmer/Speilman a year or two longer than they should have.
Click to expand...

They are ultimately the ones in charge, so all 20 seasons and counting.

I wouldn't call Spielman/Zimmer a failure either, but it was also not a success. In hindsight, your right, it lasted too long.

Spending money to the salary cap while making 10s of millions and annually and increasing the value of the franchise by 10X, sorry no props in my book for that.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Are you a distant relative of Red’s🤨
Click to expand...
Since Red sold the franchise to the Wilfs, these are the teams that have won the NFC Championship:

Seahawks
49ers
Rams
Cardinals
Packers
Bears
Saints
Falcons
Buccaneers
Panthers
Eagles
Giants

The Vikings are with the Cowboys, Lions & Commanders in that dubious distinction.
 

Ope3 said:
Since Red sold the franchise to the Wilfs, these are the teams that have won the NFC Championship:

Seahawks
49ers
Rams
Cardinals
Packers
Bears
Saints
Falcons
Buccaneers
Panthers
Eagles
Giants

The Vikings are with the Cowboys, Lions & Commanders in that dubious distinction.
Click to expand...
And your point is🥸
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
And your point is🥸
Click to expand...
I would be less than amazed should the Wilfs add the Twins to their portfolio.

In NFL which is designed for much more for parity they have failed in their Championship pursuit.
 


Ope3 said:
I would be less than amazed should the Wilfs add the Twins to their portfolio.

In NFL which is designed for much more for parity they have failed in their Championship pursuit.
Click to expand...
It's been 34 years and running for the Pohlad family since 1991. Personally, I'd take my chances with the Wilfs.

We can question their ability to identify great GM candidates, but as Owners go, they represent every other quality you could hope for as a fan.

"Joe must GO!"
 

Slim Tubby said:
It's been 34 years and running for the Pohlad family since 1991. Personally, I'd take my chances with the Wilfs.

We can question their ability to identify great GM candidates, but as Owners go, they represent every other quality you could hope for as a fan.

"Joe must GO!"
Click to expand...

Being less than amazed by the Wilfs as prospective owners does not equate to me advocating that the Pohlads hang on.

Also, there are other qualities about the Wilfs (besides not being able to put together a management structure able to at least win the NFC) that I am not happy with either, but I won't go into that here.
 

Ope3 said:
I would be less than amazed should the Wilfs add the Twins to their portfolio.

In NFL which is designed for much more for parity they have failed in their Championship pursuit.
Click to expand...
I was a joke, hence the 🥸 Grocho emoji.
Your well researched list was depressing enough 😊

The great thing about being an expat fan, is that info is never top of mind.

Maybe it’s all part of of a grand design that the Twins, with them as new ownership, and Vikes win in the same year, so they’re deified in MN sports history as 🐐 🥳.

So turn that 🙁 upside down1759835669167.png
 
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howeda7 said:
How much of that do you think is directly their fault? They spend to the salary cap, keep excellent facilities and don't meddle. That's all you really want from an owner.

They have to hire the right GM/Coach, but you can't really call Spielman/Zimmer a failure and Kwesi/KOC is TBD. At worst, they might have given Zimmer/Speilman a year or two longer than they should have.
Click to expand...
The buck stops at the top. They've been inept at finding the right people to man those positions. It remains to be seen whether they've made good hires this time around, but Kwesi hasn't been able to draft for shit so far.
 



Ope3 said:
Since Red sold the franchise to the Wilfs, these are the teams that have won the NFC Championship:
Click to expand...
No Vikings team has won an NFC championship game since 1976.

in the 49 years since then, they have only been in 6, and made two appearances under the Wilfs.
 

Unregistered User said:
No Vikings team has won an NFC championship game since 1976.

in the 49 years since then, they have only been in 6, and made two appearances under the Wilfs.
Click to expand...

It's even worse than I thought under Zygi & Co.

Even though the NFC Playoff field has expanded, the Vikings have only qualified 8 out of 20 seasons under the Wilfs. That's a lot lower than any of the preceding Owners going back to Bud Grant's arrival, starting in 1968.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Minnesota Vikings Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the Minnesota Vikings Records, Top 12 Leaders, League Ranks, history and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com
www.pro-football-reference.com www.pro-football-reference.com

Easier than ever to get in. Fewer appearances. 3 Playoff wins in 20 years. Uffda.

I guess they would fit right in when compared to the Pohlads.
 


Hers some info on minor leaguers who can make an impact with the Big Club next year. Per the article, we now also have the second ranked farm system, per this article from Matthew Leach, Twins MLB best writer -


No Twins fan has to be reminded that the 2025 Trade Deadline brought a massive shakeup to the club’s roster. But it also brought a huge talent infusion to the farm system, evidenced by MLB Pipeline’s rating of the Minnesota system as No. 2 in baseball in its last rankings.

Here’s a look at three prospects with a chance to make an impact on the 2026 roster.

OF Walker Jenkins

If you follow prospects at all, you’ve heard of Jenkins. He’s the Twins' No. 1 prospect, No. 10 overall, a 20-year-old with an all-around skill setwho has produced everywhere he’s been.

That doesn’t mean he’ll break camp with the big club, though. Jenkins played only 23 games at Triple-A and still has fewer than 900 professional plate appearances. He’s remarkably mature for his age, and he has all the markers you’d like to see in a future star: athleticism, plate discipline, defensive acumen and bat-to-ball skill. But he’s still very early in his baseball journey.

Still, it’s very easy to envision Jenkins making his way onto the Major League roster before next summer is out.

Quote: “Obviously, I’d love to be there as soon as I can. But I’ve said this before, when I get called up, I don’t want to be bouncing back and forth. I’d rather be in the Minor Leagues a week too long than go up there a week too soon. If I’m able to, I’d love to do it this year. I think at the beginning of Spring Training, [I will] do everything I can to try to break camp with the team. But if they don’t think I’m ready, and I start off here, I’m going to do everything I can to get there as soon as I can from here.” -- Jenkins
Gabriel Gonzalez​
OF Gabriel Gonzalez

A year ago, it would’ve been hard to envision Gonzalez (No. 8 prospect) being on this list. After he was acquired in the Jorge Polanco trade, he scuffled in 2024, falling from a Top 100 overall prospect to No. 18 in the Twins' system.

Changing organizations and dealing with a back injury made for challenging circumstances, and though Gonzalez wasn’t overmatched at High-A Cedar Rapids, he didn’t hit like he had previously. But in 2025, he very much hit his way back into the picture.

Beginning the year with a repeat engagement at Cedar Rapids, Gonzalez hit his way all the way to Triple-A. He posted a .329/.395/.513 line across three levels, with an eye-popping 38 doubles.

Though he’s not yet 22, Gonzalez is entering his sixth season of pro ball, so he will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and he’ll be in Major League camp.

Gonzalez is not a speedster or a great defender, though he’s considered to have a plus arm. But as the old baseball adage goes: If you hit, they’ll find a place for you. Gonzalez hits, and depending on what the Twins’ offseason looks like, they could find a place for him sooner rather than later.

Quote: “There was never any doubt on our end about Gaby’s ability to hit. I think it was just a combination of getting healthy, getting more comfortable, and understanding what that challenge looks like going into year 21.” -- Drew MacPhail, Twins director of player development
Kaelen Culpepper​
SS Kaelen Culpepper

Culpepper (No. 2 prospect, No. 52overall) probably has the longest odds of these three players to crack the big league roster out of camp, or even in the first few months of the season. But everything about his career so far suggests that he’s not going to be waiting in the Minors for long.

It’s unfair to Culpepper to suggest he could have a 2026 season that recalls Luke Keaschall’s '25 campaign, but it’s also hard to ignore the parallels. They were both high Draft picks as polished college hitters with impressive all-around skill sets. They both held their own in a brief taste of pro ball the year they were drafted, then absolutely raked at High-A and Double-A in their first full seasons.

Does that mean Culpepper will be in the Majors in April? Of course not. But he’s handled every challenge thrown his way. He draws high marks for his approach to the game and he fits the athletic profile that the Twins seem to be moving toward.

Quote: “He’s just got an incredible feel to hit. He controls the zone incredibly well. Really impressive bat-to-ball ability, while also taking free passes when they’re offered to him. ... And he pairs that with impressive power, too. So he really has, of the three most important skills, I think he’s above average in all three of those.” -- MacPhail
 



Gopher_In_NYC said:
Hers some info on minor leaguers who can make an impact with the Big Club next year. Per the article, we now also have the second ranked farm system, per this article from Matthew Leach, Twins MLB best writer -


No Twins fan has to be reminded that the 2025 Trade Deadline brought a massive shakeup to the club’s roster. But it also brought a huge talent infusion to the farm system, evidenced by MLB Pipeline’s rating of the Minnesota system as No. 2 in baseball in its last rankings.



Here’s a look at three prospects with a chance to make an impact on the 2026 roster.

OF Walker Jenkins

If you follow prospects at all, you’ve heard of Jenkins. He’s the Twins' No. 1 prospect, No. 10 overall, a 20-year-old with an all-around skill setwho has produced everywhere he’s been.
I
That doesn’t mean he’ll break camp with the big club, though. Jenkins played only 23 games at Triple-A and still has fewer than 900 professional plate appearances. He’s remarkably mature for his age, and he has all the markers you’d like to see in a future star: athleticism, plate discipline, defensive acumen and bat-to-ball skill. But he’s still very early in his baseball journey.

Still, it’s very easy to envision Jenkins making his way onto the Major League roster before next summer is out.

Quote: “Obviously, I’d love to be there as soon as I can. But I’ve said this before, when I get called up, I don’t want to be bouncing back and forth. I’d rather be in the Minor Leagues a week too long than go up there a week too soon. If I’m able to, I’d love to do it this year. I think at the beginning of Spring Training, [I will] do everything I can to try to break camp with the team. But if they don’t think I’m ready, and I start off here, I’m going to do everything I can to get there as soon as I can from here.” -- Jenkins
Gabriel Gonzalez​
OF Gabriel Gonzalez

A year ago, it would’ve been hard to envision Gonzalez (No. 8 prospect) being on this list. After he was acquired in the Jorge Polanco trade, he scuffled in 2024, falling from a Top 100 overall prospect to No. 18 in the Twins' system.

Changing organizations and dealing with a back injury made for challenging circumstances, and though Gonzalez wasn’t overmatched at High-A Cedar Rapids, he didn’t hit like he had previously. But in 2025, he very much hit his way back into the picture.

Beginning the year with a repeat engagement at Cedar Rapids, Gonzalez hit his way all the way to Triple-A. He posted a .329/.395/.513 line across three levels, with an eye-popping 38 doubles.

Though he’s not yet 22, Gonzalez is entering his sixth season of pro ball, so he will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and he’ll be in Major League camp.

Gonzalez is not a speedster or a great defender, though he’s considered to have a plus arm. But as the old baseball adage goes: If you hit, they’ll find a place for you. Gonzalez hits, and depending on what the Twins’ offseason looks like, they could find a place for him sooner rather than later.

Quote: “There was never any doubt on our end about Gaby’s ability to hit. I think it was just a combination of getting healthy, getting more comfortable, and understanding what that challenge looks like going into year 21.” -- Drew MacPhail, Twins director of player development
Kaelen Culpepper​
SS Kaelen Culpepper

Culpepper (No. 2 prospect, No. 52overall) probably has the longest odds of these three players to crack the big league roster out of camp, or even in the first few months of the season. But everything about his career so far suggests that he’s not going to be waiting in the Minors for long.

It’s unfair to Culpepper to suggest he could have a 2026 season that recalls Luke Keaschall’s '25 campaign, but it’s also hard to ignore the parallels. They were both high Draft picks as polished college hitters with impressive all-around skill sets. They both held their own in a brief taste of pro ball the year they were drafted, then absolutely raked at High-A and Double-A in their first full seasons.

Does that mean Culpepper will be in the Majors in April? Of course not. But he’s handled every challenge thrown his way. He draws high marks for his approach to the game and he fits the athletic profile that the Twins seem to be moving toward.

Quote: “He’s just got an incredible feel to hit. He controls the zone incredibly well. Really impressive bat-to-ball ability, while also taking free passes when they’re offered to him. ... And he pairs that with impressive power, too. So he really has, of the three most important skills, I think he’s above average in all three of those.” -- MacPhail
Click to expand...
As a follow up to my post, our farm system was ranked 10 before the season and is now ranked second - hopefully that’s appealing to would be buyers.
 

My apologies if this has already been posted but just read that with Mariners making the alcs, the Twins now have the longest alcs drought. 2002.
Pirates with the longest nlcs drought. 1992.
 

Ope3 said:
It's even worse than I thought under Zygi & Co.

Even though the NFC Playoff field has expanded, the Vikings have only qualified 8 out of 20 seasons under the Wilfs. That's a lot lower than any of the preceding Owners going back to Bud Grant's arrival, starting in 1968.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Minnesota Vikings Team Records, Leaders, and League Ranks | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the Minnesota Vikings Records, Top 12 Leaders, League Ranks, history and more on Pro-Football-Reference.com
www.pro-football-reference.com www.pro-football-reference.com

Easier than ever to get in. Fewer appearances. 3 Playoff wins in 20 years. Uffda.

I guess they would fit right in when compared to the Pohlads.
Click to expand...
After posts like this; I’m not damn glad Si met you 🤷‍♂️.

Sports ignorance is Bliss baby - fortunately my comes naturally🤣
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Hers some info on minor leaguers who can make an impact with the Big Club next year. Per the article, we now also have the second ranked farm system, per this article from Matthew Leach, Twins MLB best writer -


No Twins fan has to be reminded that the 2025 Trade Deadline brought a massive shakeup to the club’s roster. But it also brought a huge talent infusion to the farm system, evidenced by MLB Pipeline’s rating of the Minnesota system as No. 2 in baseball in its last rankings.

Here’s a look at three prospects with a chance to make an impact on the 2026 roster.

OF Walker Jenkins

If you follow prospects at all, you’ve heard of Jenkins. He’s the Twins' No. 1 prospect, No. 10 overall, a 20-year-old with an all-around skill setwho has produced everywhere he’s been.

That doesn’t mean he’ll break camp with the big club, though. Jenkins played only 23 games at Triple-A and still has fewer than 900 professional plate appearances. He’s remarkably mature for his age, and he has all the markers you’d like to see in a future star: athleticism, plate discipline, defensive acumen and bat-to-ball skill. But he’s still very early in his baseball journey.

Still, it’s very easy to envision Jenkins making his way onto the Major League roster before next summer is out.

Quote: “Obviously, I’d love to be there as soon as I can. But I’ve said this before, when I get called up, I don’t want to be bouncing back and forth. I’d rather be in the Minor Leagues a week too long than go up there a week too soon. If I’m able to, I’d love to do it this year. I think at the beginning of Spring Training, [I will] do everything I can to try to break camp with the team. But if they don’t think I’m ready, and I start off here, I’m going to do everything I can to get there as soon as I can from here.” -- Jenkins
Gabriel Gonzalez​
OF Gabriel Gonzalez

A year ago, it would’ve been hard to envision Gonzalez (No. 8 prospect) being on this list. After he was acquired in the Jorge Polanco trade, he scuffled in 2024, falling from a Top 100 overall prospect to No. 18 in the Twins' system.

Changing organizations and dealing with a back injury made for challenging circumstances, and though Gonzalez wasn’t overmatched at High-A Cedar Rapids, he didn’t hit like he had previously. But in 2025, he very much hit his way back into the picture.

Beginning the year with a repeat engagement at Cedar Rapids, Gonzalez hit his way all the way to Triple-A. He posted a .329/.395/.513 line across three levels, with an eye-popping 38 doubles.

Though he’s not yet 22, Gonzalez is entering his sixth season of pro ball, so he will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and he’ll be in Major League camp.

Gonzalez is not a speedster or a great defender, though he’s considered to have a plus arm. But as the old baseball adage goes: If you hit, they’ll find a place for you. Gonzalez hits, and depending on what the Twins’ offseason looks like, they could find a place for him sooner rather than later.

Quote: “There was never any doubt on our end about Gaby’s ability to hit. I think it was just a combination of getting healthy, getting more comfortable, and understanding what that challenge looks like going into year 21.” -- Drew MacPhail, Twins director of player development
Kaelen Culpepper​
SS Kaelen Culpepper

Culpepper (No. 2 prospect, No. 52overall) probably has the longest odds of these three players to crack the big league roster out of camp, or even in the first few months of the season. But everything about his career so far suggests that he’s not going to be waiting in the Minors for long.

It’s unfair to Culpepper to suggest he could have a 2026 season that recalls Luke Keaschall’s '25 campaign, but it’s also hard to ignore the parallels. They were both high Draft picks as polished college hitters with impressive all-around skill sets. They both held their own in a brief taste of pro ball the year they were drafted, then absolutely raked at High-A and Double-A in their first full seasons.

Does that mean Culpepper will be in the Majors in April? Of course not. But he’s handled every challenge thrown his way. He draws high marks for his approach to the game and he fits the athletic profile that the Twins seem to be moving toward.

Quote: “He’s just got an incredible feel to hit. He controls the zone incredibly well. Really impressive bat-to-ball ability, while also taking free passes when they’re offered to him. ... And he pairs that with impressive power, too. So he really has, of the three most important skills, I think he’s above average in all three of those.” -- MacPhail
Click to expand...

Pohlads are playing 4D chess by trading the best Twins players so that we can keep our farm team stocked with more future trade for new prospect chips.
 

stocker08 said:
Pohlads are playing 4D chess by trading the best Twins players so that we can keep our farm team stocked with more future trade for new prospect chips.
Click to expand...
Future Winning is Always just around the corner.

I actually think we’ll have a much better season next year and will be competitive for a wildcard berth.

Yo clarify my BS: we finish within 4 games of said wildcard berth.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Future Winning is Always just around the corner.

I actually think we’ll have a much better season next year and will be competitive for a wildcard berth.

Yo clarify my BS: we finish within 4 games of said wildcard berth.
Click to expand...
They have to spend some money for that to happen, IMO. Need relief pitching since we traded it all, think starters might be surprisingly good, I guess Jeffers becomes primary catcher, who's on first, K-man at 2nd, I guess Brooks to start year at short (maybe Culpepper during season), Lewis at 3rd, Buck, Wallner and Martin in OF, with Jenkins and the other kid mid- year?
A lot has to fall in place and Buck needs to stay healthy.
Love your optimism, though.
 

Sounds like they have interviews set up with Rowson, Shelton and Red Sox bench coach, Ramon Vazquez. I'd go with whoever can get through to Royce Lewis that it's way past time for him to start acting and playing like a former #1 overall pick.
 


TNGophfan said:
They have to spend some money for that to happen, IMO. Need relief pitching since we traded it all, think starters might be surprisingly good, I guess Jeffers becomes primary catcher, who's on first, K-man at 2nd, I guess Brooks to start year at short (maybe Culpepper during season), Lewis at 3rd, Buck, Wallner and Martin in OF, with Jenkins and the other kid mid- year?
A lot has to fall in place and Buck needs to stay healthy.
Love your optimism, though.
Click to expand...
I think they can piece together a pen; they’ve been adept at doing that previously .

I’m assuming some good health on Buck and Lewis’ part as well.

I think Culpepper and Jenkins will get call ups during the season at some point. I think Wallner will move to first base eventually, as Jenkins is listed as having a 55 fielding ability with a 60 arm (on a 0-60 scale), so he’ll be a better RF in the long run than Wallner.

Wallner’s length is a nice bonus at first as well. Maybe Gonzalez will push Martin as well?
 




TNGophfan said:
They have to spend some money for that to happen, IMO. Need relief pitching since we traded it all, think starters might be surprisingly good, I guess Jeffers becomes primary catcher, who's on first, K-man at 2nd, I guess Brooks to start year at short (maybe Culpepper during season), Lewis at 3rd, Buck, Wallner and Martin in OF, with Jenkins and the other kid mid- year?
A lot has to fall in place and Buck needs to stay healthy.
Love your optimism, though.
Click to expand...
Please start today and have someone work with Wallner at 1B.

He is not a major league outfielder, but I think he has the markings of a good firstbaseman.
 

Unregistered User said:
Please start today and have someone work with Wallner at 1B.

He is not a major league outfielder, but I think he has the markings of a good firstbaseman.
Click to expand...
That could fix 2 spots if he can do it. I'm still not as high on Wallner as some on here. Still time for him though. Too many holes in that big strike zone he has.
 

TNGophfan said:
That could fix 2 spots if he can do it. I'm still not as high on Wallner as some on here. Still time for him though. Too many holes in that big strike zone he has.
Click to expand...
It's not because I'm high on him, I just don't think he has a long future as an outfielder (well, maybe for a dysfunctional team like the Twins he can stay in the show), even though he has a cannon, he does not have the speed to make up for the horrible routes and reads he takes on balls.

Not sure if his skill set translates to play 1B, but 6' 4", 220, I do think he's quick enough to play the spot.

And I truly wonder if he should get his eyes checked, the way he squints at pitches.

And playing 1B isn't even that hard

 

Nick Punto is on the manager list. Ugh. I couldn't stand him, but I guess that was mostly Gardy's fault for giving him 500 AB's every year.
 


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