All Things 2025-26 Minnesota Twins Off-Season Thread

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If you're gonna go the plucky former Twin route, just hire Lew Ford. He's kinda sorta got managerial experience and he'd at least keep things interesting.
 


howeda7 said:
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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I have a mental image burned into my brain of Punto touching the side of his nose while pointing to the dugout after reaching first base on an error.

I heard Jon K. on KFAN the other day wondering out loud if the Twins managerial opening is the least desirable MLB job for qualified candidates in the last 30 years.
 

Slim Tubby said:
I have a mental image burned into my brain of Punto touching the side of his nose while pointing to the dugout after reaching first base on an error.

I heard Jon K. on KFAN the other day wondering out loud if the Twins managerial opening is the least desirable MLB job for qualified candidates in the last 30 years.
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No. Not even close. It's not even the least desirable Twins opening in the last 30 years. When Gardy took the job in 2001 they were trying to contract the franchise.
 


howeda7 said:
No. Not even close. It's not even the least desirable Twins opening in the last 30 years. When Gardy took the job in 2001 they were trying to contract the franchise.
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Was Gardy considered a highly "qualified" candidate when he was hired or rolling the dice on a young, unproven hire? I honestly don't remember the circumstances.

Jon K. was specifically speaking about attracting one of the most highly sought candidates that would choose the Twins over other options.
 

Slim Tubby said:
Was Gardy considered a highly "qualified" candidate when he was hired or rolling the dice on a young, unproven hire? I honestly don't remember the circumstances.

Jon K. was specifically speaking about attracting one of the most highly sought candidates that would choose the Twins over other options.
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He was the 3rd base coach under TK for 10 years. They picked him over Molitor.

It might be the least attractive of the current openings, though I'd take it over Baltimore. But the worst in MLB in 30 years is way over the top. The Marlins gutted World Series rosters twice just to cite two examples.
 

howeda7 said:
He was the 3rd base coach under TK for 10 years. They picked him over Molitor.

It might be the least attractive of the current openings, though I'd take it over Baltimore. But the worst in MLB in 30 years is way over the top. The Marlins gutted World Series rosters twice just to cite two examples.
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Thanks for the clarification on Gardy. I think Jonny K. just might share my deep, unabashed disgust for all things Pohlads'. It's rare that guys from Coon Rapids and Blaine agree on anything.

Thank goodness we always have the Marlins to keep us from rock bottom. 😉
 

It's not like whoever takes the job is walking into an impossible situation. The ownership situation is obviously the biggest hurdle, along with the whispers that the front office loves to meddle in on-field decisions, but it's not like the cupboard is bare. The starting staff is fairly solid, the lineup has plenty of potential and the farm system is supposedly in pretty decent shape.
 









Breakin' The Plane said:
It's not like whoever takes the job is walking into an impossible situation. The ownership situation is obviously the biggest hurdle, along with the whispers that the front office loves to meddle in on-field decisions, but it's not like the cupboard is bare. The starting staff is fairly solid, the lineup has plenty of potential and the farm system is supposedly in pretty decent shape.
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They were considered to have the best team talent the last two years in the Central.

Their farm system was just ranked second by MLB.

I could see Ryan getting dealt in the offseason, but Lopez has to stay healthy; if they’re competitive at the AS break, they may hold on to him.
 

Fun article about Culpepper’s rise - would be crazy if he turned into the SS we all hoped Royce would be. Really impressed by his quiet confidence.

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Twins Beat
By Matthew Leach
Monday, October 20
Kaelen Culpepper​
Kaelen Culpepper can hit. He can just flat-out rake. Whether you want to look at production or tools, a stat sheet or a scouting report, there’s just very little that the Twins’ 2024 first-round pick and current No. 2 prospect can’t do in the batters’ box.

He hit in college, propelling himself from an undrafted and lightly recruited high school player to a first-round pick after his junior year. He hit in wood bat summer leagues. He hit in his first taste of pro ball last year, and he hit so well across two levels this year -- in his first full pro season -- that he was named the Twins’ Minor League hitter of the year.

Even upon making the midseason jump from High-A to Double-A, once considered the toughest leap other than from Triple-A to the Majors, Culpepper just kept hitting. Frankly, he doesn’t see any reason why that shouldn’t have been the case.

“I don’t really look at it as there being a big jump,” Culpepper said late in the season at Double-A Wichita. “I mean, there is the age gap and stuff like that. The competition here is pristine. Guys are more polished, more mature. But when it comes to the skill gap, it’s pretty similar. It’s still baseball. Baseball is hard. It’s not meant to be easy. If it was, everybody would do it. But I just look at it as two leagues, big leagues and the Minor Leagues.”

That mindset makes the Twins' decision-makers smile, but then a lot about Culpepper’s approach to his craft tends to have that effect. Culpepper has the rare combination of a broad base of skills, immense confidence in those skills, and the desire to keep constantly refining them that marks special ballplayers.

“Incredibly impressive human being,” said Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail.
Kaelen Culpepper​
Following his professional debut in 2024, Culpepper set out to get better. He worked to add bat speed, and according to a club official, he did just that -- ticking his swing speed up by about three miles per hour. Then he maintained that throughout the season, and it showed in his results.

Culpepper maintained his ability to hit for average and control the strike zone, while the power that had been expected, showed up as well.

“He’s confident in his abilities and also willing to work hard, and I think those are two traits that are going to take guys a long way,” said Bryce Berg, the organization’s Minor League hitting coordinator.

Now it’s a matter of refinement. Culpepper generally maintains an excellent strike zone -- he drew 50 walks and struck out 90 times this year. But because he has so much pure bat-to-ball ability, he still has some tendency to chase pitches outside of the hitting zone -- because he can usually hit them.

It’s a fine adjustment. The idea isn’t to make him passive, just to ensure that he’s turning his impressive ability to hit the ball on the best pitches. And again, he walks the line between well earned confidence and a willingness to listen to feedback.

“Hitters hit, you know what I mean?” Culpepper said. “I consider myself a hitter. A very good hitter. So I’m always going to want to hit pitches [a little off the plate], so I’m going to chase a little bit. It’s OK to chase as long as you’re not chasing too much. Sometimes I find myself chasing a little too much and I’ve got to get back to being patient, seeing the ball deep, trusting my hands.”
Kaelen Culpepper​
Culpepper will likely be in Major League camp this spring. And though he’ll be a very long shot to make the roster, there will be plenty of eyes on him. It’s a position not dissimilar to where Luke Keaschall found himself a year ago.

Drafted one year ahead of Culpepper, Keaschall also reached High-A in his first pro season, then split his first full pro season between High-A and Double-A, putting up big numbers with a well-rounded profile at both levels. The Twins would obviously prefer to avoid some of the circumstances that led to Keaschall’s early arrival, but it’s not difficult to envision him thriving early at Triple-A and forcing a decision sooner than later.

Whatever challenges the upcoming season brings, the Twins are confident he’ll handle them.

“It’s a special combination of confidence, and I think that comes from a level of preparedness, and then openness to feedback and improving,” said MacPhail. “That’s a rare combo, that I think he has both in an incredibly healthy amount.”
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Fun article about Culpepper’s rise - would be crazy if he turned into the SS we all hoped Royce would be. Really impressed by his quiet confidence.

​
​
​
​
mail
mail
mail
mail
mail
Twins Beat
​
​
By Matthew Leach
​
Monday, October 20
​
​
Kaelen Culpepper​
Kaelen Culpepper can hit. He can just flat-out rake. Whether you want to look at production or tools, a stat sheet or a scouting report, there’s just very little that the Twins’ 2024 first-round pick and current No. 2 prospect can’t do in the batters’ box.

He hit in college, propelling himself from an undrafted and lightly recruited high school player to a first-round pick after his junior year. He hit in wood bat summer leagues. He hit in his first taste of pro ball last year, and he hit so well across two levels this year -- in his first full pro season -- that he was named the Twins’ Minor League hitter of the year.

Even upon making the midseason jump from High-A to Double-A, once considered the toughest leap other than from Triple-A to the Majors, Culpepper just kept hitting. Frankly, he doesn’t see any reason why that shouldn’t have been the case.

“I don’t really look at it as there being a big jump,” Culpepper said late in the season at Double-A Wichita. “I mean, there is the age gap and stuff like that. The competition here is pristine. Guys are more polished, more mature. But when it comes to the skill gap, it’s pretty similar. It’s still baseball. Baseball is hard. It’s not meant to be easy. If it was, everybody would do it. But I just look at it as two leagues, big leagues and the Minor Leagues.”

That mindset makes the Twins' decision-makers smile, but then a lot about Culpepper’s approach to his craft tends to have that effect. Culpepper has the rare combination of a broad base of skills, immense confidence in those skills, and the desire to keep constantly refining them that marks special ballplayers.

“Incredibly impressive human being,” said Twins director of player development Drew MacPhail.
Kaelen Culpepper​
Following his professional debut in 2024, Culpepper set out to get better. He worked to add bat speed, and according to a club official, he did just that -- ticking his swing speed up by about three miles per hour. Then he maintained that throughout the season, and it showed in his results.

Culpepper maintained his ability to hit for average and control the strike zone, while the power that had been expected, showed up as well.

“He’s confident in his abilities and also willing to work hard, and I think those are two traits that are going to take guys a long way,” said Bryce Berg, the organization’s Minor League hitting coordinator.

Now it’s a matter of refinement. Culpepper generally maintains an excellent strike zone -- he drew 50 walks and struck out 90 times this year. But because he has so much pure bat-to-ball ability, he still has some tendency to chase pitches outside of the hitting zone -- because he can usually hit them.

It’s a fine adjustment. The idea isn’t to make him passive, just to ensure that he’s turning his impressive ability to hit the ball on the best pitches. And again, he walks the line between well earned confidence and a willingness to listen to feedback.

“Hitters hit, you know what I mean?” Culpepper said. “I consider myself a hitter. A very good hitter. So I’m always going to want to hit pitches [a little off the plate], so I’m going to chase a little bit. It’s OK to chase as long as you’re not chasing too much. Sometimes I find myself chasing a little too much and I’ve got to get back to being patient, seeing the ball deep, trusting my hands.”
Kaelen Culpepper​
Culpepper will likely be in Major League camp this spring. And though he’ll be a very long shot to make the roster, there will be plenty of eyes on him. It’s a position not dissimilar to where Luke Keaschall found himself a year ago.

Drafted one year ahead of Culpepper, Keaschall also reached High-A in his first pro season, then split his first full pro season between High-A and Double-A, putting up big numbers with a well-rounded profile at both levels. The Twins would obviously prefer to avoid some of the circumstances that led to Keaschall’s early arrival, but it’s not difficult to envision him thriving early at Triple-A and forcing a decision sooner than later.

Whatever challenges the upcoming season brings, the Twins are confident he’ll handle them.

“It’s a special combination of confidence, and I think that comes from a level of preparedness, and then openness to feedback and improving,” said MacPhail. “That’s a rare combo, that I think he has both in an incredibly healthy amount.”
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Just imagine if he and Keaschall are the real deal and give us that kind of strength up the middle for a decade or so - Wow.
 

Its a lot of ifs and but's were candy and nuts, but if you had K-man, Culpepper and an effective Lewis on the infield, and Buck, Jenkins, Gonzalez and Martin in the outfield to complement good young starting pitching, we might have something.
 

TNGophfan said:
Its a lot of ifs and but's were candy and nuts,
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👍
TNGophfan said:
but if you had K-man, Culpepper and an effective Lewis on the infield, and Buck, Jenkins, Gonzalez and Martin in the outfield to complement good young starting pitching, we might have something.
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That’s why baseball is my favorite sport - watching guys in the minors develop and what happens when they get their call up.

It’s also amazing he was undrafted out of HS and lightly recruited there’s a chance we can see him in the Bigs, this year, his second season in the pros, just like Keaschall.
 
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Catching up on some articles in The Athletic, and Gleeman noted that Buck’s 5.0 WAR this season is the highest since Puck’s in 1992💪
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Catching up on some articles in The Athletic, and Gleeman noted that Buck’s 5.0 WAR this season is the highest since Puck’s in 1992💪
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There must have been some other qualifiers for that, because Mauer was higher than 5.0 WAR multiple times as did Santana.

www.baseball-reference.com

Joe Mauer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Joe Mauer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Johan Santana Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Johan Santana. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
 

Ope3 said:
There must have been some other qualifiers for that, because Mauer was higher than 5.0 WAR multiple times as did Santana.

www.baseball-reference.com

Joe Mauer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Joe Mauer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Johan Santana Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Johan Santana. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
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I was going to say, I'd have to think Mauer 2009 is a record.
 



Ope3 said:
I'm pretty sure Carew'e MVP Year in 1977 is tops, 9.7.

www.baseball-reference.com

Rod Carew Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Rod Carew. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
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Actually I was wrong, Blyleven has 9.8.

www.baseball-reference.com

Bert Blyleven Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Bert Blyleven. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
 

Ope3 said:
There must have been some other qualifiers for that, because Mauer was higher than 5.0 WAR multiple times as did Santana.

www.baseball-reference.com

Joe Mauer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Joe Mauer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Johan Santana Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Johan Santana. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
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Maybe he meant for a Twins center fielder.
 

Ope3 said:
There must have been some other qualifiers for that, because Mauer was higher than 5.0 WAR multiple times as did Santana.

www.baseball-reference.com

Joe Mauer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Joe Mauer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Johan Santana Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Johan Santana. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com
www.baseball-reference.com www.baseball-reference.com
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My bad, thanks for the correction. Here’s the snippet in full, where he clearly mentions it’s the highest by a Twins CF since Puck in 92. In my defense, I missed my nap🤷‍♂️

I’ve already written my ode to Buxton’s great season for a bad team, so I’ll keep this (much) shorter: He’s a no-brainer MVP pick, staying healthy for a career year that included 35 homers, 24 steals without being caught and the most fWAR (5.0) by a Twins center fielder since Kirby Puckett in 1992.
 


Rocco speaks to La Velle E Neal.

www.startribune.com

Neal: Ex-Twins manager Rocco Baldelli looks back with no regrets, no animosity

After seven seasons with the team — “a magnificent time for me” — Rocco Baldelli was dismissed on Sept. 29.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com

From reading this, pretty clear that canning Baldelli was not Falvey's preference. It came from higher up.

Rocco is taking it in stride. No doubt. I do not think we will see him in a dugout until a Labor agreement is struck between the Players and Owners, 2027.
 


Ope3 said:
Vazquez open to returning to the Twins.

www.startribune.com

Christian Vázquez will be a free agent; are the Twins interested in re-signing him?

A veteran catcher known for his strong defense stayed with the team during the trade deadline because of his bulky salary.
www.startribune.com www.startribune.com
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Gleeman on that subject, in the same article I misquoted Buck’s WAR, regarding Howeda’s Fav -

Do you think the Twins will re-sign Christian Vázquez to a one-year deal as a backup catcher? What kind of money will be needed? — Andrew S.

Possibly. There’s no obvious in-house replacement for Vázquez, who caught 48 percent of the Twins’ games the past three years. Even leaning more on Jeffers next season would leave at least 50 or 60 starts to assign the backup catcher, and Mickey Gasper and Jhonny Pereda aren’t seen as answers.

It’s also possible the Twins trade Jeffers, who will be a free agent after next season. In that scenario, they would be in desperate need of catching depth, but also far less motivated to spend money on it, which could lead them on a different path back to the 35-year-old, light-hitting Vázquez.

As for Vázquez’s likely price tag as a free agent? Austin Hedges, a 33-year-old, light-hitting backup with a sterling defensive reputation, re-signed with the Cleveland Guardians for $4 million. That’s seemingly a reasonable baseline for Vázquez, who just completed a three-year, $30 million contract.
 

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