Minnesota Twins Plan to Shop at Least One Young Infielder This Offseason

Jose Miranda, Minnesota Twins
Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins don’t have a ton of flexibility this offseason. Despite the Pohlad family offering up the team for sale, they have not committed additional dollars to the product. That means Derek Falvey will need to get creative when it comes to additions, and there are more than a handful of players that could be on the move.

Rocco Baldelli has a decent group of regulars penciled in, but he’ll need to be ok with some of them being jettisoned to acquire additional talent. Rather than just trading players at their floor value for financial reasons, Minnesota must be open to capitalizing on youth as well. Jose Miranda is a key component when looking at that plan.

The Minnesota Twins could move Jose Miranda

The Minnesota Twins selected Jose Miranda in the second round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft out of Puerto Rico. The first round pick that year was Plum High School product Alex Kirilloff. It has been a slow burn for Miranda, but he produced a 112 OPS+ last season. That doesn’t deter Star Tribune beat writer Phil Miller from suggesting he could be moved this offseason.

“His reverse-split ability to hit righthanders keeps him intriguing; Twins figure to see if potential trade partners agree.”

Phil Miller on Jose Miranda for 2025 (Star Tribune)

The reality is that Miranda plays a pair of positions that Minnesota could make redundant. He has shown to be better defensively at the hot corner than Royce Lewis. He leaves something to be desired at first base, but Carlos Santana likely won’t be back. If Minnesota feels they can get multiple players of need this offseason for him, then Miranda becomes a logical flip.

Related: Ranking: 10 Most Likely Minnesota Twins to be Traded This Offseason

Miranda playing third base is still his most logical outcome, but there will be ripple effects across the Twins rosters. The front office and big league staff will need to reach a conclusion as to how to handle those.

Kyle Farmer could help Minnesota Twins and Jose Miranda

Last season the Minnesota Twins over-extended Kyle Farmer. They wanted him back as a versatile player that provided a substantial clubhouse presence. Instead they got a 32-year-old with an 92 OPS+. Everything that could go bad for Farmer did. That doesn’t change the reality he would like to be back says Miller.

“Likely has to take a hefty pay cut to $6.3 million salary to stay. Well, unless he wants a coaching job.”

Phil Miller on Kyle Farmer (Star Tribune)

There’s definitely a world in which Farmer taking a pay cut makes him a more desirable asset than Gold Glove finalist Willi Castro on an arbitration increase. If the Twins are seeking someone with a veteran presence simply to round of the roster, they have more negotiating power with Farmer.

Related: Minnesota Twins May Add a Gardenhire to Their Coaching Staff

Ultimately though, Farmer seems unlikely to be retained from a playing perspective, and it remains to be seen how much weight the coaching aspect holds. For now, the Twins have a few vacancies they must fill on the big league staff.

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