Not only are the Twins getting a late start, compared to other buyers out shopping, but the sudden change in direction comes just months after the Pohlads ordered team president Derek Falvey to tear the big league roster down to its studs, at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline.

Of course, Minnesota’s biggest problem at the Winter Meetings this week isn’t timing. It’s money. The Twins are trying to completely rebuild a bullpen they nuked at the end of July, while simultaneously searching for an upgrade at first base.

But Falvey only has $10-$20 million to go out and fill about 5-7 spots on the 26-man roster. In order to do that, some of the changes may have to be more creative than logging a transaction on the free agent and/or trade markets.

One option is for new manager Derek Shelton to take talent that might be built up at one position and try to move some of it to a spot where the Minnesota Twins are lacking big league options.

Healthy Luke Keaschall can play the outfield

Last season, Luke Keaschall made his highly-anticipated debut for the MN Twins and blew away even the highest expectations… when he was on the field.

Keaschall played through an elbow injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery in 2024. By the time he was ready to swing a bat again, he was still far from 100% from a throwing perspective.

But in 2025, Luke Keaschall should enter Spring Training at full-health, meaning the 23-year-old former Arizona State star is likely to play his first ever big league innings in the outfield this season — something GM Jeremy Zoll discussed with Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune down in Orlando this week.

The Twins want to give Luke Keaschall some experience in the outfield. He played some outfield during his 2024 minor league season, but he stayed at second base this year after recovering from elbow surgery.

A forearm fracture cost Keaschall three months last season and scuttled plans to experiment with Keaschall in the outfield.

“It could be really valuable if he could run out to left field or center field along the way,” Twins General Manager Jeremy Zoll said. “We’re going to have some more formal conversations on what all that is going to look like pretty soon.”

Star Tribune

In the minors Keaschall played 173 2/3 innings in the outfield, all of which came in center field. His speed makes him an ideal fit there, and his arm strength has never been an issue, prior to Tommy John.

Could that mean we see the Twins use Keaschall in center more than expected, especially now that Byron Buxton will be turning 32-years-old? There’s no sign of that yet, but father time is undefeated.

And it’s worth noting that we could see Byron Buxton play a corner outfield position in March, when he plays for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. Even if we aren’t to that point yet, he will still be extremely valuable when Buxton needs a day off.

As a rookie Keaschall batted .302/.382/.445 across 49 games in a Minnesota Twins uniform. He hit 14 doubles, four home runs, and swiped 14 bases. Unfortunately, Keaschall missed most of the season with a broken forearm. For any of the above dreams to come true, he will have to stay on the field.

More Minnesota Twins starter-to-reliever experiments coming too

It’s a certainty that the Minnesota Twins need to overhaul their bullpen. After stripping it down to the studs last summer, there is very little left. Relief help is a lot cheaper than trying to trade for starters, which will certainly help this front office throughout the offseason.

But again, the bullpen is another spot where we should expect the Twins to experiment with internal options that may not have been considered previously. Of course, that would mean more positional changes.

Zoll told Nightengale at the Winter Meetings that we could see two talented young starter prospects — Marco Raya and Connor Prielipp — converted to relievers sooner than later.

The Twins haven’t committed to which starters will convert to relievers. Marco Raya, who spent the entire year in Class AAA, seems likely to end up in the bullpen.

Members of the front office are split on Connor Prielipp’s role. The lefty has the potential to be a frontline starter, which would take a little longer to unlock, or an impact reliever.

Prielipp started throwing a sinker at the end of last season. Twins player development staff want to “get one more crack trying to finish developing his [pitch] mix,” Zoll said.

Star Tribune

Raya is a former top prospect but he had an ugly 6.02 ERA in St. Paul last year. The strikeout stuff is there, but walk and home run rates got gaudy. It seems pretty straightforward to send him to the bullpen and see if he can be a guy right from the jump.

Prielipp is fun to dream on as a starter, but he’s dealt with so many injury issues that a relief role seems to make sense. Minnesota will probably wait to make that commitment, but it’s one they’ll be faced with answering this season.

If there’s a big league starter that could move into the bullpen, David Festa seems like the guy. He’s coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome, and he had a 5.40 ERA (4.88 FIP) in 53 1/3 innings last year. Another bump in velocity could happen out of the bullpen, and his limited pitch mix would play better there too.

Now, the organization is headed towards a payroll shy of $100 million for the first time since 2014 and they’re looking for all the bargain bin deals they can find, both from inside and outside the organization. In other words, the expectation for “open” roster spots in 2026 is little more than a warm body.

Of course, Ryan Jeffers clears that by quite a bit, especially off an impressive 2025. Kody Clemens, on the other hand, does not. Either way, it appears both are ticketed for serious playing time this season, under new manager Derek Shelton.

Ryan Jeffers to get more time behind Minnesota Twins dish

When the MN Twins season ended back in September, Christian Vazquez saw his three-year, $30 million deal come to an end. To fill his backup role to Jeffers, president Derek Falvey traded for veteran catcher, Alex Jackson.

Jeffers started 80, 81 and 73 games behind the plate the past three seasons, splitting time evenly with Vázquez. Presumably, the 2026 plan is for Jeffers to start 100-plus games, with Jackson — projected to make $1.8 million via arbitration — taking the remaining 50 or so. Jeffers could also be a trade candidate ahead of his walk year.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

During the recent general managers’ meetings, Twins president Derek Falvey made it clear Jeffers would handle the bulk of the catching duties: “We’ll intend for him to take down a lot of the games,” a message the veteran said is music to his ears.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

Asking Ryan Jeffers to play 100-plus games behind the dish is a big jump from what he is used to. He has played in 119 and 122 games the past two seasons respectively, but only 80 and 81 of those games came as the starting catcher.

Minnesota remained relatively steadfast that splitting time, despite Vazquez owning just a 57 OPS+, was the most straightforward way to keep Jeffers’ production up.

He batted .266/.356/.397 last season, and the .490 slugging percentage from 2023 was nowhere to be seen. It remains questionable if a larger workload won’t simply sap his output even further.

Cody Clemens is (probably) your 2026 MN Twins first baseman

Unfortunately, the answers at first base aren’t as obvious, after the Twins traded Gold Glove winning first baseman Ty France and lack funds to find a suitable replacement.

Cody Clemens was a waiver claim after being dumped by the Philadelphia Phillies. His 91 OPS+ in 112 games was a career high. However, he had just a .482 OPS lefties with a .782 OPS against righties wasn’t exactly earth-shattering either.

Dan Hayes and Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic believe Shelton already has his first baseman on the 40-man roster, in Clemens, even after his lackluster performance at the plate in 2025, when given regular playing time.

My assumption coming into the offseason was that adding a good veteran bat at first base would be a priority, but instead, Falvey has indicated the job might be Clemens’ to lose…If the Twins aren’t even going to be in the market for a mid-tier free-agent first baseman — along the lines of, say, Carlos Santana two years ago — then that’s a pretty strong indication they’re not serious about investing in the roster. 

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

It’s a relative assumption that the MN Twins aren’t interested in putting their best foot forward this season. Using Clemens as an every day first baseman would be completely indicative of that. Also, Edouard Julien is a lefty as well, negating any platoon option there.

Bullpen could see young faces round out roles

There is next to nothing left for the Minnesota Twins bullpen after the trade deadline. It’s the most important and necessary place for Derek Falvey to rebuild this offseason.

Thankfully for him, it’s also a relatively cheap area to make additions. That doesn’t stop either Hayes or Gleeman from opining that young arms may fill key roles.

Prielipp and Raya were identified by Falvey as bullpen options earlier this month, and you can see the upside, but both will face big learning curves.

Dan Hayes – The Athletic

It makes sense for both Prielipp and Raya to be involved in the Twins bullpen this season. The former has struggled to stay healthy, but turned in 82 2/3 innings this season and had 98 strikeouts.

Raya flopped in a massive way this season and his starting prospects could be all but gone. Despite being at Triple-A, he owned a 6.02 ERA and had 57 walks to his 102 strikeouts.

Both players realistically look like upside plays in the bullpen. If things settle in right, they could eventually move their way back into starting plans.

What all of these situations add up to though, is a franchise looking to cut the closest corners for the cheapest figure imaginable.

The Twins had a few obvious candidates but team president Derek Falvey and his front office wound up utilizing all seven of the open roster spots he and his front office had available.

Six prospects added to MN Twins 40-man roster

Cinch candidates like Connor Prielipp and Kendry Rojas were both added, as was outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and right-handed pitcher Andrew Morris. The additions of (OF) Hendry Mendez and ((RHP) John Klein are something of a surprise.

Prielipp, Rojas, Morris, and Gonzalez are already at Triple-A. Prielipp has struggled to stay healthy, but worked up to 82 2/3 innings this season, in which he posted a 4.03 ERA between Double and Triple-A. The lanky lefty also also toted an impressive carried 10.7 K/9.

Minnesota would love for him to be a frontline starter, but there’s potential he becomes the next dominant reliever too. Both Rojas and Morris will be depth arms for the starting rotation going into 2026.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/5g5TmTmZ44

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 18, 2025

The former was acquired in the Louie Varland and Ty France trade, with the Toronto Blue Jays. Rojas has as much upside as any starting arm in the organization.Gonzalez, meanwhile, was the key cog to the Jorge Polanco trade.

After a poor 2024, he responded with a .909 OPS split across three levels. Just 21 and already at Triple-A, he could quickly be a corner outfield option for the Minnesota Twins. Neither Mendez or Klein were unworthy candidates, either.

Mendez had a .911 OPS at Double-A after being acquired for Harrison Bader. Minnesota is potentially eyeing him as a first base option. Klein was undrafted, and the Brooklyn Park native made his way to Triple-A this season.

A few notable names to be left off the 40-man roster, and therefore eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft, include Kala’i Rosario, C.J. Culpepper, Kyler Fedko, Cory Lewis, and Tanner Schobel.

Eric Orze adds to Twins bullpen in Rays trade

Beyond just adding their own prospects, the Twins also made a trade to take up the final roster spot on Tuesday. A swap with the Tampa Bay Rays has worked out in their favor before, and they are hopeful it can again.

The Twins completed a trade for Tampa Bay reliever Eric Orze. He had a 3.02 ERA in 33 outings last year with three saves.

They traded away minor leaguer pitcher Jacob Kisting, a product from the great Bradley University.

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) November 18, 2025

Orze was a 5th round pick by the New York Mets in 2020. He spent 2025 with the Mets, and made 33 big league appearances. Orze owned a 3.02 ERA (4.05 FIP) across 41 2/3 innings in New York. He posted a 40/19 K/BB. With a bullpen needing an overhaul, it appears Orze is the first addition to the group.

Minnesota took Jacob Kisting in the 14th round of the 2024 draft. The 22-year-old had a 3.79 ERA in 73 2/3 innings during his first year of professional baseball.

The Twins will need to make corresponding moves as they sign free agents this offseason. For now, they have a full 40-man roster.

Earlier this offseason Derek Falvey cleared multiple spaces on the 40-man roster, including jettisoning Jose Miranda from the organization. They currently have seven openings with 33 players on the roster, but that doesn’t mean all will be filled by internal talent.

There are four absolute givens to be added before the Tuesday deadline, and a few others have strong cases as well.

Four locks for Minnesota Twins Rule 5 protection

There is simply no way the Minnesota Twins will allow some of their best prospects to be poached by the competition. Nothing excites a Pohlad more than the thought of cost control, and that’s what top prospects bring to the table. Falvey has four players that will certainly be added by the Tuesday deadline.

Prielipp has the highest ceiling among the pitchers in this group, and it was disappointing he didn’t see the majors down the stretch this season. The 4.03 ERA across 82 2/3 innings between Double and Triple-A wasn’t great, but the fact that he stayed healthy was. He will quickly be a big league option in 2026.

Gabriel Gonzalez is the lone remaining piece of the Jorge Polanco trade with Seattle, and he rebounded in a big way this year. After a .707 OPS in 2024, he had a .909 OPS in 2025 including 15 home runs. He has big power and controls the strike zone well too.

Among all MiLB hitters under 23, Twins No. 8 prospect Gabriel Gonzalez ranked 2nd in hits (159), trailing only baseball’s top prospect, Konnor Griffin.

He went 4-for-4 in his first game in the @LVBP_Oficial yesterday!

📹: @djcb0000 pic.twitter.com/lPk0quXcrw

— Tobey Schulman (@tschulmanreport) November 5, 2025

Minnesota swung a trade for Rojas at the deadline. Sending Louie Varland packing was the least appreciated move, and Ty France went on to win a Gold Glove. Still, Rojas is an exciting lefty to dream on. He had a 4.70 ERA across 69 innings this season, and it could have been nicer had he not given up 25 runs (20 earned) in 27 1/3 with the Saints.

Morris was probably the next-closest depth arm to seeing a 2025 appearance. He has back-end starter stuff, and he owned a 4.09 ERA in 94 2/3 innings at Triple-A. It’s possible he reaches another level, but even if he doesn’t there should be a safe floor here.

MN Twins have decisions on other players as well

It’s not just the locks that the Twins have to consider. They certainly could use all seven open spots on the 40-man roster, and have even more fat to trim if they want to remove more than that as well. The balancing act to weigh is whether a player will go selected by another team and you want them, or if they can be kept and not added.

You also must consider the readiness of a player for the big league level. A Rule 5 pick must remain on the major league roster all season or be offered back to their original organization. Guys already at Triple-A are often the easiest to project as ready for the limelight.

Minnesota acquired Hendry Mendez from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Harrison Bader deal. He had an .837 OPS at Double-A and went to the Arizona Fall League. Kala’i Rosario parlayed a second-straight AFL experience into a career-best .844 OPS and his 32 steals came out of nowhere. He went unclaimed in the Rule 5 Draft last season, but that seems unlikely to be the case again.

Guys like C.J. Culpepper, John Klein, and Kyler Fedko are typically seen throughout competing organizations. Culpepper had a 2.65 ERA at Double-A though, and Fedko blasted 28 home runs. That sort of production is always going to sting and create a what if scenario.

Several other notable names include Jose Olivares, Ricardo Olivar, Cory Lewis, Tanner Schobel, Noah Cardenas, Andy Lugo, Danny De Andrade, Aaron Sabato, and Christian MacLeod. Minnesota, as a mediocre team looking to limit spending, is a logical franchise to select a player in the Rule 5 Draft as well.

While competing at the highest level is always the goal, the lifeblood of an organization is the farm system. Right now Minnesota has one of the best in baseball. They relied on some of that depth too early this year, but there are pieces waiting in the wings to contribute.

When the Twins host their annual Diamond Awards event each winter, two of the awards handed out are for Minor League Pitcher and Hitter of the Year. Now we know the recipients.

Culpepper and Prielipp lands MN Twins MiLB Awards

The Minnesota Twins came into this season with plenty of exciting pitching depth. Many of those prospects will close in on the big league level next season. On the hitting side, top prospects Kaelen Culpepper and Walker Jenkins were expected to lead the way. Both had stellar seasons and one of them lands an award.

The #MNTwins announced that INF Kaelen Culpepper has been named the 2025 Sherry Robertson Award winner as the Twins minor league Player of the Year & LHP Connor Prielipp has been named the 2025 Jim Rantz Award winner as the Twins minor league Pitcher of the Year. @TwinsPlayerDev

— Dustin Morse (@morsecode) September 23, 2025

Culpepper was the Twins 1st round pick (21st overall) in the 2024 MLB Amateur Draft. He made the All-Star Futures Game this season and earned a promotion from High-A Cedar Rapids to Double-A Wichita.

Across 113 games, split almost evenly between the two stops, Culpepper batter .289/.375/.469. He recorded 16 doubles, launched 20 homers, and stole 25-of-29 bases. The entire profile is one to dream on as things have developed better than expected.

Kaelen Culpepper launches a hanging curveball out of the park, his 19th of the season.

It's been a breakout season for Culpepper, who ranks #56 in our recent top 100 prospects drop! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/GqJO93mCFN

— Prospects Live (@ProspectsLive) September 3, 2025

Culpepper looks like he can stick at shortstop, and even if he moves to third base, the power has played much more than anticipated. There was a chance for him to earn a Triple-A promotion, but it’s likely he starts there, or winds up in St. Paul quickly next season.

On the mound Connor Prielipp had his breakout season. A second round pick in the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft, Prielipp was a highly-regarded, hard-throwing lefty from Alabama. He came with injury concerns and those slowed his professional career out of the gate.

Healthy this season, Prielipp pitched 82 2/3 innings between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. He owned a 3.65 ERA and 10.7 K/9 in 61 2/3 innings with the Wind Surge. Prielipp threw 21 innings with the Saints, and while he 5.14 ERA and 13 walks leave something to be desired, he held onto the 10.7 K/9.

15. Connor Prielipp – LHP – AAA

With a 3,000 RPM, 70-grade slider, a 60-grade fastball, and a + CH, Connor Priellipp has filthy stuff. He got plenty of Chase and Whiff and posted a 3.99 ERA, 3.57 FIP, and 3.52 xFIP over 76.2 IP. This is an arm you should be keeping tabs on. pic.twitter.com/F4VxS8yN7S

— Inside The Diamond (@InsideTheDiamnd) September 19, 2025

Minnesota handled Prielipp cautiously this season given his injury history. He was on tight pitch counts and didn’t go deep in games. That could change next year as he looks to crack the big league rotation, or he could be utilized in shorter stints as a high-ceiling option to supplement a barren bullpen.

Both players are key parts of Minnesota’s future at the big league level. Each of them put up highly-deserving seasons.

Four MN Twins prospects named Double-A All-Stars

It wasn’t just the Twins organization putting out notable prospect awards today. The Texas League, Double-A home of Wichita, named their 2025 All-Star Team as well. Four Minnesota Twins prospects made the cut.

Our All-Stars shined bright in 2025🌟⚾️‼️

Congratulations to Kyler Fedko, Pierson Ohl, Kaelen Culpepper, and Kala'i Rosario on their Texas League All-Star selections! pic.twitter.com/QjS1bVYH8W

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) September 23, 2025

Kala’i Rosario, Kyler Fedko, Kaelen Culpepper, and Pierson Ohl all represent the Twins system among the recipients. Fedko and Ohl both made their way to St. Paul, with the latter pitching this season with Minnesota. Culpepper gets the Twins MiLB Hitter of the Year award, and Rosario parlayed his second trip through the Arizona Fall League into his best professional season.

Fedko certainly could have been in consideration for hitter of the year honors as well. The former 12th round pick (2021) batted .258/.367/.487 between Double and Triple-A. After hitting 19 homers over the past three seasons, he launched 28 this year. He also swiped 38 bags (in 46 attempts) and added another 25 doubles.

The standout season for Rosario culminated in a .256/.358/.487 slash line with 25 home runs and 35 steals (in 42 attempts). He added the speed after seeing others work that into their game during Fall League action.

Minnesota has a six-game road trip to conclude the major league season. Instructs have begun down in Fort Myers. The Arizona Fall League will kick off in October. Then it’s all eyes towards Spring Training 2026.

The pitching staff exodus has left both Rocco Baldelli’s rotation and bullpen plans in flux and ever-evolving, since July 31. And that won’t change during the final month-and-a-half of this season.

If arms are healthy and productive at Triple-A St. Paul, we can probably assume they’ll make their big league debut between now and Minnesota’s final regular season game on September 28. And that makes Friday afternoon’s prospect news even more intriguing.

Connor Prielipp promoted to Triple-A

Minnesota drafted the Connor Prielipp — a Tomah, Wisconsin native — in the 2nd round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He brought incredible prospect pedigree, coming out of Alabama, but came with serious injury and durability concerns, as well.

Now three seasons into his professional career, the 24-year-old lefty is knocking on the door of his big league debut.

Twins pitching prospect Connor Prielipp is now knocking on the big league door.

He has been promoted to Triple-A @StPaulSaints

— Ted (@tlschwerz) August 15, 2025

Prielipp made 19 starts at Double-A Wichita this year, but he’s tossed only 61 2/3 innings, which averages out to less than four innings per start. Given his injury history, Minnesota has been extremely cautious with his usage, as they build him back up to a starter innings load.

Of his 19 starts, Prielipp has completed four innings just five times. He was allowed to pitch into the fifth inning at double-A on only two occasions. His 3.65 ERA with a 73/18 K/BB is respectable, but certainly not dominant.

That’s why this move could signal that the MN Twins are pushing for Prielipp to get make his MLB debut before the end of the 2025 regular season. There’s no doubt the former Crimson Tide standout has the fastball velocity (94-97 MPH) and offspeed stuff to make it.

Connor Prielipp with the @WindSurgeICT yesterday:

3.2 IP / 3 H / 2 R / 0 BB / 6 K #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/CYxglJ8vdD

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 22, 2025

It remains to be seen how aggressive the Minnesota Twins will push Connor Prielipp. I’d expect at least a couple of turns through the Triple-A rotation, before they entertain a call up. In all likelihood, he’d be utilized as an opener or out of the big league bullpen, if he does get a shot.

Minnesota Twins have lots of young arm talent in St. Paul

Realistically, the Twins want him to remain as a rotation option in the future. If things break right for Prielipp, he has top-end starter pedigree. If injuries or durability continue to be cause him problems, however, a shift to high-leverage bullpen guy makes a good deal of sense.

Related: Yankees Legend Helped MN Twins Beat Former Team

St. Paul is currently on the road in Omaha, before returning to CHS Field next week. Prielipp joins an incredibly talented staff, with the likes of Marco Raya and Andrew Morris already knocking on the MLB door.

Trade deadline newcomers, Mick Abel and Taj Bradley are expected to get their big league opportunities before the dust settles on a disappointing Minnesota Twins 2025 regular season too.

Pitching was supposed to be a strength of this team and depth is going to be key to any success, going forward. They have already DFA’d Randy Dobnak off the 40-man roster, following 5 1/3 innings of one run ball, in relief of Ober, who was yanked in the third inning, after allowing 8 earned runs on 8 hits (2 HR) in just 2 2/3 innings.

After he cleared waivers, Dobnak landed back in St. Paul among a crowded Saints pitching staff, loaded with young talent. The Saints currently have a three-headed monster in their starting rotation, in the form of David Festa, Zebby Matthews, and Andrew Morris, who through 15 combined innings this season have yet to allow a run (9 hits, 12 strikeouts).

They aren’t the only Minnesota Twins affiliate with incredible pitching talent in their rotation, though. Left-handed starter Connor Prielipp — who is starting the 2025 season at at AA-Wichita — could represent a higher upside talent than any of the three Triple-A starters mentioned above.

Connor Prielipp is the next Minnesota Twins prospect to watch for

A 2022 second round pick out of Alabama, Connor Prielipp was drafted into the MN Twins organization with injury concerns, having thrown just 28 total innings in two years on the bump for the Crimson Tide.

Now, four years removed from a Tommy John surgery that required a second “internal brace” procedure in 2023, the 24-year-old Prielipp is catching the attention of many around the organization, including beat reporter Bobby Nightengale (Star Tribune), who watched the 6’2″, 210 lb lefty mow down batters in spring training.

“It was an event when Prielipp pitched in minor league games on Fridays this spring. He racked up swings and misses at a stunning rate…The 6-2, 210-pound lefty struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced in a game against Red Sox prospects, and he struck out six of 14 batters when he pitched versus Atlanta. His pitch mix took a step forward from last year when he totaled 41 strikeouts in 23⅓ innings. His fastball sat at 94-97 mph in his second-to-last outing. He throws a 90-92 mph slider with a very high spin rate, and an 86-88 mph changeup.

The Twins were high on Prielipp’s potential before he entered camp, and his stock only went up over the past month. He’ll start the season at Class AA Wichita as a starting pitcher on a strict pitch count, but don’t rule out an opportunity for him to rise to the Twins bullpen if he keeps pitching well.”

Star Tribune

Want to see 45 seconds of pure filth from Connor Prielipp? 🤮

The @TwinsPlayerDev LHP struck out seven Red Sox batters over three innings today.

We identified Prielipp as a potential Top 100 candidate entering the season 👀 pic.twitter.com/2oSe3iQG0B

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 15, 2025

The Minnesota Twins coaching staff and front office certainly sees Connor Prielipp competing for a starting rotation spot, in the near future. This year though, as he continues his build up to starting-caliber pitch counts, the Tomah, WI native probably won’t throw more than 60 pitches in a game, and he’ll have plenty of rest days in between.

When could we see Connor Prielipp up with the MN Twins?

Depending on how the summer plays out for both Prielipp and the Twins, I could see him temporarily transitioning to a high-octane bullpen arm. Of course, that’s not what Connor or his agent want long term. For MLB pitchers, the money and security goes to starters, not relievers.

Prielipp made just seven starts at High-A Cedar Rapids, in 2024. The results of that small sample size were eye-popping. He struck out 32 batters in just 19 1/3 innings and walked just seven. You don’t often see a lefty with the stuff he has, and that’s what has the Twins so giddy about his upside.

If the Twins opt to fast-track Prielipp, he could be in St. Paul by early-summer. But again, if they put him on a track to the big leagues this season, it’s probably in the bullpen. That may not be a bad thing, though. Whether as a starter or reliever, Prielipp could benefit from seeing live action against big league hitters where the results meant something.

Derek Falvey pitching pipeline coming to fruition…?

Since Derek Falvey was hired by the Minnesota Twins, the front office’s goal has been to develop a pitching pipeline akin to that of the Cleveland Guardians, where Falvey worked from 2008-2016, before being hired to replace Terry Ryan. It took some time, but it appears we could see some fruit of that labor blossom right before our eyes this summer.

Two of our top pitching prospects, Andrew Morris and Cory Lewis, tossed a pair of scoreless innings in the @Twins Spring Training win💥

They combined for:

4 IP / 1 H / 0 R / 2 BB / 3 K #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/ea2SQNseE8

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) February 26, 2025

Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson are both development success stories. The Saints rotation is filled with dudes we have already discussed. But we haven’t even touched on Travis Adams, Marco Raya, or Cory Lewis, all of whom have high ceilings at the next level.

At the lower levels, beyond Prielipp, the Twins are incubating even more high-upside talent, like Charlee Soto and Dasan Hill. The Twins are never going to be in a place where they can compete financially for top free agent starting pitchers. That’s why it is so key for them to develop quality arms at a high rate.

Related: Why the MN Twins Chose Not to Trade Chris Paddack… and How it Could Bite Them

Much like we have seen out of Cleveland and Tampa Bay, those pitchers can then be cashed out for more high-end prospects, if they become too good to afford down the line. Of course, all of this pitcher pipeline talk is just that, for now. Talk.

These pitching prospects need to get up to the big leagues, then perform consistently, before we can dub Falvey a pitching talent savant in Minnesota, no matter what he did before he got here. That starts with Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober performing better from here on out. Then, all eyes will turn to the next generation of pitching talent, Connor Prielipp being at the top of the list among them… health permitting.

The Twins’ core of Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Pablo Lopez gives the roster a good starting point in all three corners of the clubhouse. But with Carlos Santana, Max Kepler and other veterans no longer on the team, Minnesota will have to rely even more this season on it organizational depth.

When we could see Minnesota Twins top prospects in 2025

And being we are knocking on the door to February, here we go again with my list of one prospect call up for every month of the upcoming MLB season. Three prospects from last year’s projection — Austin Martin, Brooks Lee and David Festa — did receive a call up in 2024 and all three will have a chance to make a difference in 2024, too. Which Minnesota Twins prospects can we expect to get the call during the 2025 season, and when?

April – Connor Prielipp LHP

There’s a real chance that April is too late for Connor Prielipp. The former second round pick has an enormous amount of talent and an immensely high ceiling. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed Prielipp’s career thus far, throwing just 30 innings since being drafted in 2022.

But while his MiLB resume may be short, the small sample size of results are quite impressive. In the back half of las season, after spending the entire first half out with an injury, Preilipp was dominant for High-A Cedar Rapids. After a few short rehab starts in Low-A, the Alabama Crimson Tide struck out 32 of the 91 batters he faced with the Kernels… in 19 1/3 innings.

Twins prospect Connor Prielipp pitched a pair of shutout innings and struck out four batters in his 2024 Kernels debut. Touched 96 mph. pic.twitter.com/1TReNImh2h

— TFTwins (@TFTwins) July 28, 2024

Maybe it’s too aggressive to include him in the Opening Day bullpen, so I won’t. I will make him an April call up instead. But seriously, the stuff is that good. As of now, Minnesota lacks immediate left-handed answers in the bullpen.

If Prielipp — who posted a 2.70 ERA , 0.900 WHIP and absurd 15.81 SO/9 ratio in 23.1 total minor league innings last season — proves he can stay healthy for a month of spring training and looks as good as advertised on the hill training, why let him waste innings in the minors? Let’s see what the kid can do in the big leagues while he is still healthy.

Related: Four Minnesota Twins Prospects Make Coveted Top 100 List

Worst case scenario should see Prielipp kicking off the year at Double-A, and quickly advancing to Triple-A. It’s going to take longer if he works as a starter, but that’s also risking his health. Matt Canterino, who was featured in last year’s version of this article, has a very similar outlook as Prielipp.

May – Emmanuel Rodriguez

If Rodriguez was right-handed there’s a decent chance he’d make the Opening Day roster. He’s a corner outfielder that would be stretched in centerfield, but despite time missed, he’s ready for the big leagues.

Rodriguez will be the first man up when either Matt Wallner or Trevor Larnach struggle. He has elite plate discipline and big time power. He’s not a slow runner either and is going to be an asset in either corner at Target Field.

This is one way to hit your first Triple-A home run. The
number 15 prospect in baseball and the #MNTwins number 2 prospect, Emmanuel Rodriguez with an inside the park grand slam. pic.twitter.com/zybTQkmiWY

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) September 8, 2024

Last season Rodriguez played just 47 games after dealing with a pair of thumb injuries. In 37 games at Double-A Wichita he slashed .298/.479/.621 with eight home runs and a near-even strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Related: New Minnesota Twins President Has His Eye on One Almost Ready Prospect

Rodriguez is coming into Spring Training healthy having had surgery on his thumb. He debuted at Triple-A to end the season. He’s going to be an impact player quickly and is among the best prospects in baseball.

June – Luke Keaschall

There is no prospect that has risen the ranks more in the past year for Minnesota than Keaschall. As a second round selection he was obviously highly regarded. Still, his .903 OPS last season was only going to vault him forward.

Keaschall dealt with a torn UCL last year and underwent Tommy John surgery late in the season. He still posted a .303/.420/.483 slash line in 102 games. He hit 15 home runs and had 21 doubles. The profile here is just easy power, and he’s a fine defender.

It Isn't A Long Ball Party Without Luke!

Luke Keaschall twists a two-out, two-run home run down the left field line to triple the lead.

M8
Wind Surge: 3
Hooks: 0 pic.twitter.com/dzEqgoVWak

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) August 8, 2024

How his arm responds to the surgery remains to be seen, but there’s no reason he can’t stick at second base. Arguably the most intriguing option is for Keaschall to learn first and become a mainstay there.

Related: Exclusive: Twins Top Prospect Opens Up About Torn UCL That Eventually Ended His Season

The Twins had Keaschall play 13 games at first base for Double-A Wichita at the end of last season. He could be an early option there in 2025 should the Jose Miranda experience flop.

July – Andrew Morris

Last season the Minnesota Twins used 10 different starting pitchers. Zebby Matthews and David Festa were the two prospects that found themselves featured prominently. With a similar group this year, it should be expected that Baldelli will need depth again.

Andrew Morris may not have the ceiling of traditional top prospects, but his floor is exciting. The former forth round pick owned a 2.37 ERA across 133 innings last year. He took seven turns at Triple-A St. Paul, and although the strikeouts faded, he was still plenty successful.

Twins prospect of the day: Andrew Morris, 23 year old RH starting pitcher. Moved from A to AAA in 2024, has excellent control (less than 3 walks per 9), in 133 innings had a 2.37 ERA…Ks were down in his 7 starts with the Saints (7.2 K/9). Needs more AAA time. Future #3/4 guy. pic.twitter.com/o3a18EuYnp

— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) January 17, 2025

Morris should be viewed as an ideal candidate to provide depth for the Twins. He’s not likely to earn a promotion and light up the opposition, but he shouldn’t be blown up on a regular basis either.

Related: 2025 Minnesota Twins Minor League Coaching Staff Revealed

A midseason addition to the group makes a good deal of sense. Maybe he sticks, or maybe he shuttles back and forth from St. Paul. Either way, he can help the big league staff.

August – Marco Raya

Last season there was plenty of talk about whether it was David Festa or Marco Raya who deserved the top Twins pitching prospect honors. The former wound up making his big league debut while the latter had quite a confusing year.

Minnesota allowed Raya to throw 97 2/3 innings, but that was split between 25 starts. He’s still working as a starter, but with an average of four innings per outing, it’s clear the kid gloves are fully engaged.

Prospect of the day #14: Marco Raya, No. 5 prospect in the Twins system…

A 65 gr fastball that’s around 96 mph, elite slider is the K-pitch. Career 3.75 MiLB ERA.

A 2020 4th round pick. pic.twitter.com/AcrcM3aXZJ

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) November 6, 2024

Raya owned a mediocre 4.05 ERA but struck out 103 batters. He allowed just eight home runs but issued 44 free passes. He still needs to hone command in a bit further, and then there are questions of durability. This offseason the Twins added him to the 40-man roster.

Related: Minnesota Twins Reveal Broadcast Team for First Season on MLB TV

It makes some sense that Raya could be a future reliever. He hit Triple-A last season, and should work in the starting rotation to begin the year. If Minnesota needs bullpen help down the stretch, Raya profiles as a guy who could play up and also stay more healthy in that role.

September – Cory Lewis

If there’s a late-season starter that makes sense for Minnesota it might be Cory Lewis. C.J. Culpepper could have value here too, but Lewis brings a unique repertoire.

Lewis is a former ninth round pick that would follow in the footsteps of a developmental success story like Bailey Ober. Injuries capped his innings total to just 79 last season, but the Twins prospect posted a 2.51 ERA with 92 strikeouts.

Cory Lewis
5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 7 K pic.twitter.com/Q8wN78B16p

— TFTwins (@TFTwins) August 15, 2024

The California native has a very intriguing pitch mix. He throws a knuckleball but is hardly a soft-tosser. His ability to blow a fastball by the opposition is real, and his offspeed stuff keeps them guessing.

Related: Minnesota Twins Trying to Trade Veteran Catcher for Major Rotation Upgrade

Last season Lewis made a single start at Triple-A. He’ll begin there in 2025, and plenty of seasoning should be expected. If he can hold things down for manager Toby Gardenhire, then a late season promotion as either a depth or necessary option makes sense.