Had Keaschall not broken his arm shortly after arriving in the big leagues earlier this season, he may have graduated from most prospect lists by now. But this week, a new young Minnesota Twins slugger has entered the top 100 fray.

Kaelen Culpepper hits top 100 for MN Twins in MLB Pipeline update

The Minnesota Twins used their 2024 first round pick (No. 21 overall) on shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, out of Kansas State. And since arriving in the Twins organization, the 21-year-old has done nothing but impress, already climbing the minor league ladder to Double-A Wichita.

This week, Culpepper was rewarded for the hot start to his professional career. Not only was he named to the All-Star Futures Game on Monday, but the very next day, he made his debut in the MLB.com top 100 prospects list, at No. 96.

Culpepper entered pro ball with a reputation as having a very disciplined hit-over-power approach, and he lived up to it during his stop with Single-A Fort Myers. He makes a ton of contact and uses the entire field with outstanding bat speed.

He looked better at short than many expected, and the Twins already consider him one of the better at the position in their system. But some think he may not have the quickness and range to stay there long-term. He could be a Gold Glover at third, though that will put more pressure on his bat, and the Twins plan to expose him a little to the hot corner as well as second and even the outfield as he progresses, just to expand his defensive arsenal.

MLB Pipeline

Despite his selection to the Futures Game, and early promotion to Double-A, MLB Pipeline still has Culpepper’s big league debut projected all the way out to 2027. Given how quickly he is climbing up the organization, however, he could wind up making a mockery of that MLB timeline.

Culpepper’s hot start has Twins excited about his future

Prior to his Double-A promotion, Culpepper posted a .293/.385/.479 slash line in 54 games at High-A Cedar Rapids this season. In his first eight games at Double-A Wichita, he has gone 11-for-37 (.297) with two home runs and a .854 OPS.

Kaelen's Connecting Early!

On his second single of the night, Kaelen Culpepper singles home Ben Ross from second.

T2
WCH 2, TUL 1 pic.twitter.com/2jp4JmAT0U

— Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) July 2, 2025

Related: Twins Top Prospect Set for All-Star Appearance

The Twins have to feel good about how well Culpepper has controlled the zone. As a pro he has a 63/42 K/BB while flashing early power with 13 doubles, three triples, and 14 home runs. At 20-of-23 in stolen base attempts, his speed and instincts stand out, as well.

Culpepper has played 74 of his 79 professional games with the Minnesota Twins at shortstop, calming concerns over whether he can stick there, in the long-term. It’s still possible the Twins start to experiment with him at other positions more often, if he continues his speedy rise through the system.

In all likelihood, Carlos Correa will be this team’s shortstop for at least another season or two. No matter where he plays once he reaches the big leagues, Kaelen Culpepper’s early meteoric rise has given the MN Twins yet another top 100 prospect to get excited about.

Walker has been available for just two games this season, with his last action coming back on April 6, when he opened the regular season for Double-A Wichita. Unfortunately, an ankle injury that was first reported as a problem in Spring Training eventually landed him a cortisone shot and two months on the injured list.

Walker Jenkins starting rehab assignment

Fast Forward to today, June 3, and Walker Jenkins is scheduled to be in the Minnesota Twins’ rookie league lineup, where he will finally begin his long-awaited rehab assignment.

According to Dan Hayes (The Athletic), Jenkins was supposed to start his comeback yesterday, but the FCL Twins’ game was rained out. They have a doubleheader scheduled for today vs the FCL Rays. The first game is scheduled for 9 a.m. CDT this morning.

Walker Jenkins (ankle) was supposed to make his return today but the #MNTwins FCL game was rained out.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) June 3, 2025

This year, Jenkins will be more than four years younger than the average player age in the (Double-A) Texas League. Last summer was Walker Jenkins’ first full professional season.

The Minnesota Twins’ prospect batted an impressive .282 with a .833 OPS across four levels, ending his 2024 minor league journey at Double-A Wichita, where he will eventually land when activated off the minor league injured list.

When available, Minnesota Twins top prospect producing beyond his age

Across 110 total minor league games to start his young professional career, Jenkins is slashing .299/.415/.471 with 27 doubles, 8 triples, and 9 home runs. He has also stolen 23-of-29 attempted bases and owns a 63/65 K/BB.

The North Carolina kid is a true five-tool talent who projects as a regular MLB All-Star caliber player. He may eventually have to move off center field, but he’s pretty damn good out there right now.

Walker Jenkins? More like Runner Jenkins because he's too quick with it 🏃‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/i7sgbdNk52

— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) August 7, 2024

Double it and give it to the next person! Two doubles already for Walker Jenkins tonight.pic.twitter.com/gitBr5ML7R

— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) August 7, 2024

On Monday, the MN Twins second-rated (and consensus MLB top 25) prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez hit the injured list for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints. That makes the news that Walker Jenkins’ return even more welcomed.

It’s possible that Jenkins plays well enough to force the Twins into a promotion to Triple-A St. Paul, by the end of the this season. He has the talent and ability to make that a reality. But really, the most important thing is that he stays healthy and gains experience.

Related: Another Top MN Twins Prospect Hits the IL

Because by 2026, and certainly in 2027, Rodriguez and Jenkins should be contributing in the big leagues. Hopefully, in that time, both guys blossom into outfield cornerstones of the Minnesota Twins organization for a long time to come.

But on Sunday, they made a more surprising roster move, sending lefty reliever Danny Coulombe to the injured list with a ‘left forearm extensor strain’. In his place, the Twins have recalled starting pitcher Zebby Matthews to start on Sunday afternoon, a move that was reported on Saturday.

Minnesota Twins roster moves made official on Sunday

In another official move that was announced alongside the Coulombe for Matthews swap, Minnesota transferred infielder Luke Keaschall — and his right forearm fracture — to the 60-day injured list. That made room on the 40-man roster for the much anticipated MLB debut of young slugger, Carson McCusker, whose closest MLB comp is… Aaron Judge. But more on him momentarily.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/212QB3DqDq

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 18, 2025

The surprising injured list stay for Danny Coulombe significantly hurts the Minnesota Twins bullpen, which now needs another arm in the very near future. Not only was Coulombe the only lefty in the bullpen, but he had pitched 16.2 scoreless innings for Rocco Baldelli & Co this season, prior to his injury.

Not only is his ERA+ incalculable, but his 0.600 WHIP and 1.18 FIP are nearly just as impressive. The 35-year-old former 25th round draft pick in 2012 has already amassed 1.1 WAR, 5th most among MLB relievers, in part thanks to his 19 strikeouts vs just 2 walks allowed.

#MNTwins Danny Coulombe now has an elite 19 K and only 1 BB this season. He's amongst the top 1% in baseball for K/BB. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/kUYjeKzwua

— Talkin' Twins (@TalkinTwins) May 11, 2025

Danny Coulombe, placed on the 15-day IL with a left forearm extensor strain, said he’s been pitching through it all year.

“When you’re 35, you’re not going to feel good all the time.”

He’s optimistic it will be a short absence.

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) May 18, 2025

Onto the exciting news that was made official today, but yet another move that was actually reported on Saturday. He isn’t in the starting lineup Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee, but 6’8″, 250 lb right-handed slugger Carson McCusker is now on both the 40-man and active 26-man Minnesota Twins roster.

Here comes Carson McCusker…

Why has the fanbase been waiting so impatiently to see McCusker in a Twins uniform? Well, because the 27-year-old‘s closest comp is Aaron Judge. And not just because of his overwhelming human frame.

Related: New Minnesota Twins Promotions Bring Two Debuts

Yes, McCusker look like the right-handed version of the New York Yankees superstar, when he’s standing in the batter’s box, but Carson McCusker’s been hitting the baseball a lot like Judge recently too.

In 38 games this season down at Triple A St. Paul, the former undrafted kid out of Oklahoma State is hitting an absurd .350, with a 1.061 OPS built on 10 HR, 11 doubles, 13 walks and 36 RBI. He’s also struck out 46 times… but with these numbers, who’s counting?

6'8, 250. The guy our broadcaster, @TheVoiceBTV, dubbed McCrusher. Undrafted, to Indy ball, to slashing .350/.412/.650 with us. Top 10 in 8 different major offensive categories & 2nd highest exit velo in the Minors. Congrats to @carson_mccusker @exploreminn call up to #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/lHNRZMnDfK

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) May 18, 2025

While McCusker was undrafted after college, he was selected in the 26th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, out of Folsom Lake Community College, in Folsom (CA). Instead, he chose four years at Oklahoma State, where he slashed .294/.367/.519 (.886 OPS).

That wasn’t good enough to get a phone call during the 2021 MLB Draft, though. After going undrafted, McCusker played two summers of Independent League baseball, in the Frontier League.

Related: Origin of Minnesota Twins Spartan Helmet Celebration Revealed

Then in 2023, at 25 years old, he finally got his shot in affiliated ball, signing with the Minnesota Twins. Now, after 207 minor league games in the organization between single A and triple A, the right-handed hitting monster batted .290 with a .886 OPS (43 HR, 147 RBI).

Two years later, even if it doesn’t come Sunday, Carson McCusker will soon get his first opportunity to prove he can hit anywhere, including the big leagues.

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.

The Twins will need some combination of up-and-coming youngsters like Lee, Festa, Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis to produce. Because they are handcuffed by self-imposed financial restrictions, Minnesota’s front office can’t substantially improve their major league roster through free agency or trade.

2025 Minnesota Twins Top Prospects – Baseball America

Baseball America is the first major outlet to drop their top 100 prospects list for 2025. The Minnesota Twins remain well-represented, landing FOUR players in the top 100. Most impressive is how many prospects the Twins have near the top of the list. They have THREE in the top 50, TWO in the top 20 and ONE — 2023 No. 5 overall MLB Draft pick Walker Jenkins — in the top 5.

5. Walker Jenkins, OF

As will be the case for all prospect lists this season, Minnesota Twins star teenager Walker Jenkins paces the group. He trails only Roki Sasaki, Roman Anthony, Jackson Jobe, and Kristian Campbell. Despite an injury-plagued start last season, he finished the year at Double-A.

High-A HR No. 1 for Walker Jenkins!

MLB's No. 4 prospect (@Twins) rockets this one out in a hurry for the @CRKernels.

Watch LIVE: https://t.co/aKtGFgX9NB pic.twitter.com/UwtrkBaqht

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 24, 2024

Jenkins owned a .282/.394/.439 slash line during his first full professional season. He is capable of holding down centerfield, but could grow into more of a corner spot. He has will grow into more power but his six home runs in 82 games. The stolen base ability is a mixture of speed and instincts as he swiped 17 bags in 20 attempts.

“Jenkins was one of the most celebrated prospects as an amateur and still shows a tremendously high ceiling, albeit after a year hamstrung by injuries. He has the upside of a five-tool player, especially if he can add a bit more impact to his contact as he grows into his body.”

Baseball America

If you’re looking for the Twins next superstar, the conversation begins and ends with Jenkins. It’s unlikely he makes his big league debut in 2025, but there’s also no reason to bet against him either. Ultimately, Walker Jenkins should be a mainstay on the 2026 Minnesota Twins roster and the ceiling is uncapped.

Related: Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Rankings (2025 ed.)

19. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF

There’s an outside chance that Emmanuel Rodriguez could make the Minnesota Twins Opening Day roster. That would be much more likely if he were right handed, but the lefty has a smooth stroke and advanced process at the plate.

Derek Falvey has already begun to talk about his potential with the Twins this season. Rodriguez will be at Triple-A to provide immediate insurance for the likes of both Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach.

“Rodriguez has plenty of high-end tools and a nearly unparalleled ceiling if everything clicks. He knows the strike zone better than most umpires and hits the ball extraordinarily hard, but can be beaten by quality pitches in the strike zone and runs high strikeout rates as a result. His offensive game will profile at any spot in the outfield, especially if he can improve his zone-contact rate.”

Baseball America

After slipping from 46th to 53rd on Baseball America’s pre-season ranking last year, Rodriguez turned in a strong 2024 campaign. His .280/.459/.567 slash line came in just a total of 47 games. He suffered multiple hand injuries and did have offseason surgery.

Emmanuel Rodriguez with an inside-the-park GRAND SLAM for his first Triple-A HR⚡️#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/UBhAGY7z5A

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) September 8, 2024

Related: Minnesota Twins Top Prospects to Keep an Eye on in 2025

Now fully healthy and ready to go, there is an immense power player here. Rodriguez has 44 home runs in 230 minor league games. He takes a ton of walks and can occasionally steal a base as well. Look for an early season big league debut.

45. Luke Keaschall, 2B

One of the more exciting developmental success stories for the Twins, Keaschall has flown up prospect rankings. MLB Pipeline recently called Keaschall the third best prospect at second base heading into 2025.

Despite playing with a torn UCL last year, Keaschall slashed .303/.420/.483 across 102 games between Single and Double-A. He took Brooks Lee’s spot in the Futures Game and should be good to go for 2025.

“The Twins unearthed a gem in the second round of the 2023 draft. Keaschall came out blazing in 2024, hitting .300 with good power, strong bat-to-ball skills and discipline as he reached Double-A. Only an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in August slowed his ascent.”

Baseball America

Keaschall has easy power and launched 15 home runs while adding 21 doubles last year. He controls the zone well and doesn’t do too much. He’s a solid defender at second base, but began to work at first base last season and could help Minnesota there this year.

Baseball America also highlighted Keaschall as a top 100 riser. It’s possible he won’t be eligible for the list next season if he exhausts rookie thresholds. He also could inch into the top 25.

Luke Keaschall, the No. 54 prospect in MLB by @BaseballAmerica, launched his third HR in four days 💣

2-for-6
HR (105 mph)
2 RBI

His 2024 ranks amongst Double-A Texas League players (min. 200 PA):

OBP – 1st (.407)🥇
OPS – 2nd (.886)🥈
wOBA – 1st (.385)🥇#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/uda0hlusG3

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 28, 2024

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

Although Keaschall didn’t reach Triple-A in 2024, his season ended to time up the surgery timeline for a fresh 2025. Expect a stop at St. Paul before an eventual debut at Target Field this summer.

73. Zebby Matthews, RHP

Minnesota watched Zebby Matthews blitz the system last season and he was ultimately called upon to make starts down the stretch run during a division race. That experience should benefit him greatly this year, even though he’ll likely begin at Triple-A.

Minor league pitch data said that Twins starter Zebby Matthews had three above-average pitches for stuff and five he could locate well. That's porting over today, great debut. pic.twitter.com/yT5ddePIuG

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) August 14, 2024

Matthews took nine turns for the Twins and turned in a 6.69 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings. The 11 home runs were certainly his bugaboo, but he allowed just seven of them in 97 minor league innings.

“Matthews got a late-season taste of the big leagues when Minnesota needed starting pitching help. He could use a better out pitch, but his control, command and solid arsenal make him a pretty safe bet to be a No. 4 starter in the major leagues.”

Baseball America

The real stunner for Matthews is his stinginess when it comes to free passes. He carried a 114/7 K/BB in the minors and backed it up with a 43/11 K/BB at the big league level.

Related: 2025 Minnesota Twins Minor League Coaching Staff Revealed

The Twins need Matthews to continue missing bats and avoiding walks, but he may need to be less picky around the zone in order to find his ideal out pitch. Expect him to double the innings total he provided for Minnesota a year ago.

Minnesota Twins dominate MLB Pipeline top 100

There are three major top 100 lists. Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and MLB Pipeline each house one. Each typically undergoes a re-rank following the draft and halfway through the major league season. MLB Pipeline is the most visible and the Minnesota Twins landed six players on the top 100.

🚨 RERANK TIME 🚨

We've updated the Top 100 Prospects list and all of the team Top 30s!

Dig in: https://t.co/brrhUFnhPo pic.twitter.com/mV3P5IXQcp

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 14, 2024

Of the six players the Twins landed on the MLB Pipeline top 100, three of them are in the top 25. The other three weren’t in the group to start the season, and Luke Keaschall (67) nearly cracked the top 50.

Walker Jenkins (4) is seen as a legitimate superstar. He earned a promotion to Cedar Rapids despite missing time to start the year at Fort Myers. Brooks Lee (16) is in the big leagues, and Emmanuel Rodriguez (22) has a ceiling that is immeasurable.

The Twins pitching pipeline has also been the focus for Derek Falvey. He has generated big league arms in the form of Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Simeon Woods Richardson, Louie Varland, and others. David Festa (89) and Zebby Matthews (87) have also now joined the big league ranks. Minnesota landing such a solid presence in the top 100 is impressive, but the depth is the real story.

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

Minnesota Twins top 30 highlights from MLB Pipeline

Of course the top prospects are the ones that draw the greatest interest. A system is only as good as it’s depth though. That’s where the Minnesota Twins really shine. Kaelen Culpepper was picked in the first round of the 2024 draft, and he checks in as the seventh best prospect. By next season, or this time next year, he will likely appear in the top 100.

🌶️ + ⛴️ = 👍

Kaelen Culpepper and Kyle DeBarge rope back-to-back doubles to extend the margin!

Bottom 5 | Mussels 6, Flying Tigers 0 pic.twitter.com/L2ey57AEtO

— Fort Myers Mighty Mussels (@MightyMussels) August 14, 2024

It’s not just Culpepper either. Minnesota put a total of five of their 2024 draft picks within their top 30. Kyle DeBarge(12), Dasan Hill(13), Billy Amick(14), and Khadim Diaw(30) have drawn early praise. All of them, aside from Hill (who was a prep pitcher) have already made their professional debuts. As they compete for Fort Myers, the Mighty Mussels are currently positioned to make the playoffs.

Quite the debut for @andrewmo03 who goes 6.0 innings allowing just one run (a solo homer in the 2nd) on just two hits (other hit was a one out triple in the first) while walking one and striking out two. Retired the last 8 men he faced. He threw 81 pitches, 57 for strikes. pic.twitter.com/aMzZMmlI7k

— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) August 14, 2024

There are also several returning standouts. Marco Raya(8) was seen as synonymous, or above Festa coming into the season. Andrew Morris(9) just made his Triple-A debut, and has been on par with Matthews. Gabriel Gonzalez(10) was the key return in the Jorge Polanco trade. Charlee Soto(11) was a 2023 first round pick that was throwing 100 out of high school. Both C.J. Culpepper(15) and Cory Lewis(16) would rank in some top 10s across the sport.

Falvey and the Minnesota Twins have to feel like they are in a great place with their prospects. If money is going to be tight at the top, then having cost-controlled assets is huge. If the Twins wanted to swing a massive trade, there are few players across Major League Baseball that their system couldn’t net. As the big league club needs an infusion of talent, Rocco Baldelli should feel good about looking within.

Related: Minnesota Twins New Top Prospect Puts System in Rarefied Air

Unfortunately, offseason cuts to player payroll took away from a lot of the momentum built up by impressive roster building and some playoff victories. Four months later, things haven’t exactly gone as planned.

That’s in large part thanks to the surprise MLB team of 2024, the 67-45 Cleveland Guardians, who enter Tuesday with a 3.5 game lead over Minnesota in the AL Central. The 63-48 Twins are currently 15 games over .500 and on pace to win 91 games on the season. Outside of a 2nd half implosion, we should be looking at another playoff push.

Minnesota Twins farm system ranked in MLB top 5

But the optimism doesn’t stop there. The Minnesota Twins farm system seems to look better and better every time experts in the baseball prospect world update their analysis and rankings in the MLB minor leagues.

We saw that again on Tuesday, when ESPN ranked the Twins as the No. 4 overall farm system in all of baseball, post MLB trade deadline, up from No. 9 prior to the change.

Current top prospect: Walker Jenkins, CF

What has happened since: The Twins have moved up in these rankings because they haven’t graduated anyone of note with the same three guys still in the top half of my Top 100 from the preseason addition and they also have had some notable arrow-up prospects including 2B Luke Keaschall and RHP Zebby Matthews. By this time next year, I’d expect Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Keaschall to be in the upper minors with a chance to debut as the next wave of impact talent.

ESPN

Related: Twins Usher Makes Wild One-Handed Catch; Audra Martin Sings for Target Field Crowd

We’ve seen Twins’ prospects slowly rising up the board, over the last two to three years. Recent high draft picks, such as Brooks Lee and Walker Jenkins have supplanted the organization with at least two top 25 prospects in all available rankings.

#MNTwins No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins collected three hits, scored three runs and had a pair of RBIs in his first series at High-A.@USAFRecruiting #AimHigh pic.twitter.com/e0AHlOR0R9

— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) August 6, 2024

Twins prospects climbing the rankings… and sticking around

Meanwhile, the less-touted prospects behind them continue to impress scouts and experts across the industry. Pitchers like David Festa and Zebby Matthews have busted into multiple top 100 lists, after years of being undervalued. We’ve seen hitters like (2B) Luke Keaschall and (OF) Emmanuel Rodriguez have done the same.

Related: Minnesota Twins Could Still Add Payroll in August

Their improved ranking can also be attributed to the fact that they did little (nothing) at the MLB trade deadline, in order to improve their 2024 squad for an incoming run at the playoffs. That means there were no notable prospects sent out, either.

The Twins didn’t make many moves at the deadline and their draft class was solid, headlined by college shortstops Kaelen Culpepper and Kyle DeBarge. One player to keep an eye on is LHP Connor Prielipp, a 2022 second-rounder with positive early results as he returns from an internal brace procedure on his left elbow after a Tommy John surgery in 2021.

ESPN

According to MLB.com, the Minnesota Twins currently have five minor league prospects in baseball’s top 100. That includes two (Brooks Lee and Walker Jenkins) players in the top 15. Four of the five are currently in, or busting down the door, to Major League Baseball.

• No. 5: Walker Jenkins – OF (2023 Draft – Pick 5) | Single-A+
• No. 14: Brooks Lee – IF (2022 Draft – Pick 8) | MLB
• No. 26: Emmanuel Rodriguez – OF (Signed 2019) | Double-A
• No. 87: David Festa – SP (2021 Draft – Pick 399) | MLB
• No. 100: Zebby Mathews – SP (2022 Draft – Pick 234) | Triple-A

Yes, the big league Twins are deeply implanted in a 2024 divisional race (and intense Wildcard race). Hell, they may even have a legitimate chance to earn the American League’s No. 1 seed, in the MLB Postseason.

But down on the farm, things look pretty good too. Now, if we could just get the Pohlads to treat their baseball money like other pro sports franchises in 2024…

Minnesota Twins Top Pitching Prospect David Festa Moves Up

Over the weekend, Texas Rangers budding rookie of the year candidate, 2023 draft pick Wyatt Langford, officially graduated from the Top 100 prospect rankings. When that happened, everyone behind Langford moved up the list… and in slid Festa.

RHP David Festa enters the Top 100 Prospects list upon Wyatt Langford's graduation.

Scouting report + more on the #MNTwins hurler with a 2.77 ERA + 13.8 K/9 at Triple-A in 2024: https://t.co/7jw6vmsiDC pic.twitter.com/nxBKkSp0Er

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 1, 2024

Discussion as to who the Twins top pitching prospect is has revolved around both Marco Raya and Festa. Different websites have different opinions on the pair, but it is Festa who is already at Triple-A and finding success. Having pitched in the 2023 All Star Futures Game, Festa owns a 3.56 ERA with a ridiculous 65 strikeouts in just 43 innings.

While Royce Lewis was the latest top Twins prospect to graduate and emerge at the highest level, the next wave that can join him on Rocco Baldelli’s roster is edging closer. Walker Jenkins immediately made a splash following his selection during the 2023 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, but David Festa might be the next name to don a Twins jersey.

Related: Twins Call Up Proven Big League Reliever Who’s Been Dominating in St. Paul

David Festa Highlights Minnesota Twins Prospect Depth

As a 13th round pick, Festa is a testament to the Twins development ability. The franchise has made a habit of drafting small program pitchers in the middle rounds, adding velocity, and tweaking their stuff in order to enhance the overall performance. The trajectory for Festa has been reflective of that, and it is being replicated with names like Zebby Matthews, Cory Lewis, and C.J. Culpepper.

Now with five top-100 prospects in the system, most are familiar with names like Jenkins, Brooks Lee, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Gabriel Gonzalez. Raya could be a potential top-100 addition at some point as well, but the depth of the organization is where a significant amount of excitement lies.

David Festa dominated today with 10 K over six shutout innings to lower his ERA to 3.00 in 30 IP for Triple-A St. Paul.

Should get some time with Minnesota this season.#MNTwinspic.twitter.com/cXA7fs1tBv

— Eric Cross (@EricCross04) May 12, 2024

Festa emerging on the national stage is nice to see. Players like Luke Keaschall, the aforementioned pitching prospects, Kala’i Rosario, and a few others represent potential big-league regulars in the not so distant future. As the summer bears down on the trade deadline as well, it will be these depth prospects that can help to acquire some veteran big league talent should the Twins choose as well.

Expect to see Festa pitching at Target Field sometime throughout the 2024 season. He is probably next in line to get a promotion, and the starting rotation may open up an opportunity sooner rather than later.

COVID-19 has affected millions of people all across the world in one way or another. Thus, people are working from home, partaking in countless Zoom meetings, and doing other things that seemed unfathomable in January. COVID-19 affects all daily life, eventually cancelling sports leagues worldwide too, including Major League Baseball.

Opening Day (which should be a National Holiday, btw) has been pushed back from the end of March, to early July (hopefully). The MLB draft, which usually happens in early June and runs 40 rounds, has made HUGE changes to save money. It will now be shortened to just… five, yes five rounds.

Want some good baseball news??

I just heard from multiple sources that on June 10th, Spring Training 2 will start. July 1st will be Opening Day and all teams will be playing at their home ballparks.

We’ll be discussing it in full on the next @TalkinBaseball_

— Trevor Plouffe (@trevorplouffe) May 4, 2020

The 2020 MLB Draft will only have five rounds this year.#MLB | https://t.co/0GAU2qLBBj pic.twitter.com/7l0r5FVUvq

— NESN (@NESN) May 9, 2020

Building on last season’s success

A year ago, the Twins had one of the best seasons in team history, winning 101 games. But regardless of regular season success, the Twins met their inevitable fate and fell to the Bronx Bombers in the ALDS.

That success a season ago brought the Twins into a “win-now” mode, which was a change of pace from former GM’s, like Bill Smith and Terry Ryan. These two signed under-the-radar types of players, who they hoped would have a good season. Sometimes it worked, most times it didn’t.

In their time, Derek Falvey and Thad Levine have done a remarkable job building a winner inside the Target Field dimensions. They have made impact signings in Michael Pineda, Nelson Cruz and most notably this off-season, former AL MVP Josh Donaldson. The Donaldson signing in January meant that the Twins would lose their Comp. B pick (73rd) in a normal draft. In a draft that is only five rounds, that could be a big deal.

Success in past drafts

Heading into this year’s draft, the Twins have one of the best farm systems in Major League Baseball, ranked 7th by Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Mike Rosenbaum of MLB.com. The minor teams are highlighted by top prospects Royce Lewis, Alex Kiriloff, Trevor Larnach and Jordan Balazovic.

All but one of those players were drafted in the first round, so the Twins know how to draft early. After taking position players in the previous three drafts (Lewis, Larnach and last year’s first rounder, Keoni Cavaco), I would expect the Twins to look at an experienced arm.

How to approach this draft

The Twins will have just four picks in this year’s draft; picks 27 (1st round), 59 (2nd round), 99 (4th round), and 125 (5th round).

With only five rounds in the 2020 MLB draft, here’s what the #MNTwins have to work with:

Rnd 1- 27
Rnd 2- 59
Rnd 4- 99
Rnd 5- 125

That’s it…

— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 8, 2020

There are two names to keep an eye on in the late-first round, both coming from the SEC:

J.T. Ginn

As a freshman, Ginn had a solid season for Mississippi State with a 3.13 ERA in the loaded SEC conference. He reached top-10 on some draft boards entering 2020 until his sophomore season was cut short (even shorter than everyone else’). He pitched in just one game before he required Tommy John surgery. That was in March… like 2 months ago.

JT Ginn, Sinker (with tail). pic.twitter.com/ABEHF4pNuN

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 21, 2019

Carmen Mlodzinski

A former South Carolina Gamecock, Mlodzinski doesn’t have the great numbers (ERA 4.74), but he does have a nice three-pitch arsenal that could be appealing to the Twins. CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa mocked him to the Twins this week.

Pretty easy to see why RHP Carmen Mlodzinski is considered the #Gamecocks ace heading into the 2020 season.

Fastball sitting mid 90s, changeup around 81-82 MPH and a nasty breaking ball to go with it.

Nobody on this staff has the kind of stuff he does. pic.twitter.com/aJxMvJ9d4I

— The Spurs Up Show (@TheSpursUpShow) October 7, 2019

Ed Howard

The former Little League Star is a high school name to watch and he should be around when the Twins draft at 27. MLB.com (Jonathan Mayo) has him landing in the Twin Cities with this mock draft posted yesterday.

Howard played on the Jackie Robinson West Little League team, making the LLWS Championship in 2014. The youngster was a big part of that team, earning the final outs of the U.S. Championship. Now an Oklahoma commit, Howard might be tough to pry away from the Sooners, but he is athletic enough to stick at shortstop.

Congratulations to Ed Howard on being named the 2019-2020 @Gatorade Illinois Baseball Player of the Year! He joins Alek Thomas as the 2nd Player of the Year from @MountCarmelHS.https://t.co/g8m0upjfI0#GatoradePOY #WeAreMC pic.twitter.com/xHNCoWT4T9

— Caravan Baseball (@CaravanBaseball) May 21, 2020

Since, the draft only being five rounds, expect some future stars to go undrafted. These undrafted players can still get $20,000 guaranteed. It will have a feel of the NFL draft, where some NFL teams ridden hidden gems for cheap, which could be the case for the Twins. 

Now, Falvey and Levine will look to build on their already outstanding farm system. Though it may look different, this is a big and interesting draft for the Twins.

Hunter Plante | Minnesota Sports Fan