Twins spring training buzz: Young bats sizzling with promise
Twins fans were left salivating after a pair of spring training wins Monday against potential World Series contenders.
The reason for the excitement was not because of the wins themselves, it is just spring training after all. No, the reason for yet another dose of optimism around the club is the performances of key individuals in those wins.
Catcher Ryan Jeffers started the Twins comeback in the bottom of the fourth inning. Down 2-0 at the time, Jeffers clubbed a slider 365 feet into the left-field bleachers. New Twins first baseman Carlos Santana completed the comeback by rocking a 3-1 fastball 381 feet into right-center for a go-ahead home run in a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Fort Myers, Fla.
Another set of Twins were in action at the same time in Sarasota, Fla., against one of the American League's best in the Baltimore Orioles. In a 7-2 win, the Twins saw the young core of Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee and Emmanuel Rodriguez all have solid days at the plate against major league pitching.
Rodriguez, the Twins' third-best prospect in their farm system, hit a home run on Craig Kimbrel's first pitch to put the Twins up 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Rodriguez went 1 for 3 at the plate with no strikeouts.
Lee, the No. 2-ranked Twins prospect, went 2 for 3 against the Orioles, driving in a run in the top of the fourth off a sharply hit double to center field. It was Lee's third double of the spring.
Lewis went 2 for 2 with a walk and driving in an RBI. Lewis' RBI came off a double. Both Lee and Lewis' RBI doubles came off of Kimbrel in the top of the fourth.
Lewis' hot spring has led MLB Network's Jim Bowden to declare that the Twins' third baseman could be in the MVP race this season.
"He's also a dark horse to win MVP in the league for me," Bowden said on SiriusXM radio. "So, when you look at all the [Aaron] Judge, the [Juan] Soto, and Julio Rodriguez ... and all the guys you're going to favor. Lewis is one of those guys you can dream on being that shock surprise long shot to win the MVP. That's how good the talent is.
"And look, when he was taken in the first round, we all knew talent, potential, etcetera, and then he's had an entire career full of injuries. It's been really sad to watch it. But you know what he did that whole time? He matured physically, mentally. He learned the game. He studied the game. He was humbled and now we're looking at a player that is literally in the best head-space you can be in. And physically, he is an absolute uber-talent. He is by far — we saw at the end of last year in the playoffs he was the best player on the field for the Minnesota Twins. Wasn't even close. This kid can absolutely impact. The only argument against Lewis is: Can he stay healthy? I don't have that answer, but I know one thing if you give him 145, 150 games this year he'll be in the MVP conversation. He's that good."
Elsewhere, the Twins No. 4-rated prospect, Gabriel Gonzalez, was mashing in live batting practice Monday. The official Twitter account for the Twins Player Development team posted video of Gonzalez hammering balls with exit velocities of 102, 95 and 107 mph.
Gonzalez was acquired as part of the Jorge Polanco trade. The 20-year-old spent the 2023 season in Single-A and High-A ball in the Mariners system.
