Forget 1982, when the Minnesota Twins scraped together just 60 wins on the season, losing 102 games: 2016 was a dismal year for the team, which finished with a record of 59-103—the worst in franchise history since the move to Minnesota in 1961.
Now, with well-regarded executives Derek Falvey and Thad Levine at the helm—Terry Ryan was fired in July—the Twins are looking to right the ship.
As we approach the 2017 season, we’re previewing what’s ahead for each of the 30 MLB teams. The Minnesota Twins are next:
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Up-and-coming player to watch
The Twins have heaps of raw young talent at their disposal, including several young players still searching for a breakout but no longer considered up-and-coming—think Miguel Sano, who is entering his third season in the big leagues.
Stephen Gonsalves, a fourth-round draft pick in 2013, is one young player fans should expect to see called up later this summer. Ranked the Twins’ No. 2 prospect by Baseball America, the left-hander has shown himself well in spring training. Gonsalves went 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA in 13 starts for the Twins’ double-A affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts, last year. Minnesota, a team desperately in need of decent pitching, will hope he continues to develop—and avoids the injury bug after missing three weeks in the Arizona Fall League due to a shoulder strain last year.
What a successful 2017 season would look like
Don’t expect the Twins to win their division or realistically even compete for a wild-card spot. While the team went on a surprising run in 2015, posting a projection-busting 83-79 record to finish second in the American League Central, Minnesota looks unlikely to recapture that success this season.
A good year would have the Twins staying out of the division basement. More important than the team’s record, though, is the advancement of a number of young players with big potential. If there’s one thing Minnesota has on its side, it’s a wealth of young talent.
Sano, a Rookie of the Year finalist in 2015, struggled last season with inconsistency. The Dominican slugger finished fifth in the majors in strikeouts with 178—he struck out in 36 per cent of his plate appearances—and will need to find better plate discipline this year. The early signs are promising: The 23-year-old, who isn’t exactly known for his speed on the base paths, reportedly showed up to spring training 15 pounds lighter, and he’s been working with the team’s new hitting coach, James Rowson, to finesse his approach at the plate.
A really good year would also mean Byron Buxton has a breakout season. His late-season output in 2016 suggested what he might be capable of: the centre-fielder slashed .287/.357/.653 with nine home runs and 22 RBI over 29 games in September/October.
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Biggest remaining question
Minnesota’s pitching staff posted a team ERA of 5.08 in 2016, good for worst in the AL. The biggest question heading into 2017 centres on how the Twins will cope with a group of hurlers largely unchanged from last season.
While Brian Dozier, the team’s best offensive player, has been at the centre of trade rumours, with speculation that the front office has been trying to move him in exchange for pitching help, Dozier remains with the Twins, who have yet to make any upgrades to a starting rotation headlined by Ervin Santana.
The one bit of good news is the upgrade at catcher: with Kurt Suzuki off to Atlanta, the Twins signed Jason Castro to a three-year deal. Castro’s pitch-framing should be a huge boon to Minnesota’s arms—though fans should expect the Twins to take some thrashings this season unless Levine and Co. make some moves.
