The Minnesota Twins made some bold moves around the trade deadline two years ago, all of which promptly backfired.
Jorge Lopez, who left the team less than a year later, and Tyler Mahle, who made just a few starts before requiring Tommy John surgery, were acquired by Minnesota through trade.
Doing business came at a heavy cost. Two prospects who have already made an impression with the Cincinnati Reds and a closer who played for Baltimore in the All-Star Game last season were traded by the Twins. The Twins sat out the deadline last year and refused to sell with any prospects, let alone elite players, indicating that it was obviously a traumatizing experience for the front staff.
However, this season, it might be more difficult to avoid making a move at the deadline. This time of year, the Twins are in dire need of excellent beginning pitching, and that is always the ultimate premium offering. Minnesota will have to reach into the farm system to acquire a player capable of actually propelling the franchise to a World Series caliber of contention. If they do, there are a few guys who, in any case, shouldn’t be taken into consideration as trade bait.
Four Twins prospects that, come trade deadline, should be seen as untouchable
Lee Brooks, 2B
Brooks Lee was poised to be the next member of the Twins youth movement to be called up not too long ago. An injury to Royce Lewis established the ideal conditions for him to finally take the next step, and he had a remote chance of making the Opening Day roster.
However, as is the case with nearly every elite Twins prospect, injuries stood in the way. In the last week of Spring Training, Lee sustained a herniated disc, which caused him to drop in the rankings a little. In place of him, Trevor Larnach has returned to the Minnesota roster, along with Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson. Lee’s history remains intact despite Jose Miranda’s resurrection and Lewis’s reappearance.
Like it was previously, the question is not if, but rather when, he will make his debut.
That’s one of the main reasons he’s an untouchable prospect. It’s crazy to consider how Major League ready he appears to be given his amazing rise through the minor league ranks, reaching Triple-A in less than a year. He slashed.367/.421/.561 at three levels last season, and since returning to St. Paul this year, he has been on a run, hitting.450 with a 1.026 OPS.
So important is Lee to Minnesota’s future that Jorge Polanco was considered disposable this winter. Whatever the flimsy payroll justifications for the move, Lee’s entrance required the Twins to ship off an All-Star. Aside from obtaining an absolute ace who will lead the starting rotation for the next ten years, it’s difficult to see Minnesota receiving reasonable value in return for him given the huge hype surrounding him and his ability to live up to it.
That isn’t a given, and even if it were, the Twins could be dumb to cut Lee given his immense potential.
Festa David, SP
In relation to possible aces, the Twins may have one in Triple-A that is just waiting to be revealed. Like Lee, but without the first-round status, David Festa has established himself as a name that practically all Minnesota sports fans know.
Festa might be the one to finally fulfill the pitching prophecy if Lee is the one to pick up the mantle from Royce Lewis. The Twins have been attempting to produce an ace at home for over 20 years, and Festa appears to be the real deal.
Festa has had an incredible season, but before to the season, he was kind of grouped in with Marco Raya and a few other pitching prospects that were worth watching. In 14 games this season, he has a 1.291 WHIP, nearly 90 strikeouts, and was named to MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect list.
While Bailey Ober has been reliable, the thought of adding Festa as the third head of a pitching monster is pure fantasy. Minnesota already had a very solid plan in place, teaming Pablo Lopez with Joe Ryan to be a one-two punch at the top of the rotation.
There is still a lot of work to be done, but in a not too distant future, the Twins might rotate through:
Juan Pablo
Ryan Joe
David Festa
Richardson, Bailey Ober Simeon Woods
Not even Chris Paddack or any of the other prospects in the farm system behind Festa are included in that. Twins supporters have been waiting for this potentially bright future for decades, but it isn’t one worth selling on.
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