In 2024, more than a handful of Minnesota Twins prospects made their way to the big leagues. A few of them came out of nowhere, others carry top prospect expectations, within the organization.
With the MLB offseason well underway, new team president Derek Falvey has turned his focus to 2025. The expectation is that Minnesota, who has no money to spend in free agency, will be active on the trade market and, yet again, rely on graduating top prospects, in order to improve on a disappointing 2024.
I have been posting my top 15 prospect lists here since 2016, and you can find each of them below:
15. Billy Amick 3B/1B
Minnesota drafted Amick out of Tennessee in the 2nd round of the most recent MLB Draft. He put up big power numbers during his last season in Knoxville including 23 home runs. There isn’t much to glean from 18 professional games, but he did play at Low-A Fort Myers.
If there was something extremely promising during his first foray into pro ball, it’s that Amick showed a strong sense of plate discipline. His 15/12 K/BB suggests he can handle the first level, and a push to Cedar Rapids next season makes sense.
14. Kala’i Rosario OF
A former fifth round pick in 2020, Rosario is eligible as a Rule 5 Draft pick this winter. It’s possible he’s no longer in the Twins organization by the end of the week. Injuries kept Rosario to just 69 games last year and his .726 OPS was a step backwards from the .832 mark he posted for Cedar Rapids in 2022.
The corner outfielder did return to the Arizona Fall League and he performed well there. In 21 games Rosario hit three home runs and drove in 16. He has some swing and miss in his profile, but the power is legit. There’s a chance a big league organization could stash him as their 26th man.
13. Brandon Winokur SS/3B/CF
The positional flexibility for Winokur highlights just how tools’d out he is. This is a five-tool talent that needs refinement across the board. He played primarily shortstop for Fort Myers but committed 14 errors in 61 games. The .761 OPS is solid for a league typically tough on hitters.
Winokur wound up with 14 homers and 23 stolen bases during his first full professional season. He’ll need to dial in discipline and work on contact. There’s a lot to like here though, and the 2023 third round pick is a name to watch in 2025.
12. Dasan Hill LHP
Minnesota grabbed the prep arm from Texas with the 69th overall pick in last year’s draft. He didn’t pitch in pro ball the rest of the way, but it’s clear to see what they liked. He has touched 96 mph and just went through a significant growth spurt.
The Twins are working off projections here, and they have a belief that Hill can be developed into a power starting arm from the left side. He throws four pitches, all for strikes. There is going to be a building process at the professional level, but it’s hard not to like what there is to work with.
11. C.J. Culpepper RHP
Culpepper can wind up being another late-round selection that winds up making a difference for Minnesota. The 13th round pick played collegiately for California Baptist and made it to Double-A Wichita last season. He has improved each time repeating a level and that can be expected for 2025.
His 2.89 ERA in 37 1/3 innings for Cedar Rapids ballooned to a 4.71 ERA in 21 innings for Wichita. He threw just 58 1/3 innings in 2024 as he dealt with different maladies. If the health can take a tick for the better next season, then he’ll start at Double-A with an eye on Minnesota by season’s end.
10. Kyle DeBarge INF
DeBarge was the Twins pick at 33rd overall in last year’s draft. That was compensation for losing Sonny Gray in free agency. After a summer on The Cape, DeBarge starred for Louisiana-Lafayette posting a 1.117 OPS in his final year.
In 26 games for Fort Myers to start his career, DeBarge slashed .235/.322/.343. He hit 21 homers in his final collegiate season, but just one so far professional. It may take a bit of time for the swing to translate with wood, but there’s a really good talent here.
9. Gabriel Gonzalez OF
When the Twins made that ill-fated Jorge Polanco trade last offseason, it was largely done out of necessity. Justin Topa is back to make things work at the big league level, but the rest sits on the shoulders of Gonzalez. He isn’t the top-100 prospect that came over in the deal, but there’s still a high ceiling for him.
Injury kept Gonzalez to just 81 games in 2024, but 76 of them came for High-A Cedar Rapids. He posted just a .706 OPS and the biggest change was a dip from 18 home runs in 2023 to just five in 2024. If the power swing returns and he can remain on the field, his stock will be on the rise again.
8. Charlee Soto RHP
A first round pick in 2023, Soto made his professional debut last season. He pitched in the new Spring Breakout Game and then worked for Fort Myers all season. At just 18 years old this season he is still incredibly raw. The ability to push triple digits is beyond exciting, however.
Soto threw 74 innings across 21 games (20 starts). His 5.23 ERA was largely a result of a 4.0 BB/9. Across his final eight outings though, Soto turned a corner and posted a 3.67 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings. He still has to work on pitchability and command, but the stuff is all there.
7. Andrew Morris RHP
A fourth round pick out of Texas Tech in 2022, Morris took a sizable step forward in 2024. His 2.88 ERA was impressive during his first full professional season, but that came at Single-A levels. Last year Morris finished with seven starts at Triple-A St. Paul.
The right-hander owned a 2.37 ERA across 133 innings and posted a career-best 9.0 K/9. He has shown a consistent level of durability and is a reliable arm. He strikes batters out and doesn’t give up free passes. The ceiling isn’t an ace, but he’s better than a fourth or fifth starter too.
6. Cory Lewis RHP
Arguably the most interesting pitcher in the Twins system, Lewis was a 9th round pick in 2022. He throws a knuckleball, but is definitely not a soft-tossing gadget pitcher. The fastball is a legitimate out pitch and he knows how to force batters into tough spots.
After throwing 101 1/3 innings during his debut season, Lewis got in just 79 innings after a spring training setback. He still posted a 2.51 ERA, much of which was derived from 15 games at Double-A. He finished the year with a five inning start for the Saints and could make his major league debut in 2025.
5. Marco Raya RHP
There was debate as to whether it was David Festa or Raya claiming the Twins best pitching prospect entering 2024. Raya scuffled at Double-A and was handled with kid gloves for multiple short starts. The ceiling is still high though, and he could push back to the look of a top-100 prospect.
24 starts for Wichita translated to 92 2/3 innings. He owned a 4.27 ERA with a 9.6 K/9. Walks were an issue and ultimately command could push him to the bullpen. Raya ended the year with a start for the Saints. If Minnesota wants to keep using Raya as a starter, his development time for St. Paul could be longer.
4. Kaelen Culpepper SS
A first round selection at 21st overall in 2024, Culpepper has the looks of a player that should stick on the dirt. The Kansas State product came out of the gates hot, and his .297/.366/.541 slash line for Fort Myers earned him a promotion to High-A Cedar Rapids.
In 17 games with the Kernels, Culpepper owned just a .616 OPS. He’ll get much more time to acclimate with a full spring training, and he should be counted on for a nice season in 2025. How the power and offensive profile develops remains to be seen. His glove and arm are legit, but they may play better at the hot corner.
3.Luke Keaschall 2B
There are few players across minor league baseball that had better seasons than Keaschall did. What’s crazy is that he did so while dealing with a UCL injury. The former second round pick played in the Futures Game, and he could very likely play for Minnesota this season.
Across two levels Keaschall slashed .303/.420/.483 with 15 home runs. He stole 23 bases and has that power/speed profile that is beyond coveted in the infield. The surgery should be healed for spring training, and starting at St. Paul with a quick eye on the big leagues seems logical.
2. Emmanuel Rodriguez OF
When Emmanuel Rodriguez has been on the field, he’s been among the best prospects in the game. Injuries limited him to just 47 games in 2024, but the 21-year-old did plenty with them. He slashed .280/.459/.567 with nine home runs. He is an absolute menace in the box.
There are times that Rodriguez’s strikeouts can mount as he attempts to be choosy at the plate. He may need to attack a bit earlier in counts as he reaches the big leagues. Rodriguez will play for St. Paul, but is a candidate to replace Max Kepler in Rocco Baldelli’s lineup. The projection of an All-Star here is very realistic.
1. Walker Jenkins OF
Right now Walker Jenkins is among the top five prospects in all of baseball. It’s possible that he winds up being the sport’s best prospect by the time he reaches Minnesota. The fifth overall pick was part of an amazing 2023 group at the top.
He finished 2024 playing six games for the Wichita Wind Surge. On the year, as just a 19-year-old, Jenkins posted a .282/.394/.439 slash line. He hit six homers, had another four triples, and stole successfully on 17-of-20 attempts. He is a plus defender in centerfield and is a clubhouse asset as well.
If the Twins are dreaming on their next superstar, than Jenkins is absolutely that player. It’s unlikely he plays in the big leagues this season, but 2026 should be the timeline. Another year tearing up the farm system should be a blast to watch.
