After entering the year as AL Central favorites, the Minnesota Twins did not look like playoff contenders early in the season. Through three weeks, the club was six games below .500 and only ahead of the lowly Chicago White Sox in the division. The Twins have since turned things around.
Minnesota has won the second-most games in baseball since April 22, winning 48 times with just 231 defeats. With the MLB trade deadline approaching and a six-game gap still to make up in the AL Central, Minnesota will look to add more talent to bolster their postseason run. Here are three Twins prospects who must be on the trade block before the 2024 MLB deadline.
Emmanuel Rodriguez (Outfielder)
Twins #3 prospect
Three of Minnesota's top six prospects are outfielders, giving the club some flexibility when making deals ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Emmanuel Rodriguez, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic, is the third-ranked prospect in the Twins farm system. He offers an intriguing combo of power and speed, registering 16 homers and 20 stolen bases in just 99 games at the High-A level last year.
This year, Rodriguez has been on fire, posting a 1.100 OPS with 22 extra-base hits in 37 games at Double-A. He also has an above-average arm in the outfield. The one concern with the 21-year-old is durability. Injuries have limited the youngster to just 183 games across three seasons, and he has been out since late May this year.
While he is an immense talent, Rodriguez's history of injury at such a young age is a sign the Twins should trade the talented centerfielder while his value is still high.
Gabriel Gonzalez (Outfielder)
Twins #6 prospect
Another talented outfielder in the Minnesota minor league system, the Twins acquired Gabriel Gonzalez in the trade that sent Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners over the winter. The Venezuelan had his best minor league season in 2023, finishing with 18 homers, 84 RBI, and a .837 OPS in 116 games at Single-A and High-A.
But Gonzalez struggled at High-A last year, posting a .216 batting average and .677 OPS in 43 games at that level. Those difficulties at the High-A level continued in 2024, as the 20-year-old has a modest .715 OPS in 38 contests with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. These post-promotion troubles are nothing new for Gonzalez, who will hope for a better output in the second half of the season.
The right-hander's best trait is his exceptional arm in the outfield, though he is also a strong hitter with good bat-to-ball skills. Gonzalez still needs to improve his power and drive at the plate, but he is one of many promising Twins outfielders who could be part of a blockbuster trade ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Charlee Soto (Pitcher)
Twins #8 prospect
Along with outfielders, Minnesota has many right-handed pitching prospects — with four such players among their top 10 prospects. Charlee Soto is the most intriguing of these minor leaguers and the furthest from the Majors. Soto was a first-round competitive balance draft pick of the Twins in 2023, entering the pro ranks having recently converted to pitcher.
The 18-year-old, 6-5 prospect offers a 98-mile-per-hour fastball to go with a solid sinker and good cutter. Soto has yet to consistently find success at the MiLB level, posting a 5.73 ERA in 48.2 innings this year — his first against professional competition. Yet the youngster still manages to strike out 11.1 batters per nine innings.
Charlee Soto has the arm to be a solid big-league starter. But with so much development ahead of him, Minnesota should look to trade the minor-leaguer for an established MLB player who can contribute now.
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