Story by
MN Twins Fill Key Spots on All-Underrated Team
- Story by
- MN Twins Fill Key Spots on All-Underrated Team
Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins
made waves on Friday when they fired
"mutually parted ways"
with Derek Falvey. Of course the president of baseball and business operations had probably had enough with an ownership group that can't get out of their own way
.
He had brought in a few minor additions this offseason , and that's the only sort of option you have when working for penny pinchers. Getting more out of internal talent is always the goal, and it becomes especially important for a mid-level franchise that needs to win on the fringes.
Advertisement
Minnesota is no longer Falvey's problem, but Anthony Castrovince (MLB) gave him some flowers when it comes to unearthing gems.
Related Headlines
Multiple MN Twins getting overlooked
You'd certainly rather be called underrated as opposed to overrated when considering possible outcomes. Short of the flop that was Carlos Correa , there's no many people tied to the Minnesota Twins that fall in the overrated category of late. MLB Network's Anthony Castrovince called multiple Twins underrated for his 2026 team.
. @castrovince 's "2026 All-Underrated Team" consists of players like Ernie Clement , Xavier Edwards and Taylor Ward! #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/SzTT48IoCq
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 29, 2026
Both Ryan Jeffers and Matt Wallner make the roster from the Minnesota Twins. Jeffers just had Victor Caratini brought in to combine with him behind the plate. Derek Shelton also still has a glut of left-handed corner outfield options. Both players fit the mold of being overlooked though.
Jeffers is no Raleigh, but he does join the Seattle star as one of only four catchers with at least 335 plate appearances and at least a league-average OPS+ in each of the past three seasons (during which time, Jeffers' OPS+ has been 13% better than average).
Across 119 games last season Jeffers posted a 108 OPS+ . He still managed offensive production despite his power numbers (9 home runs, .397 SLG) falling off a cliff. It's expected he'll catch closer to 100 games this season for Minnesota, and another step forward offensively is plausible.
The underlying metrics tell us Wallner had one of the quickest average bat speeds in MLB, and that he was 85th percentile in barrel percentage. You might assume he had so few hits because he struck out a ton, and he did. But his 29.1% strikeout rate was actually more than a 7-point reduction from his 2024 rate, and his 11.7% walk rate was in the 84th percentile.
Wallner's 110 OPS+ was the worst mark of his career . That's still above league average, came with 22 home runs, and 16 doubles. He has a rocket for an arm and is a solid defender in right field. If he can turn the decreased strikeout totals into a few more barreled balls this season, opposing pitchers will be in trouble.
Advertisement
Free agent MN Twins reliever lands too
Last season Danny Coulombe was among the Minnesota Twins shipped out at the trade deadline . He landed with Texas and continued to be a quality lefty reliever. Still on the open market, a reunion seemed more likely before Minnesota grabbed left-handed closer Taylor Rogers . Still, Castrovince sees him being a quality addition for someone in 2026.
If we key in on his past three seasons (with the Orioles, Twins and Rangers), he's put up an ERA+ of 165 (or 65% better than league average) and an ERA- (calculated by FanGraphs, which works in reverse, with a lower number being better) of 59. The former ranks 12th among relievers with at least 100 innings in that span, while the latter ranks eighth.
Coulombe is 36 now, and already dealt with fatigue last year. If he's got another turn in him though, the production has remained consistent.
Since 2023 he owns a 2.47 ERA (2.99 FIP) and a 9.7 K/9 across 149 appearances (124 innings). If he were doing this 10 years ago, he'd be among the most highly sought after relievers in the sport.
Advertisement
Minnesota drafted both Jeffers and Wallner, while keeping Coulombe around on minor league deals before re-signing him last year. Targeting that underrated talent is a skill, and they definitely did it right in these scenarios.
Related Headlines
