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Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Rankings (2026 Edition)
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- Minnesota Twins Top Prospect Rankings (2026 Edition)
William Parmeter
It's only a month until pitchers and catchers are reporting to Fort Myers, FL in mid-February for Minnesota Twins Spring Training, which will look a bit different in 2026, as multiple Minnesota Twins players leave early for the World Baseball Classic .
Thus, it'll be incumbent on new manager Derek Shelton to maximize the weeks he does have during Grapefruit League play, in order to get his team ready for what the team is selling as a new era of Twins baseball.
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Shelton is coming into a clubhouse that's already undergone significant changes over the past 12 months (and still has plenty of questions that remain unanswered).
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Beyond their (still) incomplete roster, Minnesota will also have to adjust to Major League Baseball's latest groundbreaking rule change, as the ABS (Automated Balls and Strikes) challenge system gets set for its big league debut in 2026.
Minnesota Twins Top Prospects – 2026
Credit: Andrew West / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
But the above preamble is not what you came here for. This article is about the prospects coming up through the organization, most of whom have been using the ABS challenge system since it was first implemented in the minors (2019), long before most of these kids ever turned pro.
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According to FanGraphs , the Minnesota Twins ended 2025 with the 12th best farm system in baseball. Not only that, but there is a real opportunity for some of their top prospects to come up and fill gaps this season.
Compared to where they stood this time last year , the Twins are much better positioned as an organization, to lean on call-up talent early at the big league level this season.
Now… with that out of the way, let's talk about some of the youngsters coming up through the system, as we inch closer to Spring. Here are my top 15 Minnesota Twins prospects for 2026.
15. Andrew Morris | RHP | 24 y/o
A former fourth-round pick out of Texas Tech, Morris is expected to make his major league debut this season. While his ceiling likely tops out as a back-end starter, his floor appears to be similar. He looked like the next man up last year and could get an early opportunity if rotation openings arise.
#MNTwins No. 9 prospect Andrew Morris recorded a season-high eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings Sunday. @USAFRecruiting #AimHigh pic.twitter.com/acX9Nc7jfS
— St. Paul Saints (@StPaulSaints) May 20, 2025
In his first full season at Triple-A, Morris posted a 4.09 ERA across 94 2/3 innings . He dealt with a few minor injuries, but his 89/28 K/BB ratio was respectable. He's not a dominant power arm, though he's far from a soft tosser.
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14. Charlee Soto | RHP | 20 y/o
There's a case to be made that Soto should be ranked higher—and another argument that he shouldn't be in the top 15 at all. The young fireballer can touch triple digits and posted a 1.38 ERA with a 15/4 K/BB ratio at High-A Cedar Rapids across three starts. Unfortunately, he required surgery to repair a detached bone spur and logged just 13 innings.
Charlee Soto's four-seam is zipping this year! After sitting 95.7 mph on it last year with just shy of 14 inches of IVB, he is now averaging north of 98 mph with substantially more IVB. CH & SL are both strong bat-missing secondaries, and the sinker/cutter are solid 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Uc5aXmVX6I
— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) April 16, 2025
Minnesota hopes Soto will be ready for Spring Training. Assuming a normal ramp-up, he'll return to High-A Cedar Rapids to begin the season. The ceiling for the former first-round pick is immense, though few prospects are more volatile than prep pitchers.
13. Quentin Young | SS | 18 y/o
The Twins selected Young in the second round of last summer's MLB Draft . The nephew of Dmitri Young and former Twins outfielder Delmon Young , Quentin oozes projectable traits. He's a gifted athlete and will be an exciting player to watch during his first full professional season.
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Young skipped the Complex League and appeared in Charlee Soto's four-seam is zipping this year! After sitting 95.7 mph on it last year with just shy of 14 inches of IVB, he is now averaging north of 98 mph with substantially more IVB. CH & SL are both strong bat-missing secondaries, and the sinker/cutter are solid �� pic.twitter.com/Uc5aXmVX6I
12. Brandon Winokur | SS | 21 y/o
Winokur, a third-round pick in 2023, entered pro ball with true five-tool potential. He was raw and needed refinement across the board, and while it hasn't fully clicked yet, there have been steady glimpses.
#MNTwins 2023 third-rounder Brandon Winokur with some big-time pop off Top 100 prospect Hagen Smith. pic.twitter.com/LqvnE9mzZ2
— Jesse Borek (@JesseABorek) October 23, 2025
He played 122 games at High-A last season, slashing .226/.304/.388. His 17 home runs marked an increase from 14 in 2024, and he stole 26 bases in 30 attempts. Likely not a long-term shortstop, the Twins experimented with him at third base and in center field. Winokur hit just .192 in 21 Arizona Fall League games, but the experience was invaluable.
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Minnesota could give him the full year at Double-A. If things click, he has the upside to move firmly into the top 10.
11. Kyle DeBarge | 2B | 22 y/o
The Twins selected DeBarge with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 draft. He debuted quickly and spent his first full professional season at High-A Cedar Rapids.
A shortstop in college, DeBarge moved around the diamond last season, seeing most of his time at second base while also logging innings at shortstop and in the outfield. After adjusting his approach to generate more power late in college, that change began to surface.
Kyle DeBarge quick to flash the leather to kick off a double play! #CRKernels | #OnlyInCR pic.twitter.com/5VPTYpkhka
— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) September 13, 2025
Across 121 games with the Kernels , DeBarge hit .237/.347/.362 with eight home runs. He was electric on the basepaths, stealing 66 bases while being caught just eight times, and he earned a minor league Gold Glove . He should open 2026 at Double-A Wichita.
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10. Riley Quick | RHP | 21 y/o
Quick is one of two former Alabama pitchers in the Twins' top 10, joining Connor Prielipp as Crimson Tide representatives. Selected 36th overall last summer, Quick offers legitimate top-of-the-rotation upside.
Really excited to see Riley Quick's pro debut for the Twins this season.
📷: William Parmeter pic.twitter.com/RnVaANk8kB— Ted (@tlschwerz) January 14, 2026
Minnesota held him out of professional action last season after he posted a 3.92 ERA in 14 starts (62 innings) for Alabama, along with a 70/24 K/BB ratio. His 6'6″, 255-pound frame generates plenty of velocity. Starting him at Low-A Fort Myers makes sense, though a move to Cedar Rapids wouldn't be surprising.
9. Dasan Hill | LHP | 20 y/o
The Twins' system is loaded with left-handed pitching, and Hill is the third southpaw in the top 10, and the youngest . He spent most of the season at Fort Myers before finishing with Cedar Rapids.
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In 16 starts for the Mighty Mussels, Hill posted a 2.77 ERA with an 11.8 K/9 . He struggled during his brief High-A stint, allowing six runs in 10 innings. Control remains a work in progress, as evidenced by 40 walks in 62 total innings, but the arrow is pointing up as he heads to Cedar Rapids.
8. Connor Prielipp | LHP | 25 y/o
The Twins have long envisioned what Prielipp could become, but injuries have delayed his ascent. Last season, he logged 82 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A , roughly four times more than any season since high school.
Connor Prielipp with the @WindSurgeICT yesterday:
3.2 IP / 3 H / 2 R / 0 BB / 6 K #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/CYxglJ8vdD— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 22, 2025
He finished the year with 21 innings at Triple-A St. Paul and struck out 98 batters overall. Prielipp is a popular candidate to contribute out of the big-league bullpen this season. If he can stay healthy as a starter, he has No. 1 or No. 2 upside; if moved to relief, a high-leverage role seems likely.
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7. Gabriel Gonzalez | OF | 22 y/o
When the Twins sent Jorge Polanco to Seattle , Gonzalez was the prospect with the most long-term value. After a rocky organizational debut, he rebounded in a big way last season.
Gabby Gonzalez backed up a strong relief outing from Marco Raya by blasting a 2-run go-ahead homer in the 9th 💣
Raya: 2.2 IP / 1 H / 0 ER / 0 BB / 4 K
Gonzalez: 2-4 / HR (107 EV) / 4 RBI / R #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/wf7L5JLxrq— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) August 27, 2025
Gonzalez posted a .909 OPS across 123 games at three levels. In 34 Triple-A games, he slashed .316/.358/.504 and hit six of his 15 total home runs. While he won't break camp with the Twins, he should be among the first call-ups.
It wouldn't be surprising if Gonzalez outproduces Kody Clemens , or even Trevor Larnach , at the big-league level this year.
6. Marek Houston | SS | 21 y/o
Selected 16th overall in last summer's draft, Houston is another highly talented shortstop in the system. How his hit tool translates will be the key storyline in his first full pro season. He added power at Wake Forest, hitting 15 home runs while batting .354.
6. Marek Houston – SS – A+
A standout bat at Wake Forest, Houston offers the Twins plus speed, and an incredible glove at SS. He excelled in 12 Low-A games, with a .370/.424.444 slashline. A contact-first hitter, he'll offer some pop, but likely a ceiling of below 20 HR a year. pic.twitter.com/mx0ehYLpWc— Inside The Diamond (@InsideTheDiamnd) September 19, 2025
Houston played 12 games at Low-A Fort Myers and 12 at High-A Cedar Rapids, collecting 27 hits in his first 100 at-bats. Only six went for extra bases, but the glove is legit and should keep him at shortstop. He'll open the season in Cedar Rapids.
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5. Kendry Rojas | LHP | 23 y/o
Acquired in the controversial Louie Varland trade with Toronto , Rojas was the pitching prospect that convinced Minnesota to move the hometown product. Already at Triple-A when acquired, he should be knocking on the door.
His initial numbers with St. Paul were rough: a 6.59 ERA with 25 runs (20 earned) allowed in 27 1/3 innings. Control was the main issue, as he walked 23 batters. If that gets corrected, Rojas has a strong chance to bounce back.
Another lefty with upside, settling in with the Twins organization should help. He'll be counted on at some point this season.
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4. Eduardo Tait | C | 19 y/o
Tait arrived alongside Mick Abel from Philadelphia in the Jhoan Duran trade and was the centerpiece of the deal. A consensus top-100 prospect, he remains raw but immensely talented.
Eduardo Tait joins the fun! #CRKernels | #OnlyInCR pic.twitter.com/fBzRFCAfgt
— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) September 13, 2025
In 30 games at Cedar Rapids , Tait hit .250/.286/.408 with 10 doubles and three home runs. Overall, he posted an .842 OPS across his first 80 stateside games last year. Offensive upside from the catcher position makes him particularly intriguing.
3. Kaelen Culpepper | SS | 23 y/o
Minnesota's 21st overall pick in 2024, Culpepper broke out in his first pro season. A late slump prevented a Triple-A finish, but he was close.
Kaelen Culpepper with home run #20.
Culpepper has been a steady riser up my rankings all season and is now firmly in the top 50 discussion. pic.twitter.com/7SulR0roEv— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) September 5, 2025
Across 113 games, he hit .289/.375/.469 with 16 doubles, three triples, and 20 home runs. The power surge was unexpected but welcome. Culpepper should begin the season at Triple-A St. Paul and could earn a second-half promotion.
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Orlando Arcia was signed as a backup shortstop , but Culpepper could be working alongside Brooks Lee sooner rather than later.
2. Emmanuel Rodriguez | OF | 22 y/o
Culpepper has a strong case here, but I remain bullish on Rodriguez. He finished 2024 at Triple-A and began 2025 there, though injuries again slowed him .
In 52 games for St. Paul, Rodriguez hit .258/.429/.423 with seven doubles and six home runs. His patience stands out—he owns a career .424 OBP—but a 31.8% strikeout rate could be problematic at the next level.
Emmanuel Rodriguez with a 112.1 MPH rocket at Citi Field in LIDOM action 🚀💣 #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/jrwV5rBFSS
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) November 15, 2025
Rodriguez will get a chance to earn an Opening Day roster spot. He had a strong showing in the Dominican Winter League that can maybe vault him forward. With Larnach and Matt Wallner still in the mix, it's unlikely, but he will see big-league time this season.
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1. Walker Jenkins | OF | 20 y/o
There's no surprise at the top. Jenkins is the Twins' premier prospect and among the best in baseball. He reached Triple-A last season after just 52 games at Double-A Wichita.
The left-handed hitter has a silky smooth swing and excels in all facets of the game. Across 84 minor league games last season, he hit .286/.399/.451 with 17 doubles, two triples, and 10 home runs. He also stole 17 bases and played excellent center field.
Like Rodriguez, Jenkins will be given a legitimate path to an Opening Day roster spot. Even if he starts in Triple-A, his arrival could be special. He's a strong Rookie of the Year candidate, and a future superstar.
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