While the Twins did well on a few deals, they also made some puzzling moves that left value on the table. With nine trades completed during their aggressive deadline reset, it’s time to evaluate how each one stacks up. Below is a full ranking of every deal, complete with trade details and letter grades.

1. Harrison Bader to the Phillies — Grade: A–
Return: OF Hendry Mendez, RHP Geremy Villoria
Of all the trades the Twins made, this one returned the most value relative to the asset moved. Bader, an impending free agent, brought back a legitimate prospect in Mendez — a 21-year-old in Double-A with a bat that projects to play at higher levels. Villoria is a true lottery ticket at just 16 years old, but he’s the type of long-term upside arm you hope to hit on in these kinds of deals.

2. Jhoan Duran to the Phillies — Grade: B+
Return: C Eduardo Tait, RHP Mick Abel
This one is harder to evaluate. The Twins did well on paper — they got two Top 100 prospects, including Tait (ranked #56) and Abel (#91), balancing upside and proximity. Still, the question lingers: was Duran worth even more? Given his unique talent and team control, you could argue they should have held out for a truly elite package.

3. Carlos Correa to the Astros — Grade: B
Return: RHP Matt Mikulski, ~$70M in salary relief
This was clearly a salary dump, and the Twins succeeded in moving a major sunk cost. Mikulski doesn’t bring much upside at 26 in High-A, but the real win was getting the Astros to eat 70% of the deal — especially with Correa holding a no-trade clause. Whether the deal pays off fully depends on how (or if) that freed-up money gets reinvested.

4. Chris Paddack & Randy Dobnak to the Tigers — Grade: B–
Return: C Enrique Jimenez
Jimenez is a 19-year-old catcher with a .779 OPS in rookie ball — a solid return for a rental arm like Paddack. But this trade’s ceiling drops due to the inclusion of Dobnak, whose contract likely diluted the return. It’s a fair trade, but with a bit of “what could’ve been” if Dobnak weren’t attached.

5. Willi Castro to the Cubs — Grade: C+
Return: RHP Ryan Gallagher, RHP Sam Armstrong
Castro was expected to be the most valuable among Minnesota’s free agents, so it was surprising to see such a modest return. Gallagher is now ranked #16 in the Twins system (MLB Pipeline), but Armstrong doesn’t crack the top 30. This one feels fine, but underwhelming.

6. Danny Coulombe to the Rangers — Grade: C
Return: LHP Garrett Horn
Coulombe had a solid market as a reliable lefty reliever, so a return of Garrett Horn, a 6th-round pick coming off Tommy John, feels light. Horn has some tools, but the risk level is high, and the ceiling may not justify the deal.

7. Griffin Jax to the Rays — Grade: C–
Return: RHP Taj Bradley
Bradley was once a hot name, but he’s struggled with a 4.70 ERA over 350+ MLB innings. Jax had 2.5 years of control left and could have drawn more in the offseason. His reported trade request might’ve sped up the timeline to Minnesota’s detriment.

8. Brock Stewart to the Dodgers — Grade: D+
Return: OF James Outman
A confusing trade. Stewart had team control and was effective, while Outman is a 28-year-old with declining value and contact issues. He did flash in 2023, but hasn’t stuck since. A change of scenery could help, but this felt misaligned with the Twins’ rebuilding timeline.

9. Louis Varland & Ty France to the Blue Jays — Grade: D+
Return: LHP Kendry Rojas, OF Alan Roden
On paper, the return isn’t bad. Rojas could be nasty and Roden is intriguing, albeit redundant (another LHH corner outfielder?). But moving Varland, a cost-controlled power arm who looked like a bullpen cornerstone, made little sense. He’s the type of player you keep during a retool, not move in a package for mid-tier prospects. This one stung.

While the Twins found good value in a few deals, much of their deadline work left something to be desired. A handful of trades felt rushed or misaligned with the team’s stated direction, and in several cases, it seemed like they left value on the table. Time will ultimately judge how these moves age, but for now, the 2025 deadline feels like a mixed bag for a team still trying to define its future.