After the Minnesota Twins traded right-handed hitting outfielder Harrison Bader to the Philadelphia Phillies during the organization’s Trade Deadline mass exodus, left field became a hodgepodge for the club, with Austin Martin, Trevor Larnach, James Outman, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. , Kody Clemens, and Alan Roden earning playing time at the position. This quintet failed to impress, hitting a combined .217/.298/.336 with a 79 wRC+ over 332 plate appearances. Still, some players stood out in left field late last season, signaling they could earn extended roles at the position next season.
The primary player who took advantage of their opportunity was Martin. Hitting .282/.374/.365 with one home run, eight doubles, and a 113 wRC+ over 181 plate appearances, the 26-year-old impressed as Minnesota’s primary left fielder, making 37 appearances at the position late last season. Showcasing a glimpse of the offensive profile that made him one of the most highly-touted college bats in the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft, Martin’s defense in left field also impressed, with the speedy outfielder generating three Outs Above Average (OAA) over 262 innings at the position.
With Larnach expected to either be traded this winter or become the club’s primary designated hitter early next season, Martin should be penciled in for a good share of left field starts entering next season. The contact-skilled right-handed bat won’t develop into a power-hitting bat. Still, given his above-average strikeout rate, near-elite contact profile, and plus range, Martin should be an above-average contributor in left field, providing Minnesota a strong foundation at the position in 2026.
Keirsey is no longer with the organization. Outman will likely continue to mix in at the position early next spring, but is out of options, and thus is also a DFA candidate who could no longer be a Twin come Opening Day. Clemens could be in the mix in left field, but President of Baseball and Business Operations Derek Falvey stated he will receive extended opportunities at first base next season. As mentioned earlier, Larnach is expected to either depart the organization or move off the position, meaning Martin’s primary platoon partner is expected to be Roden.
Acquired alongside Kendry Rojas in the trade that sent Louis Varland to the Toronto Blue Jays, Roden struggled in his small sample with the Twins, hitting .158/.200/.263 with a 26 wRC+ over 40 plate appearances. The 25-year-old’s struggles weren’t unique to Minnesota, evidenced by him hitting .204/.283/.306 with a 67 wRC+ over 113 plate appearances with Toronto. Despite struggling at the plate in his rookie campaign, the left-handed bat excelled at Triple-A the past two seasons, generating a 147 wRC+ over 428 plate appearances while posting an elite strikeout rate and expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA).
Unsurprisingly, Roden has struggled against left-handed pitching in the high minors and the majors. Yet, he hit .350/.436/.540 over 117 plate appearances against right-handed pitching at Triple-A last season, signaling he could become an above-average hitter against right-handed pitching with more opportunities next season. The former Blue Jays prospect is also a plus fielder, evidenced by his sporting plus range in left last season (2 OAA) alongside well-above-average arm strength.
Martin and Roden are both young, inexperienced bats who have less than 600 combined plate appearances in the majors. Still, given their sustained success and encouraging advanced metrics at Triple-A the previous two seasons, plus defensive profiles, and above-average athleticism and speed, the duo could blossom into one of the more productive and exciting left field platoons in baseball early next season, an encouraging outlook for a Twins team blanketed in uncertainty.